
File this under bah humbug: Peacock is the latest streaming service contemplating password sharing crackdowns. The platform, offering NBC shows, live entertainment and sports, will monitor accounts to see if they share passwords with people not living in their homes. In instances where they spot it through location tracking, they could disable access for account holders as a violation of the terms of service. The new terms of use go into effect on January 5.
While this is disappointing news, it isn’t surprising. Many streaming companies have implemented their own password cracking policies. Netflix was the first major streamer to do it and the gamble paid off: To the tune of millions of new subscribers.