Netflix customers are no strangers to sharing their account passwords with others – according to Netflix, more than 100 million households are using a shared password. For years, Netflix has encouraged and allowed people to share passwords to get their brand name out, but as the company is trying to grow and gain profits, they are trying to come up with new ways to combat password sharing without adding too much friction for users.
The company recently implemented new test features in foreign markets; both “Extra Member” and “Profile Transfer” give members full access to the main Netflix account for a fee or allow users to transfer their viewing history to a new paid account, respectively. However, there are some flaws to these new features that can cause trouble for users incorrectly marked as unauthorized and the streaming service’s customer service representatives who may have to handle increasing disputes. Therefore, how can Netflix truly tell if a user is part of the primary account?
The answer may lie within behavioral biometrics that can positively identify if a user is who they claim to be.
Protecting the user experience and enabling company efficiency
Before diving deeper into behavioral biometrics, it’s good to step back and understand the flaws of passwords and the act of trying to figure out whether some users are authorized to use a main account.
Historically, Netflix passwords have been shared across people to reap the benefits of a more affordable streaming service or free access to Netflix. The tricky thing with passwords is that not only is there no way to identify who is typing in a password; but adding multi-factor authentication processes to create extra layers of security can be detrimental to the user experience. Users usually want access to their services in a quick manner, without having to jump through multiple hoops.
Recommended: Top Strategies to Help You Amplify Your Facebook Marketing Campaigns
Regarding identifying unauthorized users, Netflix may first begin going after single accounts with a large number of users, but getting a bit more granular may prove a greater challenge – especially when trying to identify whether family members are temporarily living away from home or bought a new device. In cases where an account is accidentally marked as having unauthorized users, account holders may not be happy with the added friction of reaching out to customer service and disputing the claim. From the perspective of Netflix, these increased disputes may cause more operational inefficiencies for customer service agents.
Good behavior
There’s no doubt that account holders want frictionless login processes and Netflix wants to ensure only authorized users are on their platform, but more solutions are needed to make this a reality. To crack down on password sharing, streaming services may need to look toward behavioral biometric technology.
Read More: Illegal Robocallers, Beware! Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force is Here
Instead of relying on a password that anyone can share, behavioral biometrics looks at how an individual user uniquely types, holds a phone/remote, swipes their phone, and more. As a result, the technology can help distinguish authorized Netflix users while helping reduce friction for users by allowing users to passively sign into their account, further providing a better login experience.
This type of technology can also help streaming services quickly take someone straight to their account homepage with personalized video recommendations instead of the landing page with all the different accounts.
As more streaming services are introduced, the competitive playing field increases, making it critical that companies can offer enhanced login and personalized experiences without hurting their bottom line.
By introducing behavioral biometrics to the mix, companies can ensure they can provide their users a seamless login experience without impacting their revenue streams and increase brand loyalty with personalized experiences.
Comments are closed.