Netflix announced its collaboration with Microsoft to offer cheaper plans.
“More importantly, Microsoft offered the flexibility to innovate over time on both the technology and sales side, as well as strong privacy protections for our members,” Peters
Microsoft said advertisers “will have access to the Netflix audience and premium connected TV inventory”.
Adding advertising means Netflix will expose itself to some thorny issues, including debates around consumers’ personal data being harvested on a massive scale to target them with more lucrative, personalised pitches.
Analysts were not surprised by Netflix’s choice of Microsoft because it offers fewer conflicts of interest for the service than some other companies.
Netflix has also indicated it would get tougher on sharing logins and passwords, which allow many people not to pay to access the platform’s content