Spotify's Premium Family plan is getting stricter with a new requirement of mandatory QR code verification. This new policy hits shared accounts at home with a direct punch in the face by requiring actual in-person presence to continue being valid. These changes to policy are trying to curb the problem of unauthorized account sharing, a key pain point for revenue at the streaming service.
Mandatory QR scans enforce same-home rule for six-member plans
Spotify's new verification process requires all members of a family plan to scan their unique QR code, issued by the account manager. The person being required to scan the code has a very tight seven-day period to get their scan done after the initial notice. This digital handshake is what the streaming service is using to determine if all people have the same physical home address.
If anyone misses the required verification deadline, Spotify has consequences in store for the offenders right away. These users will get a forced change to a new subscription level, losing the Premium Family benefits. They also get hit with a 12-month bar on any Family or Duo plan, so no sharing the costs any time soon.
This QR code procedure is just the latest measure for enforcing home rules, after Spotify's previous address verification steps. Premium Family is $21.99 per month for up to six people and is a discounted option over individual plans. Remember the baseline is $12.99 per month with the standard Premium Individual plan. This is what folks not able or willing to follow the new restrictions on sharing will be paying.
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