These days, lots of debates are running over password sharing on the internet. Is it safe to share details of HBO account with others or family members?
According to a recent survey done on the people of America, it has been found out that more than 74% subscribers of HBO Go are sharing their accounts with other members in the family. A separate study by magid found that 35% of millennials share the password for streaming content from Netflix.
Password sharing trend is omnipresent among friends, family members, and even strangers. But if we take it as security practice, then it is up to some extent losing a privacy with logins.
According to Cait Lamberton, Associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh, Sharing passwords among individuals is a very traditional trend. The desire to get the password from existing users like friends, family, and colleagues for watching content from HBO Go and other streaming channels has now exponentially increased among the youth especially.
A number of researches done on this topic asking the same question: whether sharing a password make you happier? Can sharing a password, spending money for others and sharing food can change your mood? All these questions are still left unanswered. We all do this due to Altruism in us. According to neuroscientists, our brain pleasure and tied to reward processing through this.
Lamberton theorized this in a way that password sharing feel hypothetical and is not at all motivating but the feeling of connecting to the HBO through someone else access is very tangible.
Unconcerned about Cybersecurity, when we say it leaks private information, then it means when you re-use the passwords, there are chances of data breaches and you might not be aware of the fact that the Yahoo or Gmail login might be compromised through the same password. If you are using the same password for financial institutions, then your financial business can be at risk. That’s why most of the researchers on the internet suggest not to use the same password on more than one platform especially if you are to share a password with somebody.
No studies existing on neural effects of password sharing but according to anecdotal evidence, there are several reasons why we share the password.
Rosalind Wiseman, who has written ‘Queen Bees and Wannabes’ book focused on teenagers and use of technology by them. They share the login password in romantic pairings. Like if a girl asked for HBO Go password from a boy, then he will definitely give due to his relationship with the girl and he tries to impress the girl.
According to a study done by Pew Internet and American Life project in 2011, it has been researched out that more than 30% of the teenagers are active online and they share a password with someone as they feel a sign of trust and intimacy. Girls are more like to share passwords than boys.
If you want to share your password with someone, then make it unique. It must not be same for other online platforms like your mail, financial emails, and business apps. Turn on the notification for a number of times you log in. Once you provide the access to the friend or family, you lose the control of it. So, be cautious while sharing the password. Share only if you are comfortable with that password otherwise, your data may be compromised.