Fans warn Netflix of a "painful lesson" as streaming giant takes baby steps towards monetizing extra users feature

Netflix is reportedly set to begin charging users for sharing their passwords in early 2023. The streaming giant will develop a system that will charge fees to members using your account outside your household. As of now, Netflix hasn't revealed the price it would charge for users sharing their passwords.

Ever since the announcement was made, viewers on Twitter have been sharing their thoughts, with many expressing their unhappiness over the decision. One user said that it's going to be a ''painful lesson'' for the streaming giant.

Twitter reaction (Image via Twitter/Sportskeeda)

Read on to find out more about what fans have to say.

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Twitter is unhappy with Netflix's plan to charge extra users

Several viewers took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the streaming giant's plan to charge users for sharing their passwords. Many mentioned that they're planning to cancel their subscription once this is implemented, while others slammed Netflix's repertoire of shows and films on Twitter:

Twitter reactions (Image via Twitter/Sportskeeda)

Twitter reactions (Image via Twitter/Sportskeeda)

Twitter reactions (Image via Twitter/Sportskeeda)

The decision to charge users for sharing their passwords comes after the company suffered massive subscriber losses earlier in 2022 after over a decade. The number of subscribers that the streaming giant lost was reportedly down to 1.3 million in the US and Canada last quarter, while globally, the number slipped to 1 million.

However, as per The Verge, during the current quarter, Netflix gained over 2.4 million subscribers. The subscriber count has reportedly grown in the US and Canada by 1,04,000 this quarter. Apart from charging extra members, Netflix is also reportedly planning to come up with cheaper, ad-supported subscription plans starting next month.

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The scheme is currently being tested in South American countries

As per The Verge, the company has been testing a scheme around password-sharing in various South American countries, such as Chile, Peru, and Costa Rica, for around six months. Two new features were introduced in the aforementioned three countries.

Up to two users outside one's own household can be added for members using the Standard and Premium subscription plans at prices of 2,380 CLP in Chile, 2.99 USD in Costa Rica, and 7.9 PEN in Peru.

Another pivotal feature that has been a part of the scheme is the profile-treanser feature, which lets the Basic, Standard, and Premium subscribers

''transfer profile information either to a new account or an Extra Member sub account - keeping the viewing history, My List, and personalized recommendations.''

The streaming giant experimented with another method earlier this year. In Argentina, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, Netflix tested an ''add a home feature.'' According to this plan, each account will have one home account via which users can enjoy content on multiple devices. To stream content in other households, users are required to pay an extra fee. The fees for different countries are as follows:

• 219 Pesos per month per home in Argentina
• $2.99 per month per home in the Dominican Republic
• $2.99 per month per home in Honduras
• $2.99 per month per home in El Salvador
• $2.99 per month per home in Guatemala

This plan allows users to stream content on Netflix while traveling on their mobile, tablet, or laptop. It also enables users to remove additional home accounts. As per CNET, the company seems more inclined towards implementing the former scheme tested in Chile, Peru, and Costa Rica than the experiment conducted in Argentina, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.