3 Streaming Faux-Pas
Streaming TV can be a surprisingly social activity. As with any social activity, though, there comes the chance of mistakes and missteps. Here are three streaming faux-pas and how to avoid them.
Using Someone Else’s Profile
The Scenario: You log into Netflix to check out I Am Not Okay with This or maybe re-watch the third season of Stranger Things . . . but your recommended list has gone bonkers. It’s full of Spanish soap operas and shows about architecture. What the heck? Wait . . . has mom been using your profile again?
The Faux-Pas: Streaming accounts come with multiple profiles for a reason. They let individual users create their own lists, track their own shows, and get personalized recommendations. Using someone else’s profile is a bit like opening someone else’s book and moving the bookmarks.
The Solution: If a polite conversation won’t stop the profile hijacker, more drastic actions are needed. Some streaming services, like Netflix, actually let you protect your profiles with four-digit pins. Of course, if you have a repeat or brazen offender, you could always kick them off your account. But that’s pretty drastic.
Watching Ahead
The Scenario: You sit down with your husband after looking forward to the new season of Ozark all week, only for him to stay glued to his phone and tell you to pay close attention to this one part. Wait . . . did he watch ahead without you?
The Faux-Pas: According to surveys, Netflix cheating is on the rise. Is it a big deal? Not really. But if watching a specific show is your couples thing and you watch ahead, you can’t blame your significant other for getting annoyed, especially if they decided to forgo opportunities to watch ahead themselves.
The Solution: Someone who’s tempted to watch ahead has a pretty easy solution: just watch ahead. If they can’t help themselves, maybe it’s time to find either a new show to watch together or a new couples activity.
Mooching
The Scenario: You let your sister keep a profile on your Netflix, but she’s been bugging you to upgrade to premium since she bought a new 4K TV. But you’ve just heard that she’s on your brother’s Amazon account and she’s getting Disney+ from your parents. Wait . . . does she pay for any of her streaming?
The Faux-Pas: Streaming can be shared. Arguably, in the case of Disney+, it’s meant to be shared. But it’s kind of sucky to pay for nothing and take advantage of everyone else’s generosity.
The Solution: If you’re the party paying and you feel aggrieved, you can offer three options. One, the moocher starts paying part of the streaming bill. Two, the moocher can subscribe to a different streaming service and share the password, thus giving you both more streaming options. Three, give the moocher the boot. They can pay for their own streaming service; it’s not that expensive.
