Netflix Subscriptions Jump After Password Crackdown in US

Netflix gained hundreds of thousands of new subscribers after cracking down on password sharing in the U.S. last month, according to a company that monitors video streaming services.

Netflix — which once tweeted, "Love is sharing a password" — recorded its four best days for new subscriptions since announcing the new policy on May 23, analytics company Antenna said.

They reportedly included nearly 100,000 sign-ups on May 26 and 27.

The daily average was 73,000 during the period, more than doubling the previous 60-day average, according to Antenna, which said it's been monitoring Netflix subscription activity for the past four and a half years.

The spikes reportedly exceeded those recorded during the start of COVID-19 lockdowns in March and April 2020.

Cancellations also increased but were outweighed by new subscriptions, with the positive ratio up more than 25%, Antenna said.

Under the new Netflix new policy, Americans must pay $8 a month each to share their login credentials with anyone outside their household.

Netflix has estimated that more than 100 million American subscribers were engaging in the practice, according to Reuters, which said the company didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.