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Some voters in New Hampshire received a call from someone who sounded a lot like President Joe Biden. The call encouraged those New Hampshire residents to stay home during the primary election last week and "save your votes" for the general election in November.
Of course, that makes no sense. Voters can vote in both elections. Why would Biden tell them such a thing? Well, that's because he didn't. These were AI voice-generated robocalls created to sound like Biden. You can listen to one here, courtesy of The Telegraph:
This is just one real-world example of how AI can already be weaponized by bad actors. And it's likely a big reason the FCC now wants to take action against AI-generated calls.
FCC's proposal to outlaw AI robocallsFCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel released a statement on Wednesday announcing a proposal that the FCC recognize calls generated by artificial intelligence as "artificial" voices under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). By doing this, the FCC would make AI-generated robocalls illegal.
SEE ALSO: The FCC just fined a robocall company $300 million after blocking billions of scam callsThe TCPA is often used by the FCC to limit junk calls received by consumers from telemarketers. Under this law, the usage of artificial or prerecorded voice messages as well as automatic telephone dialing systems is prohibited.
"AI-generated voice cloning and images are already sowing confusion by tricking consumers into thinking scams and frauds are legitimate," Rosenworcel said in a statement. The statement continues:
"No matter what celebrity or politician you favor, or what your relationship is with your kin when they call for help, it is possible we could all be a target of these faked calls. That’s why the FCC is taking steps to recognize this emerging technology as illegal under existing law, giving our partners at State Attorneys General offices across the country new tools they can use to crack down on these scams and protect consumers."
The timing of Rosenworcel's statement seems to show that the Biden robocalls have sparked concern regarding how these AI-generated voices can be used in telemarketing scams as well as potential election fraud.
As of now, the only real steps to prevent worst case scenarios caused by AI-generated voices have been taken by the AI companies themselves. As Bloomberg reported, the AI company ElevenLabs suspended the user who created the Biden robocalls from their platform last week.
"We are dedicated to preventing the misuse of audio AI tools and take any incidents of misuse extremely seriously," ElevenLabs said in a statement.
However, as we've seen with the recent nonconsensual AI-generated pornographic images of Taylor Swift, there are those in the space who may not feel the same as ElevenLabs when it comes to usage of AI products.
Valentine’s Day can be a weird holiday to shop for, especially because every gift option seems to be covered in hearts. Ew.
Skip the heart-shaped jewelry this year and get your girlfriend something she really wants for Valentine’s Day. Whether she’s a plant mom, into tech, or a beauty guru, you'll be able to find a gift she loves. And look, we know V-Day is a sexy holiday — we've got you there, too.
SEE ALSO: Best gift ideas for people in long-distance relationshipsWho says Valentine’s Day gifts have to be cheesy and romantic? Not us. You can get something thoughtful and useful. What a concept!
We dug around the internet to help you find the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your girlfriend. You can still opt for traditional V-Day gifts like red roses or lingerie, but seriously: Steer clear of the heart-shaped stuff this year. Get your girlfriend something that suits her personality and shows you really know her and care about her interests.
P.S. If you're looking for Valentine's Day gifts for your boyfriend, check out our gift guide for him.
One of the more preposterous things about the Super Bowl is how we get commercials for upcoming commercials. Google is participating in that trend this year.
The folks behind the internet's primary search engine released a behind-the-scenes look of its upcoming Super Bowl ad.
The two-and-a-half-minute video focuses on the "Guided Frame" feature that dropped with the Pixel 7 a year and a half ago. This perk allows low-vision users to capture well-composed shots — and the Pixel 8 expanded it to the rear camera system last year.
SEE ALSO: Taylor Swift fans celebrate that Travis Kelce and the Chiefs are headed to the Super BowlThe commercial will center on a blind man in a romantic relationship who uses Guided Frame to capture memorable moments with his partner. Director Adam Morse is blind himself, and in the BTS video, he talks about how they did things like rub petroleum jelly on the camera lens to simulate blindness for the viewer.
Some Super Bowl ads try to make you laugh and some of them try to make you cry. This seems like it might be the latter, though we'll have to wait until two Sundays from now to find out.
SAVE 39%: The Netgear Nighthawk M1 4G LTE mobile hotspot is just $184.14 at Amazon, down from the MSRP of $299.99. That's a savings of $115.85.
