Spotify confirmed on its Q3 earnings call that Family Plan members must scan a QR code from the plan manager to prove they live in the same household.
The rollout had already been reported for several days before the earnings call, and the company did not walk it back.
The mechanics are simple, and that is the problem.
Spotify says the move is meant to grow subscriptions to its profitable Premium plans.
If every member of your household really lives in one place, this is a thirty-second chore, not a policy change.
Read the complete breakdown, fixes and what happens next.