Paywall Podcast - Subscription strategies for news and magazine publishers

Paywall Podcast - Subscription strategies for news and magazine publishers

Should You Worry About Password Sharing?

Oct 13, 2026 · 6 min · 7 segments

The New York Times flagged a paying subscriber’s account for using too many devices. In this episode, Pete shares what happened when he clicked a link on LinkedIn, opened it in the app’s built-in…

The New York Times flagged a paying subscriber’s account for using too many devices. In this episode, Pete shares what happened when he clicked a link on LinkedIn, opened it in the app’s built-in browser, and got asked to verify his $30-a-month NYT account. He uses that moment to answer a question publishers ask often: should you limit password sharing? He explains when locking things down makes sense, why most sites should keep login limits generous, and how to turn shared logins into extra revenue with a family plan. **What You’ll Learn** - Why in-app browsers on LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social apps count as a new device and can set off login limits - What a typical shared household looks like: two people, about three logged-in sessions - How WordPress concurrent login plugins track one account across browsers and devices - Why a generous limit of four or five devices keeps honest subscribers happy - What happens when limits get too strict: more support tickets and more login friction - Why B2B publishers may need tighter controls so one login doesn’t spread across a whole company - When a hard paywall makes sense, such as for financial publishers - How a family plan turns password sharing into an upgrade opportunity - Why family plans convert: subscribers often add a partner for a little more money

The New York Times flagged a paying subscriber’s account for using too many devices. In this episode, Pete shares what happened when he clicked a link on LinkedIn, opened it in the app’s built-in…

Speakers: PeteHostTylerHost

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot politicalAudience≈507 followers

A New York Times Login Restriction0:41 – 3:22

PeteHost

0:41

[upbeat music] So I was reading my, one of my, um, uh, favorite authors, Bo Sacks, who's a legend in the, in the magazine publishing world, and he posted, uh, an article here on LinkedIn about paywall violation, and I'm a sucker for anything that's, uh, paywall article related.

PeteHost

1:03

So I decided to hop in and, and take a look at it.

PeteHost

1:06

And what happened to me was, was interesting, um, and, and not surprising.

PeteHost

1:11

I went...

PeteHost

1:12

In this article, there's a, a link to the, a New York Times lawsuit.

PeteHost

1:15

So I clicked that, and what happened is, is I got a login screen, and that's fine.

PeteHost

1:20

I'm a paid subscriber.

PeteHost

1:21

I pay thirty bucks a month for, uh, the New York Times account, and my wife and I do share that.

PeteHost

1:27

So I think we're probably pretty typical of the reader base where if a, uh, if somebody subscribes, their partner usually shares that login, and I think that's probably expected today.

PeteHost

1:37

But what I didn't expect was this confirmation that kind of stopped me a bit in my tracks.

PeteHost

1:42

And what it asked me to do is say, "Hey, could-- please confirm your account.

PeteHost

1:46

We noticed multiple devices using this subscription.

PeteHost

1:50

To continue, please request a verification code for my email address." Okay, so what The New York Times is doing is they're restricting my, my access because I'm in a different browser.

PeteHost

2:02

So I'm in the LinkedIn browser, and so Link-- uh, Facebook, LinkedIn, social apps, they have their own web browsers built in.

PeteHost

2:11

So a lot of times when you're going to log into an account, it's, you're using that browser.

PeteHost

2:16

Now, you're not using your Safari browser or your Chrome browser or something like that.

PeteHost

2:19

You have to, you have to log in with their account.

PeteHost

2:23

Now, I have, I have, uh, LastPass installed.

PeteHost

2:27

It was quick for me to, to log in, but The New York Times is still not letting me at, uh, this article.

PeteHost

2:33

Now, I went and talked to my wife this morning.

PeteHost

2:34

I said, "Hey, how many devices do you log in on, on for The New York Times?" And she said, "Pretty much just the app." And I said, "Do you ever log into the website?" And she said, "Mm, not really.

PeteHost

2:43

I mean, once in a blue moon, I'll log into the website maybe, but ninety-nine percent of the time, I'm in, in the app." Personally, I use the app.

PeteHost

2:51

I do log into a web browser once in a while to log into The New York Times.

PeteHost

2:55

So I'd say on average, and our kids do not u- do not read The New York Times at this point.

PeteHost

2:59

So I'd say on average, we probably have three logged-in sessions, and then this is a fourth logged-in session, I think, and The New York Times is flagging me.

A New York Times Login Restriction0:41 – 3:22

PeteHost

0:41

[upbeat music] So I was reading my, one of my, um, uh, favorite authors, Bo Sacks, who's a legend in the, in the magazine publishing world, and he posted, uh, an article here on LinkedIn about paywall violation, and I'm a sucker for anything that's, uh, paywall article related.

PeteHost

1:03

So I decided to hop in and, and take a look at it.

PeteHost

1:06

And what happened to me was, was interesting, um, and, and not surprising.

PeteHost

1:11

I went...

PeteHost

1:12

In this article, there's a, a link to the, a New York Times lawsuit.

PeteHost

1:15

So I clicked that, and what happened is, is I got a login screen, and that's fine.

PeteHost

1:20

I'm a paid subscriber.

PeteHost

1:21

I pay thirty bucks a month for, uh, the New York Times account, and my wife and I do share that.

PeteHost

1:27

So I think we're probably pretty typical of the reader base where if a, uh, if somebody subscribes, their partner usually shares that login, and I think that's probably expected today.

PeteHost

1:37

But what I didn't expect was this confirmation that kind of stopped me a bit in my tracks.

PeteHost

1:42

And what it asked me to do is say, "Hey, could-- please confirm your account.

PeteHost

1:46

We noticed multiple devices using this subscription.

PeteHost

1:50

To continue, please request a verification code for my email address." Okay, so what The New York Times is doing is they're restricting my, my access because I'm in a different browser.

PeteHost

2:02

So I'm in the LinkedIn browser, and so Link-- uh, Facebook, LinkedIn, social apps, they have their own web browsers built in.

PeteHost

2:11

So a lot of times when you're going to log into an account, it's, you're using that browser.

PeteHost

2:16

Now, you're not using your Safari browser or your Chrome browser or something like that.

PeteHost

2:19

You have to, you have to log in with their account.

PeteHost

2:23

Now, I have, I have, uh, LastPass installed.

PeteHost

2:27

It was quick for me to, to log in, but The New York Times is still not letting me at, uh, this article.

PeteHost

2:33

Now, I went and talked to my wife this morning.

PeteHost

2:34

I said, "Hey, how many devices do you log in on, on for The New York Times?" And she said, "Pretty much just the app." And I said, "Do you ever log into the website?" And she said, "Mm, not really.

PeteHost

2:43

I mean, once in a blue moon, I'll log into the website maybe, but ninety-nine percent of the time, I'm in, in the app." Personally, I use the app.

PeteHost

2:51

I do log into a web browser once in a while to log into The New York Times.

PeteHost

2:55

So I'd say on average, and our kids do not u- do not read The New York Times at this point.

PeteHost

2:59

So I'd say on average, we probably have three logged-in sessions, and then this is a fourth logged-in session, I think, and The New York Times is flagging me.