Password-Sharing on SVOD Platforms: An Examination Through the Lens of Piracy Neutralization

Abstract

The present study aims to examine the determinants of piracy-based password-sharing behavior on subscription video-on-demand platforms (SVOD). Password-sharing which is permissible on SVOD platforms enable multiple users to use a single account simultaneously. Drawing on neutralization theory, we investigate the effects of piracy neutralization on password borrowing intentions and password lending intentions. Moreover, privacy concern, fashion involvement, and group formation type are theoretically and empirically assessed as moderators. We collected survey responses from 489 users who subscribe to Netflix’s premium plan. The majority of the hypotheses were confirmed when fitting the data using PLS-SEM. Piracy neutralization had a significant positive effect on password borrowing intentions and password lending intentions. Privacy concern and fashion involvement significantly moderated the main effects relationships to a certain extent. As a supplementary analysis, we also find that, depending on the group formation type, the main and moderating effects diverge to some degree. This research sheds light on the theoretical implications of password-sharing as a new form of digital piracy and that neutralization theory explains the rationalization of this behavior.

Keywords:

• Piracy neutralization
• password-sharing
• digital piracy
• privacy concern
• fashion involvement
• group formation type

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Using piracy neutralization as a single construct has demonstrated reliability and validity (Higgins et al., 2008; Marcum et al., 2011).

2 The survey was presented to the participants in a more general context, as an inquiry into user experience with Netflix. Hence, participants were not aware that the study specifically aimed to understand password sharing behavior.

3 Netflix offers two options for account sharing: the premium plan for sharing among four users and the standard plan for sharing among two users. By focusing on users of the premium plan, we aim to avoid potential issues that could arise from mixed groups sharing the account with two members and four members. To control for this complication, we specifically filtered out users who use the premium plan.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jaehyun Lee

Jaehyun Lee is a doctoral student in the School of Business Administration at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology. Her research interest lies in digital technology such as digital streaming services, metaverse, and education technology. She is also interested in the ethical use of digital technologies.

Yeolib Kim

Yeolib Kim is an associate professor in the School of Business Administration at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology. He has published in journals such as Journal of Applied Psychology and Journal of Medical Internet Research. His research interests are in research methods, digital technologies, and digital privacy.

Yoonhyuk Jung

Yoonhyuk Jung is a professor in the School of Media and Communication at Korea University in South Korea. His current research interests include digital media and social consequences of ICT. His research papers have been published in Information & Management, Information Systems Journal, International Journal of Information Management, among others.