Photo: Kaitlyn Baker

Nearly 2.1 m. Danes share logins to streaming services

Jun 30, 2023 | Analysis

30. June 2023

A new survey from the Danish Chamber of Commerce shows that 43 percent of Danes share or borrow logins to streaming services with people outside their household. This happens even though 70 percent of Danes are aware that this is not allowed. The phenomenon is especially common amongst youths in the age 18-29, who share logins because it is easy, and because they think that streaming services are expensive. 

Streaming via web services has become a large part of the total consumption of media. At the same time Danes share their logins to streaming services, media etc. like never before. 

A new survey from the Danish Chamber of Commerce shows the extent of this type of sharing amongst Danes. It is thus 43 percent, corresponding to nearly 2.1 M. Danes, who share logins even though it is not allowed. Simultaneously, 70 percent of Danes are aware that logins are not allowed to be shared outside of their household. 

The Danish Chamber of Commerce assesses that this, in the long term, could result in poorer or less content on the services where Danes stream, as well as harsher consequences for users. 

“We know that it is not okay. Unfortunately, it seems that a culture has emerged around login sharing where it is largely okay anyway. The thing one might forget is, that it is firstly not allowed, and secondly, it means that when we don’t want to pay what it costs for the services and the content, then the companies and the producers must either cut back on the quantity or the quality of the content. So far, the consequences have been relatively mild for users, but we already see companies that are starting to take a tougher stand against these types of sharing and they are of course in every right to do so,” says Vice Director of the Danish Chamber of Commerce, Casper Klynge.

Easy and too expensive

Moreover, the survey shows that Danes share logins mainly because they think it is easy and that the subscriptions are expensive. 75 percent would be willing to keep their subscriptions if it was impossible to share logins with people outside their household. On the contrary, only 39 percent are willing to pay more for a subscription if they could share their login with whomever outside their household. 

Rights Alliance, who protects the interests of producers and rights holders, thinks that the extent of the issue calls for action. 

“We believe that a combination of massive information on the subject, so no one is in any doubt of what is permitted and is not permitted, along with technical measures taken by the streaming services, which are already implemented or about to be, will have a beneficial effect on the issue. We know from practical experience of working with these challenges, that it actually works when you use technical measures to ‘disrupt’ inappropriate behavior at the same time as informing and guiding users,” says Maria Fredenslund, CEO at Rights Alliance. 

Read the survey from the Danish Chamber of Commerce here (danish)