Will Netflix password crackdown break streaming in Tesla?

So this week Netflix_CA announced they're implementing the password sharing crackdown in Canada (though not yet in US)

The idea is "“A Netflix account is meant to be shared in one household ... the account holder will set a “primary location” and that people who live there can use the account." - if you search "netflix_ca" on Twitter right now you'll see the response by customers is overwhelmingly negative. But there's also a twist for Tesla owners...

Looks like they're using the IP address of the "primary location" to determine which devices are allowed to share the account in that "one household". Problem is, that assumes all your devices in your "household" are on the same network/same IP address. Starting this month Netflix in Canada will require you to use the Netflix app **on your smart TV** to register the wifi network the TV is on as your primary location.

Several problems with this:
1) unclear how people only using mobile devices (ie no smart TV) will set a primary location. I just checked and there's no option to do this in the Netflix app on iPhone, iPad or Mac browser.
2) viewing Netflix in your Tesla will be a problem, since of course it's internet connection normally isn't via your home wifi network. Plus if you live in a condo, it's likely your Tesla may *never* ever be connected to your home network.

At least one Tesla owner on Twitter tried unsuccessfully to get answers about this from Netflix. It seems Netflix never thought about the use case of streaming in your car. Apparently they'll be using some sort of temporary passcode system to allow people to temporarily stream from a hotel, when you travel etc - unclear exactly how that will work or if it solves in-car streaming. I did hear something about requring approved devices to be connected to the primary location's network at least once/month (eg smartphones) - so maybe that'll be the trick for your Tesla? although that doesn't help people whose cars are never connected to home wifi. Anyhow, much still unknown here at this point...

I just received email notification from Netflix saying Feb 21, 2023 is the deadline for Canadians to designate a primary location ie identify home network's IP address. After that for users/devices not part of your household, they want to charge you additional C$7.99/month.

This doesn't affect most of you, ie in places like US or Europe (yet), but anyhow a heads up.

"Netflix Logo" by theglobalpanorama is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Admin note: Image added for Blog Feed thumbnail.

 

[Kimmi]

Create another piece of technology, that will drive my wife ****ers!

 

[GtiMart]

This should probably be posted in the Canada subforums since it only affects us Canucks for the moment. I'm interested in knowing too. On browsers a user agent string is sent so the server knows what "application" is calling it. But these can be spoofed so I'm not sure they would rely on this. It might be a short term solution, that they detect that the client is a Tesla car... Hopefully they do something like this so it's seamless for us.

 

[f-stop]

Netflix can detect that the client is a Tesla - in the Manage Devices page of your account, the Tesla shows up as "Netflix Tesla Browser HTML 5", along with the date/time of your last connection and the IP address. Problem is that IP address will almost always be something other than the IP address of your home network aka primary location

p.s.

This should probably be posted in the Canada subforums since it only affects us Canucks for the moment. I'm interested in knowing too.

edit: Mods - feel free to move this if there's a better place. but note that this is also happening now in New Zealand, Portugal and Spain, as well as already implemented in some Latin American countries too - so not Canada specific

 

[Supcom]

So this week Netflix_CA announced they're implementing the password sharing crackdown in Canada (though not yet in US)

The idea is "“A Netflix account is meant to be shared in one household ... the account holder will set a “primary location” and that people who live there can use the account." - if you search "netflix_ca" on Twitter right now you'll see the response by customers is overwhelmingly negative. But there's also a twist for Tesla owners...

Looks like they're using the IP address of the "primary location" to determine which devices are allowed to share the account in that "one household". Problem is, that assumes all your devices in your "household" are on the same network/same IP address. Starting this month Netflix in Canada will require you to use the Netflix app **on your smart TV** to register the wifi network the TV is on as your primary location.

Several problems with this:
1) unclear how people only using mobile devices (ie no smart TV) will set a primary location. I just checked and there's no option to do this in the Netflix app on iPhone, iPad or Mac browser.
2) viewing Netflix in your Tesla will be a problem, since of course it's internet connection normally isn't via your home wifi network. Plus if you live in a condo, it's likely your Tesla may *never* ever be connected to your home network.

