Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, video, and audio streaming platforms have been on the rise. These prominent streaming platforms enabled legal access to various media content with greater viewer convenience. The online gaming industry has also seen an increase in users over the years, especially with the growing popularity of mobile versions of famous computer games.
Since cinemas, theaters, casinos, and arcades have paused their operations due to the global public health crisis, online entertainment platform users have surged drastically. But this increase in users also means new biometric identification and authentication concerns. FIDO authentication is needed to curtail the growth in unauthorized shared account activities, online fraud, and account takeover.
Despite the need for Onfido alternatives, many service providers still depend on conventional identity verification methods that can leave their networks vulnerable to fraudulent attacks. With this, online entertainment websites must deploy necessary security measures for data security. They must also secure that only legitimate users can access their services.
Among the online streaming industry’s leading service providers, Netflix has made efforts to curtail password sharing. It has started trials on its feature that prevents users from using someone else’s account. When a suspicious login attempt is detected, a message will flash on the user’s screen. It will prompt the viewer to create a new account to continue watching.
This feature requires the viewer to verify their identity. The verification process is done using an SMS or email code. However, these methods are only partially secure, and it does not fully guarantee that the registered user is the one using the account.
Effective identity proofing is significant in making sure that only real account owners have access to the online entertainment platform’s services. Passwords, text-based, and email-based authentication processes for logging in to accounts are inefficient in proving that the viewer is the actual account owner.
The continuous use of passwords in online streaming platforms makes them vulnerable to possible data breaches and fraud. Some people share media streaming platform passwords with other people to avoid paying subscription fees. While account owners trust the person they share their password with, there is no guarantee that someone with malicious intent will not gain access to that password and use it for their benefit.
Besides using the actual owner’s account, bad actors can also use their personal information and other relevant details. This personal data can be used to create fake accounts that can create dire consequences for the service providers.
Online entertainment platforms need to replace passwords, SMS, and email authentication codes with robust login credentials. Stronger verification solutions help prevent unauthorized people from accessing a user’s account. Multi-factor authentication, or MFA, makes sure that only the actual account owner can use the account.Passwordless authentication solutions can provide a robust and layered defense against unauthorized logins. Besides this, it also allows users to seamlessly verify their identity on online platforms and continue their streaming experience.
For more details about online entertainment and streaming services seeking stronger identity authentication, here is an article from authID.