Opens in a new window Credit: Netgear Netgear Nighthawk M1 4G LTE WiFi mobile hotspot $184.14 at Amazon (save $115.85) Get DealThe work-from-home revolution certainly has its perks. If you work remotely, your office might be at home one day, in an airport the next, and on a beach soon after. There's only one caveat to the remote work situation: you need a reliable connection no matter where you are. Today's deal at Amazon will help solve this problem for good.
As of Feb. 1, the Netgear Nighthawk M1 4G LTE mobile hotspot is just $184.14, marked down from the normal MSRP of $299.99. That's a 39% discount or a savings of $115.85. Netgear says this unlocked hotspot works best with AT&T or T-Mobile, but it's also possible to use it with Google Fi or Verizon. You'll want to grab a micro SIM card from your preferred carrier for activation.
SEE ALSO: Home gym starter kit: Everything you need to work out from homeWhen your home internet or the connection on the road isn't cutting it, a mobile hotspot can come to the rescue to keep devices connected reliably. The Netgear Nighthawk M1 uses a 4G LTE connection, allowing up to 20 devices to work, game, or stream.
Should you decide to head to a remote location, packing the Netgear Nighthawk M1 is your ticket to staying in the loop. From the LCD screen, you can alter settings and monitor data usage. Its ultra-portable design weighs about half a pound and measures about four inches in width and length, so it won't take up much space in your weekend bag.
Stay connected wherever you go with the Netgear Nighthawk M1 mobile hotspot, and thanks to today's deal, you'll be spending under $185 for the peace of mind of always having WiFi.
You can now generate images with Bard, Google's AI chatbot.
Today, the company announced Bard's new text-to-image capability that's powered by Imagen 2, Google's latest diffusion model. With this release, Google also shared that any image created with Imagen 2 — on Bard or Google's other generative AI tools — will have digital watermark called SynthID.
SEE ALSO: A new tool could protect artists by sabotaging AI image generators Via GiphyPreviously, you could upload images to Bard and ask it to recognize or help you with something related to that image. But asking Bard to generate an AI image for you is new.
Google has already launched AI image generation in other products like SGE (Search Generative Experience), which is still in Labs (its testing ground), and Duet AI. Imagen 2 in Bard joins the likes of other image-generating features in chatbots like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot.
To ensure safe and responsible creations of AI images, "there's a clear distinction between visuals created with Bard and original human artwork," the Google announcement said. It also bans the generation of "named people" in an effort to avoid the creation of deepfakes like the recent example of Taylor Swift.
Bard's text-to-image generator is currently available in English. Other releases coming to Bard today is the availability of Gemini Pro in all supported languages and countries.
SAVE $60: The prescription-ready Echo Frames with smart audio are just $209.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $269.99. That's a 22% discount.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Echo Frames (3rd gen, prescription ready) $209.99 at Amazon (save $60) Get DealWe've seen a few iterations of smart glasses come and go, never to heard from again. But all is not lost. Thanks to today's deal at Amazon, you can grab some stylish glasses frames that come with incredibly useful audio and Alexa features.
As of Feb. 1, the Echo Frames (prescription ready) are just $209.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $269.99. That's a 22% discount or a savings of $60. Note that the frames come with demo lenses and you'll need to take them to an optician to get your prescription lenses added to the frames.
For anyone who doesn't love using headphones or earbuds, listen up. One of the coolest functions of the Echo Frames is the built-in smart audio. From the Echo Frames, you can cruise along while playing your favorite playlist, catching up on podcasts, or listening to that ever-growing list of audiobooks. The speakers in the Echo Frames are designed to direct the sound into your ears, and your ears only — minimizing the sound that could leak out to others around you. The frames do all of this without blocking your ears, so you can still take in and communicate with the world around you.
In addition the streaming audio from the Echo Frames, you can also take calls from the glasses for a hands-free experience. With continuous media playback, the glasses stay charged for up to six hours but that extends to about 14 hours with moderate usage throughout the day. It takes about 2.5 hours to recharge the frames. Removing and folding the Echo Frames automatically turns them off.
In terms of comfort, the glasses are designed with lightweight material and are both sweat and water resistant. Amazon mentions your vision insurance provider might offer a reimbursement for the Echo Frames, which is something worth checking in on if you have vision insurance.
