New Law Bans Password Sharing

A new Tennessee Law signed by Gov. Haslam bans password sharing.  Minor infractions result in a fine and the most serious violations are felonies with possible prison time.

Anyone convicted of giving his or her password to an entire dorm room or sports team would face a fine, which would be based on the cost of the content viewed. For example, if the unauthorized viewers watch less than $500 worth of videos, both they and the password distributor could face fines up to $2,500 and a year in jail. Any movie-watching over $500 becomes a felony with much stricter fines and prison sentences.

The Tennessean reports that Netflix Sharing is now a crime in Tennessee.

State lawmakers in country music’s capital have passed a groundbreaking measure that would make it a crime to use a friend’s login — even with permission — to listen to songs or watch movies from services such as Netflix and Rhapsody.