Max To Crack Down On Password Sharing With 'Gentle' Reminders

Max, formerly known as HBO Max, will address password sharing next week with "gentle reminders" for accounts showing unusual activity.

JB Perrette, the company's chief executive officer, said that the process will unfold gradually over the next year, focusing on identifying shared accounts instead of legitimate use, like logging in from a vacation home, in an interview with MSN.

By 2025, Max will offer an option to add a member for a fee.

The system to detect sharing will become more accurate and stricter by late 2025 and 2026.

Max's password strategy highlights its push on profitability. Netflix made a similar move to the ire of its subscribers after it found over 100 million customers in the United States and Canada sharing passwords to watch content.

Last year, Max's subscriber count surged to nearly 77 million during the first quarter, while rival Netflix reported subscriber loss for the first time in a decade.