Netflix says it will finally crack down on password sharing soon

• Netflix said it has delayed rolling out its paid sharing program to Q2 from Q1.
• Under the new policy, members will pay a fee to share accounts with people outside of their households.
• The program has faced backlash from many customers, with Netflix's co-CEO admitting it's an unpopular move.

Netflix has delayed its long-awaited password-sharing crackdown - but it could be coming any day now.

In its Q1 letter to shareholders timed with its earnings report, Netflix said it "shifted the timing" of the launch of paid sharing to Q2 from late Q1 due to tweaks it made to the program.

"We're pleased with the most recent launches of paid sharing, and while we could have launched broadly in Q1, we found opportunities to improve the experience for members. We learn more with each rollout, and we've incorporated the latest learnings, which we think will lead to even better results," the company said.

Netflix had initially said it would launch the program "more broadly" in Q1, which ended on March 31, after launching it in several countries, including New Zealand, Canada, and Spain. The program is now set to launch this quarter, which began at the start of April and runs until the end of June.

The streaming giant's plans to plow forward with its password crackdown have proven unpopular with some customers. Earlier this year, many users took to social media to announce that they would cancel their subscriptions once the policy went through.

"You're by far the most expensive streaming service w/o the value matching it. Sort your mess," one tweet from a politician in Ohio read.

Under Netflix's new "paid sharing" policy, members would have to pay a fee to share their accounts with people outside of their households. In Canada, users now have to may an extra $CAD 7.99 per extra member.

In January, Netflix's co-CEO, Greg Peters, warned that password sharing would not be a "universally popular move," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Netflix has said that its password-sharing crackdown results in a "cancel reaction" from some customers in countries where the program has already been tested.