Today's deal means you'll be spending less to give your glasses a major boost in functionality with the Echo Frames.
SAVE 30%: The Verilux HappyLight Luxe is just $69.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $99.95. That's a savings of $29.96.
Opens in a new window Credit: Verilux Verilux HappyLight Luxe $69.99 at Amazon (save $29.96) Get DealWelcome to February — the month when we all become convinced that winter will never end. If the cold feels like it's seeped into your bones and you dream of only warm summer nights in the backyard, today's deal at Amazon will leave you feeling refreshed.
As of Feb. 1, the Verilux HappyLight Luxe is just $69.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $99.95. That's a 30% discount or a savings of $29.96.
We're past the darkest days of winter, but that doesn't mean seasonal affective disorder (SAD) has left. The American Heart Association estimates that up to 10% of people living in North America could be experiencing SAD, a type of depression that's associated with the seasons, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The overall thought is that short days can trigger a chemical imbalance in the brain which leads to symptoms of depression that show up seasonally.
Fortunately, one of the easiest and most readily available proven treatments to help with SAD is light therapy. With 10,000 lux of UV-free full-spectrum light, the HappyLight's aim is to make you, well, happy. Verilux mentions soaking up these light rays is essential to our wellbeing with impacts on our sleep schedule, overall mood, ability to focus, and our energy levels.
Inside of the Verilux HappyLight Lux lies 168 LED bulbs, ready to boost your mood with safe UV-free light. The American Heart Association recommends exposure to light therapy is most effective in the morning for 30 to 45 minutes. The Verilux HappyLight Luxe aims to make this light therapy task simple by coming with an included but detachable stand, so you could easily set it on your bedside table or on the desk at your home office. It's thin design means it weights about two pounds, so it's travel-friendly. The back of the Verilux HappyLight Luxe also has a wall mount, so you can easily hang it next to the kitchen table to use while sipping some morning coffee.
The HappyLight Luxe has four brightness levels and three HappyHue color temperature options, so you can customize your rays. There's also a programmable timer that you can set in five minute increments, up to one hour.
Soon spring blossoms will arrive, but until then, investing in health and wellness with the Verilux HappyLight Luxe could make a world of difference.
It's a new year which means it's a great time to do a privacy checkup on your iPhone. Follow these simple steps to make sure you know who has access to your data.
If you've been craving more of Bridgerton's swoon-worthy Regency romance, you'll be pleased to know that Netflix has released a sneak peek of the highly anticipated Season 3.
The brief clip centers on this season's main romantic pairing, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). (Sorry Peneloise shippers!) We kick off in yearning central, with Penelope and Luke staring deep into each other's eyes.
"Your eyes... A most remarkable shade of blue," Penelope whispers. "And yet somehow, they shine even brighter when you are kind."
The compliment shocks Colin into speechlessness, at which point Penelope reveals that that's the kind of thing she might say to him if he were a suitor. Looks like these two have some major feelings to process. Good luck watching the clip and not screaming, "just kiss already!" at the screen. I certainly failed.
Apple Vision Pro will launch with more than 600 apps and games, designed exclusively for the new headset, Apple has announced.
The Vision Pro, which launches on Friday, Feb. 2, will start with entertainment apps such as Disney+, Max, PGA Tour Vision, NBA, and Red Bull TV. Users will also have access to productivity tools including Box, which allows them to collaborate and securely manage files and content, the brainstorming app MindNode, Microsoft 365 productivity apps, data visualization and project management apps OmniFocus and OmniPlan, as well as apps such as Fantastical and Numerics.
SEE ALSO: Apple Vision Pro reviews are in: Here are 8 key takeawaysAs far as games go, a subscription to Apple Arcade will give users access to 250 games on the Vision Pro, including NBA 2K24 Arcade Edition, Sonic Dream Team, and TMNT Splintered Fate. Titles created specifically for the Vision Pro include Synth Riders, LEGO Builder's Journey, Super Fruit Ninja, and more.
Time to slice that fruit in 3D. Credit: AppleFinally, users will also get access to apps such as Carrot Weather, a spatial version of the snarky weather app, and The Archive, which will allow them to explore locations and artifacts from the Stark Trek universe, among others.
