Users sharing their streaming platforms' passwords, including those of Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus, are "breaking the law," says the U.K. Intellectual Property Office, or IPO.
What Happened: The IPO has joined forces with Meta Platforms Inc. for a new campaign revolving around piracy and counterfeits. The announcement suggested that users sharing their Netflix or Amazon Prime passwords are breaking the law.
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"Pasting internet images into your social media, password sharing on streaming services and accessing the latest films, tv series, or live sports events through Kodi boxes, fire sticks, or Apps without paying a subscription all break copyright law," the announcement read.
"There are a range of provisions in criminal and civil law which may be applicable in the case of password sharing where the intent is to allow a user to access copyright-protected works without payment," the IPO told TorrentFreak.
"These provisions may include breach of contractual terms, fraud or secondary copyright infringement depending on the circumstances."
Why It's Important: In 2017, Netflix tweeted, "Love is sharing a password," which contributed significantly in normalizing the practice of password sharing globally. The streaming giant earlier stated that over 30 million households in the U.S. and Canada use shared passwords for accessing Netflix. The global tally is at 100 million households.
As a result, password-sharing helped the company's growth immensely. However, the tide turned as Netflix subscriber-count decreased earlier this year as competition from rivals Amazon Prime, Disney+ and HBO became more fierce.
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