We all know somebody who uses a Netflix account belongs to someone else, a friend, a family member or even an ex.

For years nobody has really had a problem with this but the streaming giant is cracking down on users sharing passwords.

As part of new rules, customers have been told they must be part of the same household to the owner of the account they want to access. Users are being told to verify their identity via email or text.

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Users first noticed the new restrictions last month when some users reported being met with a screen reading: “If you don’t live with the owner of this account, you need your own account to keep watching.”

Viewers are reportedly given the option to verify their identity through a code sent to the account’s owner or can choose to complete the process later.

In a statement, Netflix said: “This test is designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorised to do so.”

Netflix show no signs of backing down on this, the sharing of passwords is against the company’s terms of use after all.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings today confirmed the streaming platform will continue to limit account sharing although any changes have “got to feel like it makes sense to consumers."

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During a Netflix's Investor Relations interview, Hastings was quizzed on whether it was the right time to “turn the screws” on password sharing by customers.

He said: "We will test many things, but we will never roll something out that feels like turning the screws.

"It has got to feel like it makes sense to consumers, that they understand."

Chief operating officer Greg Peters said: "We're going to keep working on accessibility across the countries that we serve, but we also want to ensure that while we're doing that, that we're good at making sure that the people who are using a Netflix account, who are accessing the service, are the ones who are authorized to do so.

“And that's what this line of testing is about. It's not necessarily a new thing, we've been doing this for a while."

According to the Netflix terms of service, account details should “not be shared with individuals beyond your household”.

In the UK, a monthly subscription ranges in cost from £5.99 to £13.99, depending on the package.

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This year, the streaming giant increased its standard package – which allows two screens to access an account, as well as HD – by £1 per month, from £8.99 to £9.99.

The premium package – providing four-screen access per account and Ultra HD – was bumped up by £2, from £11.99 to £13.99, while the one-screen non-HD basic plan will remain at £5.99 per month.

Netflix said the price hikes are essential to reflect the “significant investments” it has made in new TV shows and films.