In a move mirroring Netflix’s earlier policy shift, Disney has announced a crackdown on password sharing among its Disney+ subscribers. The entertainment giant is now requiring those not living in the same household as the account holder to either obtain their own subscription or become an additional paid member of the existing account.

This week, Disney+ rolled out options allowing subscribers to sponsor memberships for friends or family residing outside their household, effectively ending the era of lenient account sharing.

According to Disney, “Your Disney+ subscription is intended for use within your household,” defined as the devices and individuals residing at the primary location of the subscription. For users who have shared their login details with individuals living elsewhere, the company’s message is clear: these users must now secure their own subscriptions or be added to the original subscriber’s account for an additional monthly fee.

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The new paid-sharing strategy includes a feature for temporarily accessing Disney+ when away from home through a one-time passcode sent via email. Initially launched in select markets this summer, these features are now accessible in regions including the U.S., Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

For those adding an extra member to their basic Disney+ plan, an additional charge of $6.99 per month will apply, while premium plan subscribers will face a $9.99 monthly fee for each add-on member. Notably, this option is limited to one extra member per primary account and excludes bundle subscribers or those with third-party billing arrangements.

Subscribers have the option to transfer an eligible profile to a new subscription or add it as an extra member, preserving watch history and personal settings. This adjustment precedes a scheduled price hike for Disney+ services starting October 17; basic plans with ads will increase to $9.99 per month and ad-free premium plans will jump to $15.99.

Additionally, Disney intends to implement similar restrictions on password sharing across Hulu and ESPN+, following warnings issued earlier this year about unauthorized account sharing practices.

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This strategic pivot from previously lax attitudes toward password sharing reflects a broader industry trend aimed at bolstering subscriber numbers and revenue—a shift initially signaled by Netflix’s controversial crackdown last year which sparked widespread debate among its user base.

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