Password-Sharing on SVOD Platforms: An Examination Through the Lens of Piracy Neutralization

Abstract

The present study aims to examine the determinants of piracy-based password-sharing behavior on subscription video-on-demand platforms (SVOD). Password-sharing which is permissible on SVOD platforms enable multiple users to use a single account simultaneously. Drawing on neutralization theory, we investigate the effects of piracy neutralization on password borrowing intentions and password lending intentions. Moreover, privacy concern, fashion involvement, and group formation type are theoretically and empirically assessed as moderators. We collected survey responses from 489 users who subscribe to Netflix’s premium plan. The majority of the hypotheses were confirmed when fitting the data using PLS-SEM. Piracy neutralization had a significant positive effect on password borrowing intentions and password lending intentions. Privacy concern and fashion involvement significantly moderated the main effects relationships to a certain extent. As a supplementary analysis, we also find that, depending on the group formation type, the main and moderating effects diverge to some degree. This research sheds light on the theoretical implications of password-sharing as a new form of digital piracy and that neutralization theory explains the rationalization of this behavior.