Of course, it won't be just 600 apps at launch; Vision Pro users will also have access to more than 1 million iOS and iPadOS apps which are compatible with Vision Pro.
“Apple Vision Pro is unlocking the imaginations of our worldwide developer community, and we’re inspired by the range of spatial experiences they’ve created for this exciting new platform,” Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, said in a statement.
The Vision Pro becomes available in a little under 24 hours, as visualized on Apple's website with a handy timer. It will be tough to get the $3,499 headset at launch, as it was effectively sold out soon after pre-orders became available in January.
Netflix released a mind-blowing number of films and TV shows in 2023, but it looks like 2024 is set to be equally jam-packed.
The streamer has some big movies on the slate for the coming year, from Adam Sandler space drama Spaceman to Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver, while on the TV side we have new seasons of Bridgerton and Squid Game too look forward to as well as Arcane and Avatar: The Last Airbender.
SEE ALSO: The best Netflix movies of 2023Without further ado, here's Netflix's full list of movies and TV shows, ordered by release date.
Here's Netflix's movie lineup for 2024:Bitconned — January 1
Society of the Snow — January 4
Good Grief — January 5
Lift — January 12
The Kitchen — January 19
The Greatest Night in Pop — January 29
Orion and the Dark — February 2
Lover, Stalker, Killer — February 9
Players — February 14
Einstein and the Bomb — February 16
Tyler Perry's Mea Culpa — February 23
Through My Window: Looking At You — February 23
Code 8 Part II — February 28
Spaceman — March 1
Damsel — March 8
Irish Wish — March 15
Shirley — March 22
The Casagrandes Movie — March 22
The Beautiful Game — March 29
Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver — April 19
Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story — May 3
Mother of the Bride — May 9
Thelma the Unicorn — May 17
Hit Man — June 7
The Union — August 16
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F — Summer 2024
Trigger Warning — Summer 2024
The following films are scheduled for release in 2024, but don't yet have a release date:
Atlas
Back in Action
Carry-On
A Family Affair
Gut Health: The Secret Science of Eating
His Three Daughters
It's What's Inside
Lonely Planet
Meet Me Next Christmas
Our Little Secret
Rez Ball
Scoop
Six Triple Eight
Spellbound
The Deliverance
The Imaginary
The Piano Lesson
The Shadow Strays
The Tearsmith
That Christmas
Time Cut
Ultraman: Rising
Uglies
What Jennifer Did
Woman of the Hour
Joy
Here's Netflix's TV lineup for 2024:One Day — February 8
Love Is Blind S6 — February 14 (releasing weekly)
The Vince Staples Show — February 15
Al Rawabi School for Girls S2 — February 15
Ready, Set, Love — February 15
Rhythm + Flow Italy — February 19 (episodes 1-4) + February 26 (episodes 5-7) + March 4 (episode 8)
Avatar: The Last Airbender — February 22
Formula 1: Drive to Survive S6 — February 23
The Mire: Millennium — February 28
The Gentlemen — March
The Netflix Slam — March 3
Hot Wheels Let’s Race — March 4
Full Swing S2 — March 6
Supersex — March 6
The Signal LS — March 7
Young Royals S3 — March 11 (Episode 1-5) + March 18 (Series Finale)
Girls5eva S3 — March 14
3 Body Problem — March 21
Is It Cake? S3 — March 29
Ripley — April 4
The Upshaws Part 5 — April 18
A Man in Full — Spring
Buying Beverly Hills S2 — Spring
Netflix Is A Joke Fest — May 2-12
Bridgerton S3 — May 16 (Part 1) + June 13 (Part 2)
That ‘90s Show S2 — Summer
The Green Glove Gang S2 — Summer
Arcane S2 — November
The following TV shows are scheduled for release in 2024, but don't yet have a release date:
American Primeval
Another Self S2
Anthracite
The Asunta Case
The Believers
Black Doves
Bodkin
Cobra Kai S6
Crooks S1
Dead Boy Detectives
The Decameron
The Diplomat S2
Echoes of the Past
Élite S8 (Final Season)
El Eternauta
Emily in Paris S4
The Empress S2
Eric
Exploding Kittens
Furies
Heartstopper S3
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar S1
The Helicopter Heist
Jentry Chau vs The Underworld
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory
LaLiga 24
Love Is Blind Germany S1
Love Is Blind UK S1
The Madness
Mo S2
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
The Night Agent S2
Nightmares and Daydreams
No Good Deed
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Our Living World
Our Oceans
Outer Banks S4
Outlast S2
The Perfect Couple
Perfect Match S2
Rhythm + Flow S2
Selling Sunset S8
Senna
Sprint
Squid Game S2
Supacell
Sweet Tooth S3
Terminator: The Anime Series
Thank You, Next
To Kill A Monkey S1
The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On S3
The Umbrella Academy S4 (Final Season)
Unsolved Mysteries, Volume 4
Unstable S2
Untitled Erin Foster Show
Untitled Katseye Global Girl Group Music Series
Untitled Mike Schur/Ted Danson Comedy Series
Vikings: Valhalla S3
Cant wait until then? Here's the best TV shows and movies streaming on Netflix right now.
