Spotify says yes, it is busting people for using Family Plan sharing too widely
Spotify is implementing a new QR code-based verification system to ensure that Family Plan subscribers actually reside in the same household. The company describes this as a routine improvement to prevent unauthorized account sharing rather than a targeted crackdown.
Why it matters
This move highlights the ongoing struggle between streaming services and users over account sharing, impacting subscription revenue models for major tech platforms.
Spotify co-CEO Alex Norström confirmed on this week’s earnings call that the company is trying to catch Spotify Family plan users who don’t actually live together with a new QR code verification method that requires scanning the plan manager’s phone. TechCrunch reports that in response to a question about the “crackdown,” he called it a “routine improvement” instead:
> This is not as much a crackdown as it is actually a routine improvement of our verification methods for our Family Plan. Family Plan has existed for a long while. It has been around for, I think it is now close to 12, 13 years in Spotify history, and it makes up a pretty significant proportion of our subscriber base.
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