Netflix is looking to crack down on account sharing with a new method that would require additional locations to pay extra.

The new initiative, which is currently being tested in Argentina, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, would allow account owners to set a location as a primary home, whilst purchasing more homes would cost an additional fee. Currently, this will cost users 219 pesos per home per month extra in Argentina, with everywhere else costing $2.99 extra.

 

Those who watch Netflix on their phone, tablet or laptop on the go need not worry, as this is still covered in the initial subscription cost. Netflix has defined an additional home as a location you watch the service on a TV outside your primary home.

The streaming giant says that users will be able to user the service on an outside TV for up to two weeks free of additional charge, so that those who travel are able to still access their favourite content. This is allowed once per location per year.

Netflix identifies a home using IP addresses, device IDs and account activity. When accessing a device that is not in a registered home, the app will prompt the user with the option to add the extra home for an additional monthly fee. The number of homes you can add is dependant on our plan, where the Basic plan can add one extra home, the Standard plan can add two and the Premium plan can add three.

“It’s great that our members love Netflix movies and TV shows so much they want to share them more broadly, but today’s widespread account sharing between households undermines our long-term ability to invest in and improve our service,” says Netflix’s director of product innovation Chengyi Long.

In the same countries, Netflix is working on a home management feature that will allow you to track where your account is being used, and then have that house restricted.

Netflix is currently testing a similar initiative in Colombia, Costa Rica and Peru that charges people who use an account outside of the main home, by allowing them to have a sub-account. Each account can have two sub-accounts. It’s also testing a profile transfer tool so that users who have been sharing an account can have all their content, recommendations and watch history transferred to a new account.