HBO Max announces aggressive measures against shared accounts

HBO Max has confirmed that drastic changes are coming for those who share their account outside the household. The company announced that it will implement stricter measures to curb this practice.

The announcement was made by JB Perrette, head of streaming at Warner Bros. Discovery, and marks a turning point for the platform in the region. The goal is to limit access for unauthorized users and strengthen the usage policy.

A change that follows the lead of Netflix and Disney+

Netflix started this offensive some time ago, charging extra to add users outside the household. Later, Disney+ adopted a similar approach. Now, HBO Max is joining this global trend.

Perrette explained that they had already been conducting internal tests to detect irregular access. With that information, the platform is preparing to send direct messages and warnings to those who break the rules.

Stronger measures

"Until now, the tone had been soft and, in a way, optional. But this is going to change," said the executive. The company announced that it will apply concrete restrictions between the end of 2025 and during 2026.

The goal is clear: to ensure that subscriptions are used by the household that pays for them. Tolerance for accounts shared with friends or acquaintances will be reduced to a minimum.

Major premieres

The platform seeks to capitalize on a calendar full of releases. Among them are the new Harry Potter series and the upcoming seasons of The Last of Us and House of the Dragon.

With these titles, HBO Max aims for fans to sign up for their own plan instead of relying on a borrowed account. According to the company, this will allow for greater investment in original productions and in improving the user experience.

The end of shared accounts as we know them?

Everything indicates so. With competitive pressure and a focus on maximizing revenue, account sharing could become a thing of the past. The warning has been issued: either you follow the rules or you are left out.