Illegal to Share Netflix Password in Tenn.

State lawmakers in Tennessee have passed a “ground-breaking measure” that now makes it illegal to use a third-party’s login to listen to songs or watch movies from online services, like Netflix or Rhapsody, even with the other party’s permission. Heavily pushed for by the recording industry, they hope to try and stop the loss of billions of dollars to illegal music sharing.

Under this bill, download services that believe they are getting ripped off can go to law enforcement authorities and press charges. What is unclear, however, is how far a subscription can be shared before it is considered illegal. The law is supposed to be aimed at hackers and thieves who blatantly sell passwords in bulk, but proponents also admit that this law could be used against people who use their friend’s or relative’s passwords. Enforcement against small-scale infringement will not likely have much teeth, however, as detection of such would be extremely difficult.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Tennessee is the first state to update its theft-of-cable laws to address the new trend toward Internet delivery of entertainment. The recording industry hopes other states will follow.