Opens in a new window Credit: Netflix All of Netflix's TV shows and movies Check out Netflix Start streaming hereThe Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.
With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.
So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for February 1 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for February 1Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024:
AcrossUp to the jobThe answer is able.
The answer is lulls.
The answer is llama.
The answer is Gmen.
The answer is York.
The answer is all.
The answer is bulgy.
The answer is llamo.
The answer is Elmer.
The answer is sank.
Shortcomings opens with a movie in a movie. We meet Mrs. Wong (Everything Everywhere All At Once's Stephanie Hsu), a woman in a fancy yellow gown, just as her application for a penthouse apartment gets rejected. Seconds later, her suit-wearing husband (M3GAN's Ronny Chieng) buys the entire building, prompting the two to kiss passionately in the elevator up to their new luxury home. Fireworks erupt, fairy tale music swells, and a title card proclaims that this is "just the beginning..."
Cut to an audience of rapturous viewers at the East Bay Asian American Film Festival. Everyone leaps to give a standing ovation except one disdainful man. That man is Ben Tanaka (Justin H. Min), and he will be our misanthropic guide through Randall Park's hilarious feature directorial debut, based on the graphic novel by Adrian Tomine.
SEE ALSO: Is going to a movie during the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strike crossing the picket line?While everyone around Ben gushes about the film, acknowledging that it's "a little glossy, but it's ours," he can only muster up the weak statement that it was "quite an event." As he later tells his girlfriend and festival organizer Miko (Ally Maki), he couldn't stand the "garish, mainstream" romantic comedy they just sat through, which, yes, bears a pointed resemblance to Crazy Rich Asians. Is it really a win for Asian American representation if this is the movie the community chooses to celebrate?
Ben — a struggling filmmaker himself as well as a certified film bro — would much rather Asian characters in movies have flaws, like himself and everyone he knows. It's a bit of a meta ask, as Shortcomings, itself an "event" of Asian American representation, is all too happy to oblige. Its characters are messy, selfish, and often just inches away from hitting rock bottom, and none are more so than Ben. And herein lies one of Shortcomings' most intriguing tensions: Ben is so determined to preach about how much he wants to see flawed characters, but he has absolutely no intention of addressing his own failings.
Shortcomings' Ben is a jerk who won't acknowledge his flaws — and you can't look away. Ally Maki and Justin H. Min in "Shortcomings." Credit: Sony Pictures ClassicsIn Shortcomings' opening minutes, Park and Tomine, who wrote the screenplay, hit us with Ben's many, many red flags. For one, he can't even pretend to be interested in the film or in Miko's work at the festival. As his and Miko's banter about representation escalates to an all-out argument, he resorts to belittling her and calling her crazy. Later, we learn that Ben has a type, and that type is "blonde white women." His unwillingness to even discuss this with Miko or understand why it might put a strain on her makes it crystal clear that this relationship is on the rocks, and has been for a while.
So when Miko gets an internship opportunity in New York, the distance between her and Ben may be just what they need. They decide they're taking a break — a term almost strategic in its open-endedness. When left to his own devices, Ben immediately takes their separation as a pass to pursue white women like movie theater employee Autumn (Tavi Gevinson) and grad student Sasha (Debby Ryan). The results are often deeply awkward, including feigned appreciation of overly edgy art and conversations about fetishism and public perceptions of interracial relationships. Shortcomings steers away from any clear resolutions on these issues, content to let the discussions speak for themselves.
