每日英語跟讀 Ep.K583: Netflix Takes Action Against Account Sharing and Expands Measures
Netflix has recently addressed the issue of account sharing, both in Taiwan and worldwide. In an announcement on its official website, Netflix revealed that it will send emails to members who share their accounts with non-residents, asking for an additional monthly fee. Many users share accounts to save money, and Netflix has been aware of this for some time. After testing measures against account sharing in Latin America last year, Netflix has now expanded these measures globally, including Taiwan, which has caught the attention of users.
Netflix最近處理了台灣和全球帳戶共用的問題。在官方網站的公告中，Netflix透露將向與非同住者共用帳戶的會員發送電子郵件，要求額外的月費。Netflix對於許多用戶共享帳戶以節省費用已關注許久，經過去年在拉丁美洲測試的帳戶共用措施後，Netflix現在將這些措施擴展至全球包含台灣，並引起了用戶的關注。
According to Netflix, user accounts are intended for residents of the same household. If users want to share their accounts with people outside their households, they can purchase additional memberships. These additional members will have their own account and password, with the subscription fee paid by the inviting person. The basic plan does not allow extra members, while the standard plan permits one extra member and the premium plan allows for two extra members. However, there are limitations for additional members, such as streaming on one device at a time and downloading on one device. The country where the additional member activates the account must match the account owner's country.
根據Netflix的說法，共同帳戶是給位於同一住處的人們使用。如果用戶希望與同住者外的人分享帳戶，可以購買額外的會員資格。這些額外成員將擁有自己的帳戶和密碼，訂閱費將由邀請人支付。基本方案不允許額外成員，而標准方案允許添加一個額外成員，高級方案則允許添加兩個額外成員。然而，額外成員存在一些限制，例如同一時間僅能在一個設備上串流播放，以及僅能在一個設備上下載。額外成員啟用帳戶的國家/地區必須與帳戶所有者的國家/地區相符。
Netflix aims to protect its revenue from investments in TV shows and movies by cracking down on account sharing practices. As the market becomes saturated, Netflix has been exploring new ways to generate income, including limiting account sharing and introducing advertising support options. Emails regarding account sharing will be sent to users in 103 countries, including Taiwan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Mexico, and Brazil. Netflix emphasizes that accounts are for residents of the same household, but users can share accounts with others outside their households by paying an extra fee.
Netflix旨在通過打擊帳戶共用行為來保護其在電視節目和電影投資方面的收入。隨著市場飽和，Netflix一直在尋求新的收入來源，包括限制帳戶共用並引入廣告支持選項。將向103個國家/地區的用戶發送關於帳戶共用的電子郵件，包括台灣、美國、英國、法國、德國、澳大利亞、新加坡、墨西哥和巴西。Netflix強調帳戶僅供同一住處人們使用，但用戶可以支付額外費用與非同住者共享帳戶。
Netflix's CEO, Ted Sarandos, mentioned that addressing account sharing helps expand the base of paying members and supports the company's long-term growth strategy. Netflix's user count reached a record high of 232.5 million in the first quarter of this year. The company introduced a successful advertising-supported plan, attracting over 5 million subscribers. Analyst Ross Benes noted that Netflix's decision to introduce an advertising-supported plan while addressing account sharing is strategic. Individuals previously using shared accounts and seeking lower-priced options may find the advertising-supported plan appealing.
Netflix的首席執行官（CEO） Ted Sarandos 表示，解決帳戶共用問題有助於擴大付費會員人數，支持公司的長期增長策略。Netflix在今年第一季的用戶達到了2.325億的歷史高點。該公司推出了一個成功的廣告支持計劃，吸引了超過500萬訂閱者。分析師 Ross Benes 指出，Netflix在解決帳戶共用問題的同時，策略性的推出廣告支持計劃。之前使用共用帳戶並尋求價格較低選項的個人可能會對廣告支持計劃感興趣。
Reference article:
1. https://www.cna.com.tw/news/ahel/202305240017.aspx
2. https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aopl/202305180147.aspx