Netflix, one of the largest streaming platforms in the world, finds itself at the center of yet another controversy that has shaken its followers and the entertainment industry.
This time, the Procon of the State of Santa Catarina (Procon-SC) has taken steps to confront the streaming giant over its new subscription policy, with its infamous password sharing charges.
Now, it seems that the noose is closing in on Netflix, as Procon-SC has officially imposed a considerable additional charge of R$500.00 for each complaint opened with the agency regarding the company.
The clash between Netflix and Procon-SC began when the streaming platform chose to ignore requests for clarification made by the regulatory body regarding the charges.
The lack of response from Netflix led Procon to take drastic measures, demonstrating its intention to confront the company and protect consumers in the State of Santa Catarina.
With this additional charge per complaint, Procon-SC seeks to hold Netflix accountable for its alleged lack of transparency and for not providing the necessary clarifications regarding changes to its subscription charging policy.
This attitude by Procon-SC not only highlights the importance of consumer protection, but also puts the streaming giant in a delicate position, which could result in significant legal and financial consequences.
Brazilians refuse to accept extra fee
The decision by streaming platform Netflix to charge an extra fee to subscribers who share their passwords with friends and family has sparked great outrage among the Brazilian population.
The news, released on May 23, resulted in a significant migration of users to other streaming services, with more than 3% of subscribers abandoning Netflix during this period. One of the services that benefited from this situation was Star+, which registered an increase of more than 50% in the number of users.
This was no surprise
Although the news caused surprise and dissatisfaction among the Brazilian public, charging extra fees for sharing passwords is nothing new.
Before May, it had already been widely reported that Netflix intended to implement this measure in several countries around the world. In Brazil, the amount announced for those caught breaking the rules is an additional R$12.90 on the monthly fee.