But the common thread in all these conversations is Ben, who remains a messy, often hypocritical lead whether he's attempting an ill-advised hookup or hanging out with his best friend Alice (Joy Ride's Sherry Cola). While he is certainly not a "likable" main character, you just can't look away from him. Min's portrayal of Ben's own brand of assholery is proof of Shortcomings' hyper-specific characterization, something we see in Alice as well. And as much as we may disagree with these characters' actions, we immediately recognize just how real they are, and in that way, we're able to root for them to better themselves.
After a shaky start, Shortcomings finds its way. Sherry Cola and Justin H. Min in "Shortcomings." Credit: Sony Pictures ClassicsShortcomings takes several scenes to solidify its rhythm and tone, but once it does, you're in for a slice-of-life comedy that prefers understated, wince-worthy jokes to out-there laugh riots. For the most part, Tomine's dialogue is very natural, helping solidify the film's lived-in feel. There's no question that Shortcomings' best scenes are between Ben and Alice: Min and Cola volley dialogue in such an easy way that there's no doubt these are two kindred spirits. Shortcomings especially picks up momentum in the third act, when an unexpected quest unites them in strange circumstances.
The movie's opening suggests that Miko is the third point in Shortcomings' trio of main characters, but unfortunately, she doesn't get the same treatment or level of specificity as Ben or Alice. Part of this is by design: She's off in New York for most of the film, while the action remains in the Bay Area. Yet in her absence, she becomes a blank canvas for Ben's own anxieties and fear of change, and any later argument from her, delivered passionately by Maki, reads more as a life lesson for Ben.
Despite this weakness in characterization, Shortcomings remains an otherwise strong feature directorial debut for Park. If he were to watch Shortcomings, Ben may not necessarily like what it has to say about him. However, he wouldn't be able to deny that its characters have fascinating flaws — and that winds up being the film's superpower.
Shortcomings is now streaming on Netflix.
UPDATE: Aug. 4, 2023, 9:47 a.m. EDT Shortcomings was reviewed out of the Tribeca Film Festival on June 11, 2023.
Five stunning animation films are competing for the gold at the 96th Academy Awards. The Boy and The Heron, Elemental, Spider Man: Across the Spider Verse, Robot Dreams, and Nimona have all been nominated for Best Animated Feature.
The five films offer a wide variety of stories and visual styles that testify to the boundless possibilities of the form. So, instead of guessing who the winner will be, we decided to pay tribute to them all.
The Boy and the Heron and Robot Dreams are not yet streaming but you can watch Nimona on Netflix, Elemental on Disney+, and Spider Man: Across the Spider Verse on Apple TV+.
Disney+ is cementing its password-sharing crackdown, bringing the policy to ESPN+ and Hulu – the latter of which is soon merging with Disney.
Hulu subscribers received an email announcing the ban on Wednesday, with the company saying it will be "adding limitations on sharing your account outside of your household."
This week, Hulu's Terms of Service was updated to reflect the company's new approach: "Unless otherwise permitted by your Service Tier, you may not share your subscription outside of your household," the ToS states, defining a household as "the collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside therein."
The changes are set to be implemented starting on March 14.
The user agreements for Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ each explicitly prevent impersonating another person by using their account and password. Last updated on January 25, the agreement states: "You agree not to impersonate or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity, including using another person’s username, password or other account information, or another person’s name or likeness, or provide false details for a parent or guardian."
As CNN points out, it is unclear when the language surrounding password-sharing was added to the agreements of Disney+ and ESPN+.
Already, Disney began restricting password-sharing towards the end of 2023, imposing the rule on the company's Canada-based subscribers. Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed his intentions to stop password sharing back in August 2023, likely following in Netflix's footsteps.
SEE ALSO: Netflix is axing its cheapest ad-free tier"We certainly have established this as a real priority," Iger said on the subject of password-sharing during Disney's fiscal third-quarter earnings call. "We actually think that there’s an opportunity here to help us grow our business."
Since Netflix propelled the no-password-sharing initiative, the streaming service announced a bump in subscribers, with its user base hitting 247 million globally.