JustWatch, a portal that aggregates access to legitimate streaming services across the world, found that 20% of Disney+ streaming subscribers shared passwords with others.
Disney+ was one of the top nine streaming providers in the survey results. Netflix had the second-lowest rate, at 13%, while Amazon Prime Video was even lower, at 11%.
These were among the findings from a survey of 3,333 consumers taken over the course of four days in October 2023.
JustWatch might be conservative
Yet the rates discovered by the JustWatch survey could even be low: research published earlier in 2023 by Parks Associates said that 40% of consumers in US internet households share credentials or use shared credentials from others, up from 27% in 2019. Parks found the account sharing rate for Apple TV+ to be above 80%, and Netflix at about 40%.
Further Reading
A Justwatch survey says 15% of AppleTV+ users share passwords. Article. November 2, 2023. By Dennis Sellers. AppleWorld Today
The cost to Streaming Services of Password/Account Sharing. Article. February 21, 2023. by Sarah Lee. Parks Associates
Why it matters
Password sharing is the most public front for initiatives against streaming piracy. Over time, consumers will grow accustomed to it. At the same time, streaming consumers are following the time-honored tradition of complaining about high costs and value for their money, as they did with pay TV – and the two service categories have grown increasingly alike.
As they put anti-piracy measures in place, streaming providers will become forced to refine their efforts to grow revenue against powerful competition and fickle consumers.
