Defunct Video Giant Blockbuster Mocks Netflix Over Password-Sharing Row
BIT LATE NOW
Revenge is a dish best served cold, very cold. The defunct video-rental giant Blockbuster, forced out of business more than a decade ago by the advent of streaming, has taken a swipe from the grave at Netflix’s plan to crack down on the sharing of passwords. “A friendly reminder that when you used to rent videos from us. We didn’t care who you shared it with… As long as you returned it on time. @netflix,” read a tweet on the Blockbuster account. At its peak in the early 200s, the company had more than 9,000 video-rental stores and 80,000 employees, but it filed for bankruptcy in 2010 after failing to react in time to the streaming revolution. The brand is now owned by Dish Network, a satellite TV company, but is not being used. Netflix, fighting to remain the No. 1 streaming service, announced this week that it would stop passwords being shared outside households, with extra users charged $7.99 a month.