Netflix explains how password-sharing will work

Netflix is cracking down on password sharing. What does that mean for users?

Netflix has revealed the next phase of its crackdown on password-sharing. Starting today, users in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain will be asked to set a primary location for their account, Chengyi Long, director of product innovation, said in a blog post on Wednesday. Netflix uses data like IP addresses to determine where someone is located. 

Subscribers with the two highest-tier service plans, Standard and Premium, will also be able to add up to two extra members outside their household for an additional monthly fee. The extra fee ranges from 3.99 euros per person in Portugal to $7.99 per person in Canada and New Zealand. 

Netflix is expected to use the same approach in the U.S., where it has told investors to expect a broader rollout by the end of March.  

Netflix said subscribers will still be able to use their accounts while traveling. The company previously said it would use other tools, such as two-factor authentication, to allow unfamiliar devices to log into accounts.

The post also said the company would "refine these new features based on member feedback."

Netflix told investors in January that it would roll out more stringent sharing rules by the end of March. More than 100 million households around the world share Netflix passwords, according to the company. 

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