Once Netflix effectively broke the dam by killing off password-sharing, it was just a matter of time until other streaming services followed suit. To that point, in an August earnings call, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed that the company was finally “exploring ways to address account sharing” on Disney+. A few weeks later and a new password-sharing crackdown has begun, as subscribers in Canada have started receiving emails informing them of the new policy.
As spotted by Engadget, the updated Subscriber Agreement for Disney+ subscribers in Canada has new language that expressly prohibits sharing accounts outside of one’s household. Here’s what Disney says on a help page about sharing Disney+ subscriptions:
You may not share your subscription outside of your household. “Household” means the collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside therein.
Additionally, the agreement implies that Disney+ will introduce a fee for subscribers who want to add extra members outside of their household to the account. The agreement also says the new rules will apply to every subscriber “unless otherwise permitted by your Service Tier.” This might point to a separate tier that allows password sharing, but we aren’t sure.
These new rules will go into effect on November 1, 2023. None of this language is anywhere to be found on the Subscriber Agreement for Disney+ in the US.
Just as Netflix tested its password-sharing rules in a select few countries before rolling them out worldwide, Disney seems to be doing the same thing this fall. Unless there is a mass exodus in Canada, expect Disney to introduce similar rules in the US and beyond in 2024.
