Max reveals details of password-sharing crackdown: why it’s bad news

HBO Max is cracking down on password-sharing, following in the footsteps of Netflix. In an earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming executive revealed that the crackdown will be in full swing in the next 12-18 months.

So, what does this mean for us? Well, your Max account will be tied to your home network. This means that anyone in your household can use the account, but those outside your home will need an “Extra Member Add-on.”

To set up this add-on, the primary account holder will need to add the feature to their account. This allows them to invite a friend or family member outside their household to create a separate account with their own login credentials. This new account can even transfer over data from the primary account, like watch history and settings.

However, there’s a catch. The added-on member can only stream from one profile on one device at a time, and only one person can be associated with an extra member add-on. Plus, this privilege comes at a cost of $7.99 per month.

This may end up costing you a bit more than Netflix’s similar offering, but it’s all part of the industry-wide trend to crack down on password-sharing. So, get ready to have your own Max account soon!