The end is near - or could be. Sharing passwords to Netflix and other streaming services could soon become a thing of the past. New software unveiled at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas could put a stop to the free ride.

The security software firm, Cinemedia, has come up with a way to shut down "password piracy" as they call it. The company claims by the year 2021, the practice of sharing passwords could cost the pay television industry upwards of $9.9-billion.

The technology actually works behind the scenes by using artificial intelligence to analyze viewing behavior to identify password sharing accounts. It's estimated 26% of all millennials currently use someone else's password on streaming services.

And with Netflix's 130-million paying subscribers in more than 190 countries, something like this could be a source of new revenue - LOTS of new revenue.

Source: ABC Radio News

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