Warner Bros Discovery is set to clamp down on user account sharing on its HBO Max streaming platform.
The crackdown will start next month, echoing similar moves by Netflix and Disney+, which have helped boost subscription numbers.
Over the past month, HBO Max has sent “soft” messages to users asking them to sign up for additional account access, which can be skipped.
However, when speaking at the company’s second-quarter earnings conference, Warner Bros Discovery CEO of Global Streaming and Games JB Perrette confirmed that those messages will become fixed in September 2025, requiring customers to register for access. Perrette also said that HBO Max expects to see more benefits from the crackdown in the fourth quarter and into 2026.
Warner Bros Discovery added 3.4 million subscribers for the second quarter to reach 125.7 million overall, with 3.2 million of those from international markets. This follows the launch of HBO Max in Australia in March 2025.
HBO Max also has plans to launch in the UK/Ireland, Germany and Italy in early 2026, bringing to an end carriage deals with other broadcasters.
Fabio Lovino/HBO
Warner Bros Discovery CEO and President David Zaslav said: “There are some markets where people have been watching The Last of Us, Euphoria, The White Lotus and House of the Dragon on a different platform. Now it’s going to move to HBO Max. In that case, we have a hugely engaged population who will be spending a lot more time watching. We’re seeing that in Australia.”
Media mogul and cable TV pioneer John Malone recently decided not to seek re-election to the board of Warner Bros Discovery and instead take on the role of Chairman Emeritus. Discover more here.
2026 sees sharp increase in credential-based attacks, MPA data reveals
The Motion Picture Association’s content security initiative TPN issued more security alerts in the first quarter of 2026 than in all of 2025, according to its latest cybersecurity data.
FCC orders early review of Disney’s TV licenses after Trump comments
The Federal Communications Commission has ordered The Walt Disney Company, American Broadcasting Company, and television subsidiaries to file early license renewal applications for their television stations.
Adolescence and The Celebrity Traitors lead winners of Bafta TV Craft Awards
Adolescence and The Celebrity Traitors led the winners for this year’s Bafta Television Craft Awards, taking home two prizes each.
Luma, Wonder Project, and AWS launch AI production services company
AI video generation startup Luma and US production outfit Wonder Project have launched a new production services company, backed by Amazon Web Services, which combines generative AI and traditional filmmaking.
RTL unveils management team after Sky Deutschland takeover
European broadcasting giant RTL Group has unveiled a new German management team for RTL Deutschland, days after gaining regulatory approval for its takeover of pay-TV operator Sky Deutschland.
.jpg)