Account sharing, also known as credential sharing is the process of sharing login information with multiple users to access online accounts or services. This can include sharing informations like

E-mail address An email address identifies an email box to which messages are delivered. While early messaging systems used a variety of formats for addressing, today, email addresses follow a set of specific rules originally standardized by the Internet Engineer ...

es,

username A user is a person who utilizes a computer or Computer network, network Service (systems architecture), service. A user often has a user account and is identified to the system by a username (or user name). Other terms for username includ ...

s and

password A password, sometimes called a passcode (for example in Apple devices), is secret data, typically a string of characters, usually used to confirm a user's identity. Traditionally, passwords were expected to be memorized, but the large number of ...

s for

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...

accounts,

subscription services The subscription business model is a business model in which a customer must pay a recurring price at regular intervals for access to a product or service. The model was pioneered by publishers of books and periodicals in the 17th century, and ...

, gaming platforms or other

online service An online service provider (OSP) can, for example, be an Internet service provider, an email provider, a news provider (press), an entertainment provider (music, movies), a search engine, an e-commerce site, an online banking site, a health site, ...

Reasons for account sharing

Account sharing is a common practice, especially among younger users who may not have the financial resources to pay for multiple accounts or subscriptions. It is also commonly used among families or groups of friends who want to access a shared account or service. Another reason could be to gain special features that depends on a single account like special items in a game account.

Reasons against account sharing

Rule Violation and Restrictions

Account sharing can also present several risks and challenges. For example, it can violate the terms of service of many online accounts, which often prohibit users from sharing their login credentials with others. This can result in account suspensions or even termination, and can cause users to lose access to important data or services. On the other hand account sharing can lose money for the service the account is being shared for. Google prohibits the practice, along with Facebook

Security Risks

In addition, account sharing can also pose security risks, as it can make it easier for hackers to gain access to multiple accounts using a single set of login credentials. This can lead to sensitive data being compromised or accounts being taken over by unauthorized users. The person the information is shared with could act careless and not secure enough with the login datas or could steal the informations for other purposes as a

social engineering Social engineering may refer to: * Social engineering (political science), a means of influencing particular attitudes and social behaviors on a large scale * Social engineering (security), obtaining confidential information by manipulating and/or ...

-strategy.

Prevention

Some services offer combined accounts, such as multiple family accounts ( Family Sharing) with special

child safety Child protection is the safeguarding of children from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect. Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child provides for the protection of children in and out of the home. One of the ways to e ...

options or

software license A software license is a legal instrument (usually by way of contract law, with or without printed material) governing the use or redistribution of software. Under United States copyright law, all software is copyright protected, in both source ...

for multiple company accounts to a cheaper prize to prevent account sharing. Another system to make account sharing more difficult is the

Multi-factor authentication Multi-factor authentication (MFA; encompassing two-factor authentication, or 2FA, along with similar terms) is an electronic authentication method in which a user is granted access to a website or application only after successfully presenting ...

which often requires the sharer to instantly share the information on their device with the receiver.

Netflix

In 2022,

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

limited where accounts could be used, based on

IP address An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a numerical label such as that is connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.. Updated by . An IP address serves two main functions: network interface ident ...

es. Their terms of service state that "personal and non-commercial use only and may not be shared with individuals beyond your household". The company later released paid options for account sharing, and is expected to remove free account sharing in 2023.

Legality

In the United Kingdom, sharing passwords for certain services, such as streaming services, without authorization is considered copyright infringement.

References

{{reflist Identity management Internet fraud