Disney+, Hulu & ESPN+ to Start Cracking Down on Password Sharing in June

Subscribers to Disney’s streaming services, including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, could face being disconnected from June as the company starts to crack down on password sharing.

The announcement came from Disney chief Bob Iger during an interview with CNBC on Thursday, April 4, where he confirmed this June the media conglomerate will “be launching our first real foray into password sharing” enforcement.

According to Iger, the initial rollout will “just be a few countries in a few markets” (he didn’t specify which) before a full implementation in September 2024.

As previously reported, Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ customers will receive communication encouraging those who borrow passwords to start their own subscriptions. Once the full rollout happens, account holders who want to share their password beyond their household will be able to add other users for an additional fee.

The crackdown comes after Netflix put password-sharing limitations into effect last May. The streamer has since had a jump in sign-ups, which it attributed to the crackdown.

“Netflix is the gold standard in streaming,” Iger said in his recent interview. “They’ve done a phenomenal job and a lot of different directions. I actually have very, very high regard for what they’ve accomplished. If we can only accomplish what they’ve accomplished, that would be great.”

During an earnings call with investors last year, Iger mentioned how cracking down on password sharing was a “priority,” one that he thought would help business.

“We certainly have established this as a real priority,” Iger said on the call, per CNN. “We actually think that there’s an opportunity here to help us grow our business.”

Earlier this year, Disney streamer subscribers in the U.S. were notified of changes to their subscriber terms, which specifically highlights how password sharing is forbidden.

“Unless otherwise permitted by your Service Tier, you may not share your subscription outside of your household,” updated subscriber agreement read, per Variety. “The term “household” means the collection of devices “associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside therein.”

“We may, in our sole discretion, analyze the use of your account to determine compliance with this Agreement,” the terms continued. “If we determine, in our sole discretion, that you have violated this Agreement, we may limit or terminate access to the Service and/or take any other steps as permitted by this Agreement.”