Streaming platforms have transformed how we watch our favorite TV shows and movies. Armed with your smartphone, tablet, or TV, you can watch from anywhere without being restricted to a cord, provided you have an active subscription. While this is a good idea, as you can share your subscriptions with family and friends, some people use this to steal your login credentials.
Some take this practice a notch higher by locking subscribers out of their streaming accounts. If you received an email notifying you of a login from a new device or unknown user, you know what I am talking about. Your account’s logs make it easy to see who or which devices access your music and video streaming services. Most streaming services have a section showing which devices are logged in to your streaming account, so you can easily revoke access if you don’t recognize them.
7 ways I protect my streaming platforms from hackers
Learn essential tips to protect your streaming platforms from hackers
Why it’s important to see who’s accessing your streaming account
The popularity of video and audio streaming services like Netflix, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video has not gone unnoticed by crooks looking for unauthorized access to users’ accounts. They steal consumers’ login information through techniques like credential phishing and malicious codes and then sell them to unsuspecting consumers at discounted prices.
When this happens, account holders may not know they are sharing their account with unauthorized users or malicious actors. Additionally, if you do not want a long-lost friend, an ex-partner, or any other person you don’t associate with to use your account, check account activity and push them out.
Now, let’s look at how to review the activity logs of the most popular streaming services.
How to review activity logs on Hulu
Unlike other streaming services like Netflix, Hulu’s activity logs are basic. You will see the sign-in date and a generic device name like “John’s iPhone,” which should help you figure out who is logged in to your account. To see the devices logged into your account via a web browser, log in to your account, select User profile > Select account, and choose Manage devices. You will see all the devices currently logged in to the account.
If you see a device you do not recognize, click Remove link to boot it out of your account. To instantly remove or log out of all the devices in your streaming account, navigate to Privacy Settings and tap Protect Your Account.
At the time of writing, the mobile app does not allow you to see Hulu’s logs.
How to remove activity logs on Netflix
If you suspect someone is piggybacking on your Netflix subscription and want to lock them out permanently, log in, navigate to your profile and choose Account & Settings > Your Devices. You will see all the devices logged in to your account. You will also see the type of device used, the time, the IP address, and the geographical location. This data helps you determine which devices are yours or belong to people you know.
To log out devices from your account, tap Sign Out next to those devices. On a smartphone, navigate to your profile, tap the Cog icon, tap Registered Devices, and pick the device you want to remove. If you want to revoke access to all devices connected to the account, go to your profile and tap Account & Settings > Sign out of all devices. Then, change your password.
How to review activity logs on Peacock
To keep tabs on all the devices logged into your Peacock streaming account, log in to your account and click Profile > Account > Devices. The devices linked to the account appear under Devices. Unlike Hulu, Peacock gives more details, like the sign-in date, platform used, and location, to help you identify each device.
However, it does not support removing specific devices from the logged-in list. You only have a Sign Out All option that logs out all the devices on the account, including yours. Additionally, if you suspect someone has your login information, navigate to Settings > Reset password and change your password.
How to review activity logs on HBO Max
To review all the devices logged in to your HBO Max account on a desktop, click Profile > Manage devices. You will see all the devices logged in to your account, including the sign-in date, profile name, and country. On a smartphone, tap the Profile icon and then tap the Gear icon in the upper-left corner. If you see a device you do not recognize on a desktop, tap Sign Out next to it to remove it. On a mobile, tap the X beside the device you want to remove.
If you suspect someone has access to your account but cannot narrow down the device, sign out of all devices and change the password. To do this, select Profile > Account > Devices and then pick Sign Out All Devices.
How to review activity logs on Spotify
Unlike other services on this list, Spotify’s activity log doesn’t show individual device usage. Instead, peripheral devices and app integrations are logged in to the account. To find and remove these integrations on a desktop, log in to your account, navigate to Account Name > Sign Out Everywhere, and confirm if you get a prompt. This logs out desktops, tablets, and phones from your account, but not on TVs, gaming consoles, and speakers.
To remove these devices from your Spotify account, use the left bar to navigate to Apps > Remove Access. Remove any device that looks unfamiliar. Afterward, change your password to remove anyone who has been removed from the account permanently.
At the time of writing, these options were not available on the mobile app.
How to review activity logs on Amazon Prime Video
To see who is accessing your Amazon Prime Video account on a desktop, log in and navigate to your Profile name and choose Account & Settings > Your Devices. A list of devices logged in to your streaming account appear here. You can see when they first logged in to your account and the services they are using. To remove any device from the account, click Deregister next to the device.
You can only see the devices hooked to the account if you are the account owner. If not, you only see your device. On a mobile app, tap Profile > Cog icon > Registered devices and remove the device. If you prefer to boot all the devices logged in to your Amazon Prime Video account, click Edit > Secure Your Account and click Sign-Out Everything. This removes all the apps and devices connected to the account. To revoke access on an Android mobile app, navigate to Settings > Signed in and sign out of all the devices.
Keep a close eye on your streaming accounts
Due to their convenience, streaming platforms have become high-value targets for streaming enthusiasts and malicious actors. Account piggybacking and login data theft are becoming nightmares for legitimate account owners and streaming services.
The good news is that most services offer a way to see who is accessing your account. If you suspect someone you do not know is logged in to your account, use the steps above to find out and immediately boot them out. Then change your password and, if possible, activate multifactor authentication.
