Appeals Court Ruling May Criminalize Sharing Netflix Passwords

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Do you share your Netflix password with anyone?

Doing so could make you a federal criminal, according to a recent court of appeals finding.

The panel of judges ruled sharing a password is a criminal act under a federal anti-hacking law.

The case was about a former employee who used another employee's password to get into the company system.

A judge wrote in dissent that the ruling threatens to criminalize everyday habits by most people, and goes beyond the law's intent of fighting hacking.