The Disney Plus password-sharing crackdown starts in June

Disney Plus has implemented rules to prevent password sharing among subscribers. CEO Bob Iger revealed in an interview on CNBC that the company plans to launch its first initiative to enforce password sharing in June.

The rollout will begin in a few countries and markets in June, expanding to all subscribers by September. Disney’s anti-password sharing rules were first enforced for new subscribers on January 25th and extended to existing members on March 14th. Netflix was the first streaming service to crack down on password sharing in 2023 by charging an additional $7.99 per month for an extra viewer outside the household.

Disney’s CFO, Hugh Johnston, confirmed during an earnings call in February that subscribers suspected of improper sharing will be prompted to sign up for their own subscription this summer. Additional household members can be added for an extra fee, although specific pricing details have not been provided.

The combined Disney Plus and Hulu app, launched recently, aims to drive more subscribers towards the streaming bundle. The merged app integrates content from both services and combines watch histories for better personalized recommendations.

Disney is working on unifying identities across its platforms to enhance password-sharing control. CEO Bob Iger has ambitious plans for the streaming business, including a streaming-only version of ESPN, aiming for profitability by the end of the fiscal year. Implementing paid sharing is expected to contribute to this goal.