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Credit: Inside the MagicFollowing the permanent shutdown of one of Disney’s streaming services, the company has revealed stern news affecting millions of subscribers.
Since Disney+ launched in 2019, The Walt Disney Company’s streaming service has undergone multiple changes, significantly altering the experience for millions of subscribers worldwide. These changes have included massive chunks of the platform’s catalog being canceled and removed and divisive changes in viewer’s subscriptions.
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Earlier this year, Disney made a decisive move, permanently axing the entire Star+ branch (the equivalent to Hulu) in Latin America, migrating its entire catalog and live event offerings to Disney+.
This change triggered concerns among parents and millions of subscribers to the company’s streaming service, many of which were unsure about the platform’s accessibility and their children’s safety after being exposed to movies and series oriented toward mature audiences.
However, The Walt Disney Company ensured that “Disney+ is still a safe place for your children” regardless of the merger. The company informed subscribers of enhanced parental control features that could adjust the available library according to their children’s age, avoiding unwanted mishaps.
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Following this merger, Disney+ subscribers in Latin America have been hit with stern news once again, as the company has sent an email regarding active monitoring measures to prevent password sharing among users.
“In an effort to be transparent with Disney+ subscribers, we wanted to let you know that starting on November 12, 2024, we will start to actively monitor and adopt measures to prevent the sharing of Disney+ accounts between different Households,” the email reads.
It is essential to notice that sharing Disney+ accounts across different households is strictly forbidden by the Disney+ Subscription Agreement.
Users online reacted negatively to the news, commenting that they were just given another reason to cancel their subscriptions and use other streaming services like Max.
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In the email, the company detailed that Disney+ “automatically detects and establishes a household based on subscription activity, linked devices, and internet connection” per the streaming service’s Subscription Agreement. This will automatically limit access to devices outside the “Household,” as determined by the analysis.
These measures are not new for the company. Earlier this year, Disney enforced similar actions to limit password sharing among Disney+ subscribers in the United States. Similar measures have also been implemented worldwide. Other streaming services, like Netflix, have also enforced strict measures to eliminate password sharing among users.
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As stated above, these strict actions will go into effect in Latin America starting November 12, 2024. However, the email states: “Disney+ is taking measures to ensure that these prevention initiatives do not interfere with the regular use of your Disney+ subscription, either at home or on the go, by you or residents who are part of your Household.”
While the email does not provide information on what actions users currently sharing passwords can take to continue enjoying Disney+, it is expected that subscribers will be given the same alternatives as in the United States, allowing them to share their accounts with friends and family for an additional cost.
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A blog post shared by Disney states that those sharing their Disney+ account with someone outside their household can officially add them as an “Extra Member” to their subscription plan for $6.99 a month for Disney Basic or $9.99 for Disney Premium. However, only one Extra Member is allowed per account, and this perk doesn’t extend to the Disney Bundle.
Users already sharing an account can also subscribe to Disney+ and transfer their profile to the new account so they can keep their watch history and settings.
These measures undoubtedly aim to maximize profitability for the Bob Iger-led company’s streaming service by increasing the number of paying subscribers. However, this move could have the opposite effect, pushing many users to cancel their Disney+ subscription. Only time can tell how these account-sharing measures will affect Latin American subscribers.
Has your experience with Disney+ changed since you first subscribed to the streaming service? Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts and opinions with Inside the Magic and our readers in the comments below!