Disney+ had an incredible launch, with 10 million subscribers on its first day on Tuesday, November 12. With so many subscribers out of the gate — a number that already eclipsed the 8 million projected subscribers by the end of 2019 — people are wondering what that could mean for password sharing.
With the growing popularity of streaming services and cord-cutting, more and more people have made the decision to share their accounts with their family and friends.
But could Disney take a stand against the practice?
According to The Verge, Disney Streaming Services president Michael Paull addressed the issue last week before the Disney+ launch and it is good news for people who want to share their passwords for the time being.
“Password sharing is definitely something we think about,” Paull said. “We believe that consumers will see that value, and they’re going to act accordingly. They’re going to use those accounts for their family, for their household. That being said, we do recognize password sharing exists and will continue to exist.
“We have created some technology that’s in the backend that we will use to understand behavior. And when we see behavior that doesn’t make sense, we have mechanisms that we’ve put in place that will deal with it.”
So anyone who plans on sharing their password should be good for the time being. Of course, the streaming service could eventually adopt a new policy but for now Disney appears to understand that it is a common practice that won’t be stopped.
Among the titles that were available on Disney+ on November 12 were the first-ever Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, the live-action Lady and the Tramp, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Noelle featuring Anna Kendrick, and The World According to Jeff Goldblum.
Disney+ is offering a free one-week trial for new subscribers. After the one-week trial expires, users will be charged a $6.99 monthly fee. There are also subscription packages available that include an ad-supported version of Hulu and ESPN+.