It’s something that at the family level will cost us dearly, but the decision is made: I’m going to unsubscribe from Netflix. Its new conditions and prices are too demanding for my criteria, and it does not surprise me at all that there are colleagues and other people on social networks who do the same.
But beyond the price or the conditions that require adding additional subscribers to the account, there is another reason that is not talked about much and for me it also carries a lot of weight. Forks that of privacy and the distrust of a company towards its users.
Netflix does not have to know where I use my service and with what or to do
Yes, I absolutely refuse to pay almost 30 dollars per month for Netflix and yes, I absolutely refuse to have to regularly check my devices like those of my family members. But it’s not a simple verification: it’s that Netflix monitors (even indirectly) my movements and those of those with whom I share the account.
I understand and see meaning in the idea: Netflix wants its rules to be followed to the letter, and that includes ensuring that its accounts are used around the same household. Ultimately, these are the terms we agree to when we subscribe to Netflix, this is the service that selfishly allowed us to break these rules by sharing passwords. Some time ago I came to promote it on social networks:
“Love shares a password” is what it said @netflix in 2017.
“Our love broke from using it”, is what he says in 2023. 💔 pic.twitter.com/w0Qp8mdSui
— Juan 💙💛 (@Juan_Acosta_Gar) February 12, 2023
At a time when Netflix was constantly growing, account sharing was not an issue for the service. But now that they’ve arrived skinny cows netflix crossed a red line. At least for me. And that is to actively review the location, by whatever method, of my devices.
This exhaustive monitoring, requiring me to regularly check my devices and severely limit those used by my family, is a compelling reason for me to have decided to clear the service. I don’t see why a service that only offers me content I need to keep tabs on what Wi-Fi networks I connect to or what I want to watch and download
I get that Netflix doesn’t need to have the wide sleeve it has had so far, but being too exhaustive ends up being worse. And more when there is so much competition that he continues to have that wide sleeve. A ceiling has been reached and my feeling is that from now on these subscriptions will drop, or at least the market will think a lot more before subscribing to more things.
I don’t know what will happen with Netflix, but it all depends on the numbers. If too many people unsubscribe, you might have to rethink your offer. If it’s just a bump in the road and they decide to move on, I for one have already given them enough money since my release in 2015.
Picture | Souvik Banerjee