Warner Bros. Discovery is preparing to take a more assertive stance against account sharing across its streaming platforms. JB Perrette, President of Global Streaming and Games, revealed during a Thursday conference call that the company will implement stricter measures to combat unauthorized access.
Perrette explained that the company has spent considerable time refining its data analysis to accurately identify legitimate users of its services, including HBO Max and Discovery+. “[We’re] making sure that we test it sufficiently so that when we turn on the more aggressive languaging around what needs to happen, that we were actually, you know, putting the Net in the right place,” he stated. The company's approach will become more demanding, moving from voluntary cancellation to mandatory action. "Starting in September, you’ll actually start to see the messaging which right now has been a fairly soft cancellable messaging start to get more fixed and such that people will have to take action as opposed to right now sort of having it be a voluntary process," Perrette added.
Perrette anticipates that the true impact of these changes will be felt in the fourth quarter of 2023, with further substantial benefits realized in 2024 as the messaging is refined. This move follows similar initiatives undertaken by Netflix, Disney, and other streaming giants to combat the widespread practice of password sharing.