At least one Tesla owner on Twitter tried unsuccessfully to get answers about this from Netflix. It seems Netflix never thought about the use case of streaming in your car. Apparently they'll be using some sort of temporary passcode system to allow people to temporarily stream from a hotel, when you travel etc - unclear exactly how that will work or if it solves in-car streaming. I did hear something about requring approved devices to be connected to the primary location's network at least once/month (eg smartphones) - so maybe that'll be the trick for your Tesla? although that doesn't help people whose cars are never connected to home wifi. Anyhow, much still unknown here at this point...

I just received email notification from Netflix saying Feb 21, 2023 is the deadline for Canadians to designate a primary location ie identify home network's IP address. After that for users/devices not part of your household, they want to charge you additional C$7.99/month.

This doesn't affect most of you, ie in places like US or Europe (yet), but anyhow a heads up.

Perhaps Netflix has already considered that it has apps for other mobile devices in addition to Teslas that might stream content via cellular connections?

 

[Midnightsun]

So today I needed to set up my primary location as Netflix has started rolling out their new no sharing policy. It has been said it is still a couple of months away from the USA deployment however it's coming. I called Netflix and asked about our 2 teslas which both have Netflix. The answer I got was I can still use it however I will need to enter a code each time I login which they will email or text me. Unacceptable IMHO. This new policy is really going to screw things up and if you have any Netflix stock maybe time to unload for a while.

My issue watching Netflix is this is my favourite thing to do when waiting in the car while charging or waiting for my wife or visa versa. Early for an appointment? Watch Netflix.

A little more on the subject

Wondering if I connect the cars to my home wifi and login to Netflix if it will recognize them as being me. She did say my laptop would work since it has been identified at my home address which would allow me to travel without needing to enter a code. Sounds to simple to me because then my daughter could just connect at my house and then use it at her house without needing verification.

Bottom line is all this is too new and so many questions that nobody has answers to yet. My cutoff date is Feb 21!

Maybe I should just cancel my Canadian account entirely and share my brothers account who lives in the US to avoid all these issues for the time being until they sort things out.

 

[f-stop]

Perhaps Netflix has already considered that it has apps for other mobile devices in addition to Teslas that might stream content via cellular connections?

I hope so... although

There doesn't seem to be any details on Netflix support site for how this will work for mobile device on cellular (or similarly for a Tesla), but I read somewhere that you may be required to connect such device to your home wifi network at least once/month and stream while connected in order to associate that mobile device with your home location. That's no problem with your smartphone. Note that info was found on a since-deleted Netflix support page, so not sure if that's true or not

But again that's not going to help Tesla owners who, say, live in a condo tower on the 11th floor and can never connect their Tesla to their home wifi. Or me even though I live in a single family house - in my detached garage I can barely get a wifi signal from the house. Elsewhere I'd also seen talk of Netflix issuing some sort of temporary passcode for when you're traveling away from home, but again not sure if that's true or if it was perhaps something they tried during the password crackdown test in Latin America

edit: ps I found some info on setting primary location on their website

How to set or update a primary location

A primary location is the main place where you watch Netflix.

help.netflix.com

quote:
"How Netflix detects devices within a primary location:
We use information such as IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity to determine whether a device signed into your account is connected to your primary location.

We do not collect GPS data to try to determine the precise physical location of your devices. We use the IP address from the Netflix device or app to assume its general location (such as city, state/province, and postal code). For example, your primary location may be displayed as “near city, state/province.”

also, I found the answer to my earlier question about how you set your primary location if you only use mobile devices, quote:
"If you don’t watch Netflix on a TV or don’t have one, you do not need to set a primary location for your account. "

 

[Supcom]

The answer I got was I can still use it however I will need to enter a code each time I login which they will email or text me.

Maybe it's different in Canada, but as I recall you don't need to log in every time you want to watch Netflix in your car. I haven't used Netflix in a couple months so went out to my car and it pulled right up with no prompt to log in. I've even had a couple software updates since the last time I used it.

On the whole, it sounds like a two-factor authentication routine. Perhaps you will need to log in again if you change your Netflix password, but ordinarily, this shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[hpjtv]

Don’t forget that your Tesla cellular IP can be anywhere. I only get US Netflix content in both my Tesla’s. They register to an IP somewhere in Florida while I live in Vancouver, Canada. I can’t even use some local TuneIn radio stations cause some won’t allow you unless it thinks you are in Canada and it keeps telling me I’m not in Canada.

