Hulu has just laid the groundwork to kick friends, family, and freeloaders off its streaming service unless they pay for their own accounts.
For years, password sharing has been very common with streaming services, and Netflix controversially put a stop to it happening on their platform in 2023. While many people expressed disappointment online, Netflix would later report that subscription numbers had risen since the ban, and other streamers certainly took notice. Disney+ recently started to crack down on password sharing as well, and as reported by THR, its fellow Disney-owned streamer, Hulu, will be the next to do the same.
On Wednesday, Hulu subscribers were emailed a notice to inform them of changes to the subscriber agreement. Specifically, this includes banning anyone from outside the same household from using the same login information for a Hulu account. The agreement was dated Jan. 25, but the new terms won’t officially start until March 12, 2024. It’s very similar to what Disney+ had done with its own service.
“Unless otherwise permitted by your Service Tier, you may not share your subscription outside of your household,” the new agreement reads. “’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. 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.”
