Netflix called out over 'insane' security concern that could cost you
The streaming wars continue to rage, and as we try to tighten our belts in a time of economic crisis, it's more obvious than ever that we're shelling out monthly for the likes of Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Max, and all the rest.
Despite some recent discourse in the ranks, Netflix continues to reign supreme.
There were fears that the streaming giant clamping down on password sharing would cost it dearly, but it actually worked in Netflix's favor as it saw its profits and subscribers boom.
Even though some of you have vowed to cancel your subscription due to recent price hikes, it doesn't look like Netflix is being hit in the pocket.
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Then again, with it boasting the likes of Adolescence, Squid Game, Black Mirror, and the upcoming final season of Stranger Things, Netflix is doing its best to try and prove it's worth the price of admission.
There's been a recent push into artificial intelligence with an overhauled UI, but that's not the only complaint Netflix is facing.
Posting on Reddit, one disgruntled parent accused the service of letting children upgrade your streaming package. Worse than this, it's apparently easy for your tots to splash the cash, despite having parental controls installed.
Netflix has always been pretty good and keeping kids away from adult content, and as long as you have the right parental controls in place, there shouldn't be any worries that you'll walk in to find your little ones watching Sex Education.
Redditor u/RGBLEDWill claims they returned home to find an email from Netflix about a change to their plan. They eventually deciphered that their kid was able to upgrade to the $25 a month Premium tier.
While Premium boasts unlimited ad-free viewing for up to four devices at a time, Netflix spatial audio, and 4K (Ultra HD), not everyone can justify that amount every month. The annoyed OP took their concerns to Netflix customer service.
Customer service reiterated that if an online streaming limit is reached, accounts will be given a prompt to upgrade. This seemingly applies to both adult and child-protected accounts, which is an obvious cause for concern.
When they flagged the loophole, Netflix customer service wrote: "I hear you on that. The parental controls doesn't cover the plan change prompt on the account though."
The user clapped back: "So Netflix's official policy is to allow children to make plan upgrades? Seems unethical and wrong, no?"
Others in the comments agreed that it feels 'wrong' to allow kids access to upgrade accounts, with someone else saying: "Insane lol they probably hope the parents don't notice."
Another worried customer added: "How can a minor enter into a contract which is essentially what they are saying?"
A third said: "Companies are only as moral as the law dictates they be. Being shocked at immoral practices by megacorps in 2025 is wild."
Some in the thread think that the user was dealing with an AI chatbot, but either way, customer service claimed that the complaints would be looked into and 'prioritized' based on customer impact.
One person concluded: "AI chat support, dystopian hellhole. So tired of these billion-dollar companies not hiring people."
UNILAD Tech reached out to Netflix, with a spokesperson issued the following response: "We’re not able to comment on individual member accounts for privacy reasons."