Max, HBO Will Start Cracking Down on Password Sharing Soon The streaming platform will join Netflix and Disney+ in new restrictions.
By Emily Rella
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
The days of password-sharing on streaming platforms are over.
Netflix and Disney+, among others, have begun cracking down on users sharing accounts with people outside of their households. Now, Warner Bros. Discovery is joining its competitors and implementing password-sharing guidelines for its app, Max.
Though little information has been released about the details, CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games at Warner Bros. Discovery, JB Parrette, confirmed that the company would be rolling out new restrictions in late 2024 while speaking at Morgan Stanley's Technology, Media & Telecom Conference on Monday.
Related: HBO Max to Relaunch as 'Max' on May 23 With Combination of Content from Discovery and HBO
The restrictions are set to roll out completely by 2025.
Max is the hybrid platform that combined HBO Max and Discovery+, creating a streaming platform that offers original programming, award-winning HBO programs and movies, and a massive collection of reality television content, such as "90 Day Fiance" and its plethora of spinoffs.
Warner Bros. Discovery posted a net loss of $400 million in Q4 2023, with a 14% decrease in linear television advertising revenue and a 17% decrease in studio revenue.
"This business is not without its challenges," said CEO David Zaslav in an earnings call at the time. "Among them, we continue to face the impacts of ongoing disruption in the pay-TV ecosystem and a dislocated, linear advertising ecosystem. We are challenging our leaders to find innovative solutions."
The password-sharing restrictions are part of a larger plan to make streaming a profitable investment for Zaslav, Bloomberg reported, which includes expanding Max into new international markets, including France and Latin America, in the next year and a half.
Max would join the ranks of Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, which have all cracked down on password sharing for streamers, much to the dismay of the paying customer.
"Members of your household can sign in to your account and stream Max on different devices," Max's current policy reads. "Your account email and password should not be shared with anyone outside your household."
Warner Bros. Discovery did not immediately respond to BIZ Experiences's request for comment.
