As shares plunge, Netflix takes aim at password sharing

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE
AP Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A sharp drop in subscribers sent Netflix shares into freefall Wednesday, forcing the company to consider experimenting with ads and — hold onto your remote — cracking down on millions of freeloaders who use passwords shared by friends or family. The subscriber drop was the first Netflix has seen in years. The company says it will try to minimize password sharing and is considering a low-cost subscription supported by advertising, changes that could affect loyal customers in unpredictable ways. Pandemic-driven lockdowns that kept people streaming content at home have lifted and services such as Apple and Walt Disney have begun to chip away at its vast audience.