Spotify says yes, it is busting people for using Family Plan sharing too widely

Spotify co-CEO Alex Norström confirmed that the company is using QR code checks to verify that people on a Family Plan live in the same household. He described the checks as a routine improvement to verification, rather than a crackdown, and said they are part of an ongoing effort to address ways the rules can be bypassed.

Spotify says Family Plans are for people living together, and they make up a significant share of its subscribers. The QR code refreshes every few seconds, and members must scan it within a seven-day window; those who miss the window are barred from joining another Family or Duo plan for 12 months. Spotify has tried to limit out-of-household sharing before.