Disney Plus is apparently bringing its crackdown on password sharing in a much quicker timeframe than expected.
In fact, the first signs of enforcement of this policy are now emerging, at least starting in Canada, according to a report by Whatsondisneyplus.com explains.
As we already know, November 1, 2023 is the launch date for the new ad-supported tier for Disney Plus in Canada, the UK, and Europe, where that ad-powered plan will run alongside a standard (more expensive) ad-free offering (Both ensure that two separate flows can be run).
The cool thing is that updated subscriber agreements will be sent to Disney Plus viewers ahead of this new tier setup in Canada, with more information on how password sharing restrictions will work.
The new account sharing rules state: “Unless otherwise permitted by your Service Level, you may not share your subscription outside your household. “Household” means the collection of appliances associated with your primary personal residence and used by the persons living therein.”
The blurb adds: “We may, in our sole discretion, analyze the use of your account to determine compliance with this Agreement. If we determine that you have violated this Agreement, we may restrict or terminate access to the Service and/or take other steps as permitted by this Agreement.”
Separately, one Disney Plus help document was updated less than a week ago (according to Google) to clarify who you can share a Disney Plus account with.
Following the aforementioned subscriber agreement in Canada, the help text now reads: “You may not share your account and subscription outside your household. “Household” means the collection of appliances associated with your primary personal residence and used by the persons living therein.”
Basically, only devices that work from your main residence can use the service (and only two of them, in the case of the new standard plans).
Analysis: How fast? Real?
This is a bit of an eye-opener, because as the report notes, Disney CEO Bob Iger had previously talked about cracking down on password sharing and trying to more effectively monetize Disney’s streaming service in this way incentives, but that these tactics will not happen until 2024.
In fact, we got the impression that the actual plans might not be put into practice until 2025, and that there might not be too much cause for concern in the near future.
However, it looks like the machinery is already getting going, at least in Canada – and more broadly, at Disney’s Help Center bumph – which could indicate this will happen before 2023 is out (and when the new tiers kick in) . disabled, perhaps, at least in Canada, or that is the suggestion).
That would further suggest that the rules are likely to come into force elsewhere soon. So if you thought you’d have to wait a long time before having to worry about this equivalent of locking out Netflix passwords, it looks like that might not be the case.
We shouldn’t jump to conclusions based on one report, but what we’re hearing here is certainly ominous and a suggestion that a crackdown on password sharing is much closer than we previously thought.
There are also other questions surrounding the new policy, such as how it might work if you’re traveling and want to use your Disney Plus subscription from an Airbnb, for example. There are certainly more questions than answers at this point, so let’s hope some clarification comes from Disney themselves here.