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Disney’s Hulu has joined the ranks of streamers that prohibit subscribers from sharing their accounts with people outside their household.
The Disney-controlled streamer on Jan. 31 notified customers of a key change to its subscription agreement that, for the first time, officially prohibits users from sharing their Hulu login details with anyone who doesn’t live in their home. main residence.
For Hulu, the goal is to increase the number of paying subscribers by curbing the ability of password scroungers to take advantage of someone else’s Hulu account. The move comes after Disney+ implemented a similar restriction. It also follows Netflix’s broad account-sharing initiative, launched in 2023, which executives credit with helping to boost subscriber numbers.
The new terms are effective January 25, 2024 for new Hulu subscribers. For previous and existing subscribers, they will take effect from March 14, unless customers acknowledge an in-app notice of the changes before that date.
“Unless your service level allows otherwise, you may not share your subscription outside of your home,” Hulu’s new subscriber agreement reads. The term “home” means the set of devices “associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the persons residing there,” according to the document.
Hulu did not say exactly how it will monitor if a customer illicitly shares their login information. “We may, in our sole discretion, review the use of your account to determine compliance with this Agreement,” the updated terms say. “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 action permitted by this Agreement.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger had announced last summer that the Mouse House was embarking on a strategy to monetize streaming account freeloaders. “We are actively exploring ways to address account sharing and the best options for paying subscribers to share their accounts with friends and family,” Iger said on Disney’s quarterly earnings conference call on August 9.
In another change to Hulu’s subscription agreement, the service updated parts of its dispute resolution policies, including terms related to choice of law and “updates to the arbitration agreement to be more specific about the procedures for resolving any disputes related to your subscription and our services.” Hulu said customers have the option to opt out of resolving disputes through arbitration.