Netflix Launches Profile Transfer Feature: A Step Towards Killing Password-Sharing?

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Netflix Launches Profile-Transfer Feature: Boosting Subscriptions?

In an ideal world for Netflix, every single user would have a paid account. However, the streaming company has always had a problem with one account being shared by many. The streaming giant has taken a few steps to curtail the practice but hasn't prevented it. The new "Profile Transfer" feature may just be the positive nudge needed for users to get a new paying account.

 

Profile Transfer To Help Users Migrate Their Profiles

Netflix has long faced the problem of multiple profiles or users relying on a single account. A practice commonly referred to as "Password Sharing". As the name implies, the practice involves a single paid account with multiple profiles.

 

From Netflix's perspective, this has been quite troubling. Not only did Netflix have far fewer paying subscribers, but the service also had to stream a lot of content to non-paying users. Netflix has been gradually trying to make the practice of sharing passwords difficult and expensive.

The newly introduced "Profile Transfer" feature could be a positive step to help non-paying users get a subscription of their own. The streaming giant describes the feature as follows:

"Netflix is launching Profile Transfer, a feature that lets anyone on an existing account migrate their profile to a brand-new account while preserving all of their personalized recommendations, viewing history, My List, saved games, and other settings."

How Will Profile Transfer Help Netflix In Boosting Paying Subscribers?

Netflix claims Profile-Transfer has been a "much requested" feature by customers. The feature started rolling out this week. Users, who might include non-paying subscribers, "will be notified by email when Profile Transfer becomes available on their account".

Netflix is strongly against password-sharing and has categorically noted that it is a violation of its rules. The streaming service has previously estimated there could be more than 100 million households worldwide that are streaming content from Netflix but aren't paying for a subscription.

Netflix Launches Profile-Transfer Feature: Boosting Subscriptions?

The company has been trying to discourage the practice of sharing passwords. While the practice is a security risk, it hurts Netflix's revenues. With the company losing subscribers, the company now clearly wants to ensure its loyal users get a paying subscription. Netflix hasn't yet disallowed password-sharing, and this step could encourage non-paying users to get a subscription of their own.

The "Transfer Profile" option is right under the profile icon, accessible in the dropdown menu on the homepage option. Users who are part of a subscription can select the feature and follow the prompts. The feature basically helps migrate user preferences, customized recommendations, and other user-specific data.

This feature should allow non-paying subscribers to get an account of their own, and retain all their profile information, instead of starting from scratch. Perhaps, Netflix has launched a feature that might benefit the streaming giant as much as its subscribers.

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