Netflix is working on a feature that could make it more difficult for users to share their password with friends and family.

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.”

The move could lead to a crackdown on the sharing of passwords.

However, Netflix has previously said it was happy for account owners to share their passwords.

Speaking in 2016, CEO Reed Hastings said the company had “no plans” on a crackdown.

He said: “Password sharing is something you have to learn to live with, because there’s so much legitimate password sharing, like you sharing with your spouse, with your kids. So there’s no bright line, and we’re doing fine as is.”

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.

Last month, 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.

“This year we’re spending over one billion dollars in the UK on new, locally made films, series and documentaries, helping to create thousands of jobs and showcasing British storytelling at its best – with everything from The Crown to Sex Education and Top Boy, plus many, many more,” a Netflix spokesperson said.

They added: “Our price change reflects the significant investments we’ve made in new TV shows and films, as well as improvements to our product.”

In January the company, boosted by months of lockdown, revealed it had more than 203 million subscribers, making it the world’s leading streaming service.