Report: Disney’s Hotstar India to Restrict Account Sharing

In a bid to tackle the issue of password sharing in the Indian market, Walt Disney’s streaming service, Disney+ Hotstar, is gearing up to implement a new policy for its premium customers. The new policy will limit login access to only four devices, a significant change from the current allowance of up to 10 devices. This move comes at a time when its competitor Netflix has started levying additional charges for password sharing in more than 100 countries.

The Problem of Password Sharing

Password sharing has been a common practice among streaming service users, allowing individuals to share their login credentials with friends and family members outside their households. While this has increased viewership for streaming platforms, it has also raised concerns for the companies in terms of revenue loss and user engagement metrics.

In India, where streaming services like Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix, Amazon, and JioCinema have seen massive popularity, the issue of password sharing is especially prominent.

The Policy Change

Currently, Disney+ Hotstar’s premium accounts in India allow login access on up to 10 devices, although the website shows a limit of four devices. However, to address the problem of password sharing, the company has internally tested a new policy and plans to enforce it later this year.

Under the new policy, premium accounts will be restricted to login on only four devices. This move is aimed at encouraging users to purchase their own subscriptions, thereby increasing the platform’s revenue and retaining customer loyalty.

India’s Growing Streaming Market

The Indian streaming market has experienced exponential growth in recent
years, with Disney, Netflix, Amazon, JioCinema, and others vying for dominance. According to Media Partners Asia, the Indian streaming market is projected to be worth a substantial $7 billion sector by 2027. Disney+ Hotstar currently holds a leading position in the Indian market, boasting around 50 million users, as per industry data.

Soft Enforcement to Avoid Inconvenience

While Disney+ Hotstar had not strictly enforced the four-device login policy previously, it was discovered that only about 5% of its premium subscribers were logging in from more than four devices. This soft approach was adopted to avoid inconveniencing its premium users. However, with the upcoming restriction on device logins, the company is taking a proactive stance to tackle password sharing and protect its content distribution rights.

Impact on Cheaper Plans

Not only will the new policy apply to premium accounts, but it will also extend to Disney+ Hotstar’s cheaper plans. The cheaper plan will be limited to login access on only two devices. This change is aimed at encouraging users to upgrade to the premium plan or subscribe to multiple accounts if they require access on more devices.

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