That’s When Max Struggles With Password Sharing
Last month, Warner Bros. CFO Discovery Gunnar Wiedenfels has confirmed that Max will soon begin tightening up on password disclosure . The news, while disappointing, was far from shocking given that rival platforms like Netflix and Disney+ have implemented similar policies before.
Back in November, Wiedenfels said Max would begin turning off password sharing, initially with “very soft messaging” over the “next few months.” The company will then begin tightening measures in 2025 and throughout 2026. However, it looks like “several months” means “one month” as Max’s new strategy is about to come to fruition.
Max’s no-share password policy goes into effect next week
According to The Wrap, Max’s “soft messaging” regarding password sharing will begin next week. Well, more precisely, now it is an “early, tender message.” This was announced by the head of global streaming at Warner Bros. Discovery JB Perrett.
Perrette confirmed the news during a press conference on Tuesday, saying that Warner Bros. Discovery plans to begin operations “literally in a week.” The manager said that Max will not send messages to all users at the same time. Instead, the company plans to target users it believes are “at a higher level of usage.” Max won’t be guessing who it is either: Perrett said the company will collect data on its users to figure out who shares their passwords and who uses their accounts while traveling. Personally, I know that nothing makes me feel like a valued customer more than being spied on, especially when the end result requires me to pay more for the same service.
What all this means for you is this: if Max detects that your account is being used frequently, especially outside of your “home”, you are more likely to experience this “tender message” as opposed to someone who monitors their Max account sparingly . house.
Then, starting in the first quarter, the service will add the ability to add another user to your plan. According to Perrett, Max won’t start a massive crackdown until “the back half of 2024 and into 2026,” so even when the option to add a user becomes available, you might not have to shell out any extra cash. more. We also don’t know how much it will cost the account owner to add each additional member.
How to (probably) bypass Max’s password disclosure measures
Again, this sounds pretty slow. Based on the information we have, Max has no plans to block other users from accessing your account if they try to log into it. However, it is useful to be prepared for this.
While Max hasn’t yet detailed exactly how it plans to enforce its rules, we can look at the strategy Netflix is using as a model: Netflix considers the TV you use to log into your account to be your “home” TV. Any device that connects to your account in your home (such as your home Wi-Fi) will work fine. When you try to access an account on a device outside of your home, things get more complicated.
While Netflix is a TV fan, it is forgiving on mobile devices like phones, tablets, and computers. If you access Netflix over your home Wi-Fi from your device, it should work outside of your home for the next 30 days. I’m guessing Max will offer a similar setup, but it’s hard to say for now.