 

[f-stop]

Don’t forget that your Tesla cellular IP can be anywhere. I only get US Netflix content in both my Tesla’s. They register to an IP somewhere in Florida while I live in Vancouver, Canada.

True. I’m in Vancouver but my Tesla’s cellular IP address shows as being in Calgary AB.

 

[jabloomf1230]

I'm not worried. Disney figured out how to do. this in the US with Disney+, Hulu and ESPN. They all work fine at home and in my Tesla. But a second household is blocked by zip code and IP address. One can only change your zip code a few times per year. I'm sure that someone has figured a VPN + fake GPS around this limitation.

 

[Midnightsun]

Maybe it's different in Canada, but as I recall you don't need to log in every time you want to watch Netflix in your car

Never needed to login but once when we first got the cars however this is supposed to change since I will not be considered at home any more being the IP/location is not my set location one needs to set with the new rules. I am located in Quebec yet my the IP shown when using Netflix in the Tesla is Calgary, Alberta so this would basically be the same as me travelling away from my home which I was told requires a code to activate that I would receive as a text message on my phone after trying to activate away from my set location. It's not like I will need to login again however I will not be able to watch anything unless the "code" is entered.

Will be interesting as we are going to Mexico on the 18th and my cutoff gate is the 21st so will see what my laptop does when I try to access Netflix from there.

 

[f-stop]

update - good news, apparently Netflix confirmed their annoying login-to-your-home-wifi-once-per-month policy doesn’t apply to Tesla vehicles. Although I wonder what happens if you have several Teslas on the same account…

“… While the exact details were not shared with us it was confirmed that Tesla owners will not be required to log in at their home location once per month, and that we can continue to use the streaming service from where ever our cars are located without the fear of being locked out. There is also no need to purchase an additional member for your account, something which costs $7.99 per month and which Netflix online support agents have been advising Tesla owners to do so they don’t get locked out.”

Netflix password sharing policy does not apply to Tesla vehicles

Netflix announced a new policy last week intended to crack down on password sharing. The new policy requires a device to connect to the Wi-Fi network from the designated home location at least once every [...]

driveteslacanada.ca

 

[Midnightsun]

Good news for sure, thanks for sharing.

In my case I had the largest plan possible as 4 members could watch simultaneously, having shared this with 2 of my daughters this worked out quite well for them. I have downgraded my subscription now and it is yet to be seen if my daughters will subscribe giving Netflix some more income or the opposite if they decide to not subscribe. I am still concerned about the implications at cottage though.

 

[ken830]

Just signed up for Netflix for the first time (free through T-Mobile) and tried to log-in to Netflix in the car... "Incorrect password" error. Got home, connected to home WiFi, tried again... works! Disconnect from Wi-Fi, log-in... "Incorrect password" error! Netflix customer rep says Netflix definitely doesn't give the "Incorrect password" error for other reasons, but when I tried it on -and-off Wi-Fi and rebooted the car, he then admitted that VPNs will cause the "Incorrect password" error and suggest I call Tesla to fix it. There are millions of Teslas on the road and millions of Netflix subscribers and yet I can't find anyone else describing this as a problem?

 

[jabloomf1230]

Just signed up for Netflix for the first time (free through T-Mobile) and tried to log-in to Netflix in the car... "Incorrect password" error. Got home, connected to home WiFi, tried again... works! Disconnect from Wi-Fi, log-in... "Incorrect password" error! Netflix customer rep says Netflix definitely doesn't give the "Incorrect password" error for other reasons, but when I tried it on -and-off Wi-Fi and rebooted the car, he then admitted that VPNs will cause the "Incorrect password" error and suggest I call Tesla to fix it. There are millions of Teslas on the road and millions of Netflix subscribers and yet I can't find anyone else describing this as a problem?

The Tesla "apps" are mostly web apps that rely on Teslas's Chromium browser. To my knowledge, no VPN is used. Did you try logging into Netflix via the Tesla browser?

 

[ken830]

The Tesla "apps" are mostly web apps that rely on Teslas's Chromium browser. To my knowledge, no VPN is used. Did you try logging into Netflix via the Tesla browser?

All of the streaming services active full screen mode of the Chromium-based browser. So, visiting netflix.com in the browser app results in the same full screen teather mode and the same login error. Today, I tested it in my Model 3 and it logged in without an issue. Now I'm thinking it's something with the S or X... Or perhaps it's something specific to my particular X.