Spotify stated that it will continue to carry out verification for its Family plan as it tightens rules regarding account sharing.

Spotify has recently updated its account-sharing policy by introducing a QR code verification mechanism. The music streaming company confirmed this new verification process during its third-quarter earnings call. The platform is tightening the rules for its “Premium Family” subscription plan to verify that all members reside at the same address as the plan administrator. This move may affect users who share a Premium Family plan with friends or family members living at different locations.

Spotify Confirms Crackdown on Family Plan Sharing
During the third-quarter earnings call, Spotify co-CEO Alex Norström addressed questions regarding the crackdown on family plan sharing. He stated that these changes are “really just routine improvements to our verification methods for our family plans,” rather than a one-off enforcement action.

The executive noted that family plans have been part of Spotify’s subscription service for over a decade and account for a significant portion of its user base. He explained that the company needs to “ensure that we continue to improve our existing verification methods over time.”

“Over time, ways to identify loopholes will inevitably emerge. As these loopholes appear, we will find ways to make incremental improvements. This is not a project with a fixed deadline, nor is it an implementation that can be completed all at once,” he added.

This move indicates that Spotify is working to tighten its eligibility rules for subscription plans. According to Spotify’s support page, the new verification process requires members of a Family plan to use their own devices to scan a QR code displayed on the plan administrator’s phone. This process is intended to confirm that all members of the Family plan are in the same location.

Spotify sends emails to Family plan users to verify that their residential address matches that of the plan administrator. Once an email is received, users have seven days to provide their full address. Those who fail to do so within the specified timeframe will lose access to the plan and be switched to the free version of the service. Furthermore, they will be ineligible to join any Spotify Family or Duo plan for the next 12 months.

The latest verification measures restrict the use of family plans. This may also prompt users who do not meet the criteria for a shared subscription to purchase an individual plan. The premium family plan is a discounted subscription designed for up to six family members living in the same household (including the plan administrator).