Should You Worry About Password Sharing?
Download MP3The New York Times flagged a paying subscriber’s account for using too many devices.
In this episode, Pete shares what happened when he clicked a link on LinkedIn, opened it in the app’s built-in browser, and got asked to verify his $30-a-month NYT account. He uses that moment to answer a question publishers ask often: should you limit password sharing? He explains when locking things down makes sense, why most sites should keep login limits generous, and how to turn shared logins into extra revenue with a family plan.
What You’ll Learn
- Why in-app browsers on LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social apps count as a new device and can set off login limits
- What a typical shared household looks like: two people, about three logged-in sessions
- How WordPress concurrent login plugins track one account across browsers and devices
- Why a generous limit of four or five devices keeps honest subscribers happy
- What happens when limits get too strict: more support tickets and more login friction
- Why B2B publishers may need tighter controls so one login doesn’t spread across a whole company
- When a hard paywall makes sense, such as for financial publishers
- How a family plan turns password sharing into an upgrade opportunity
- Why family plans convert: subscribers often add a partner for a little more money
