Disney+ is making good on its promise to crack down on account sharing, though the effort is currently limited to users in Canada.
Disney+ sent emails to subscribers in the country this week about implementing new password-sharing restrictions on Nov. 1, according to MobileSyrup, which first reported the news.
“We're implementing restrictions on your ability to share your account or login credentials outside of your household,” the email says. An FAQ adds that paying subscribers will only be able to stream Disney+ from “devices associated with your primary personal residence.”
The account-sharing restriction is part of a new subscriber’s agreement that Disney is rolling out for the streaming service. The updated agreement, accessible only via a Canadian IP address, adds that Disney “may limit or terminate access" if it determines account-sharing is occurring.
Disney didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. But CEO Bob Iger said in an August earnings call that Disney is "actively exploring ways to address account sharing and the best options for paying subscribers to share their accounts with friends and family.”
Iger added: "We will roll out tactics to drive monetization sometime in 2024,” signaling that Disney plans on embarking on a wider password-sharing clampdown sometime next year.
Although users in Canada will face the restrictions sooner than most, the email from Disney+ notes that a new ad-supported tier is coming to the country on Nov. 1 for CAD$7.99 per month. The current, ad-free tier costs CAD$11.99 per month.
In the US, Disney+ Premium is set to increase from $10.99 to $13.99 per month starting Oct. 12, a 27% price hike. It's a similar deal for Hulu subscribers, who will see their price rise from $14.99 to $17.99 per month (a 20% increase).
Netflix implemented a similar password-sharing crackdown earlier this year in a bid to lock down more subscribers, many of whom have opted for that streaming service's ad-supported "Basic with Ads" tier, which costs $6.99 per month.