Netflix has ordered some users to pay the price hikes — but probably not you

Netflix subscribers in the US still is reeling from the next round of price hikesIt wasn’t just that the streaming service treated some of its users the exact opposite. A Rome court has ruled that several past price hikes in Italy were illegal, giving affected subscribers in the country the right to refunds and lower current prices.

according to Ars TechnicaThe case was brought by Italy’s Movimento Consumatori consumer group, which alleged Netflix raised prices in violation of the country’s Consumer Code. At issue was that Netflix’s contracts did not properly explain in advance why those prices or other terms might change in the future. In other words, the platform didn’t adequately justify the price increases before implementing them – a feeling you can share where you live.

The decision covers four increases that apply between 2017 and 2024, and it could represent a decent chunk of change for some long-term subscribers. Movimento Consumatori says that a Premium Since 2017, a continuous paying customer can owe up to 500 euros, while a Standard subscriber can owe around 250 euros. Even users on the Basic plan saw a small increase at that time.

Although the 1st of the month was the time to make the decision, it was not an April Fool’s joke. The court reportedly gave Netflix 90 days to notify current and former customers in Italy of their refund rights via email, mail, website and Italian newspapers. If he doesn’t, he will face a fixed daily penalty.

That doesn’t mean every Netflix subscriber in Italy will suddenly get a big bump, and it doesn’t mean viewers elsewhere will get the same good news. The decision applies only to Italy and appears to be based on the nuances of Italian consumer law. If you think Netflix is ​​going to suddenly decide this is a fair call and refund the rest of us the same money, you might want to temper your expectations.

On the contrary, the company will not give up on this issue in Italy. Netflix is ​​reportedly appealing the decision, saying it takes consumer rights seriously and believes its terms are always consistent with Italian law and practice. While this kind of win for the little guy generally seems like a good thing, given the timing of Netflix price hikes elsewhere, some of us will struggle not to feel a little jealous of our Italian counterparts.