Say Goodbye to Unwanted Guests on Your Spotify, Netflix and Other Accounts

I have noticed an odd occurrence with my mother-in-law Missy's Spotify account.

Spotify Wrapped, a personalized year-end analysis of listening habits, revealed that Canadian rapper Tommy Genesis was the most-streamed artist for her. She was unfamiliar with the artist and none of the songs were recognizable.

Missy had a feeling that someone else was accessing her account, and it turns out she wasn't alone. Ethan Adams, from Ayer, Mass., observed unfamiliar playlists and unfamiliar songs added to his own playlists in his Spotify account earlier this year. When the Wrapped roundup indicated that Polo G was his second-most-streamed artist, Mr. Adams was perplexed: who was Polo G?

Mr. Adams was alerted by an email from Spotify about a login he was unfamiliar with. To ensure the intruder could not access his account, he utilized the "Sign out everywhere" tool on the account settings page and changed his password.

The identity of these mysterious users is unknown, according to a Spotify spokeswoman. The company is unable to comment on the reasons why they are accessing accounts without authorization. Spotify encourages users to create secure passwords and to log out of shared devices that are no longer in use, such as Sonos speakers in a vacation rental. Unfortunately, Spotify does not offer two-factor authentication, which is a security measure that many other services, such as Facebook, provide.

Using the same password for multiple accounts can be dangerous, especially if that password has been exposed on the internet. This is especially true for accounts on popular websites such as Facebook and Google, as hackers may be able to access your account if they have your password. To protect yourself, it is important to use different passwords for each account.

Do you suspect someone is taking advantage of your Spotify or Netflix account? If so, it's important to take action to protect your subscription.

Do you want to know if someone is using your computer, network, or another service? There is a method to discover this information or, at least, to prevent anyone from accessing it.

A number of well-known companies such as Netflix and Amazon (AMZN -0.67%) offer services that are widely used.

Shares of Apple Inc. (AAPL) have decreased by 1.46%.It is a good security practice to regularly review a list of devices connected to your account, according to Adam Marre, Chief Information Security Officer at Arctic Wolf, a cybersecurity firm.

Unauthorized users can cause a lot of trouble for your recommendation algorithms, but they can also change your account credentials to lock you out of your account. In some cases, they may even be able to access sensitive information, such as your credit-card number or home address. If you notice any activity that you don't recognize, it's best to sign out of all accounts and reset your password.

Having people freeload off of your Netflix account could start to add up on your monthly bill. Netflix is currently testing a payment system for users outside of the household in certain Latin American countries and has stated that a similar system could be implemented in the United States in 2021.

It is important to be aware of any unauthorized users who may have access to your accounts, whether it be from a leaked password or from someone you know. Taking the necessary steps to prevent these users from accessing your accounts is essential.

Spotify is a music-streaming service that does not provide detailed information for logged-in devices like other services do. However, users can view devices that have recently accessed the account. To do this, go to the Settings menu and select the Devices option. Then, check the Recently played section, which is indicated by the clock icon in the top right corner, for any suspicious activity.

If you come across something unfamiliar, you can log in to Spotify.com on the web and use the "Sign out everywhere" button in account settings to log out of any connected smartphones, tablets, desktop or web players. This feature is not available in the mobile apps. However, it does not sign you out of other devices, such as game consoles or smart speakers. To revoke access to these, you must go to Spotify's third-party apps page.

To access your Netflix account settings, log in to the web or mobile app. Under Security & Privacy, click on Manage access and devices to view all active devices, their locations, and the selected profile. To sign out of all devices, go back to the main account settings page.

Disney+ allows users to sign out of all devices from the app. To do this, one must tap their profile avatar, then select Account, and then log out of all devices. Unfortunately, it is not possible to view which devices are logged into the account.

If you have an iPhone, you can view which devices are connected to your Apple ID by going to the Settings app and tapping your name. This will bring up a list of laptops, tablets, speakers, and streaming devices that are logged in. To remove any of these products from your account, simply tap the product name. You can also view the same list of logged-in devices on a Mac, under System Settings (System Preferences in older MacOS versions) or on the web through iCloud.com.

If you want to deregister your Amazon account from devices where you are currently signed in, you can do so by going to your Amazon account settings and clicking Manage your content and devices. Unfortunately, Amazon does not show you sign-ins made through web browsers, and there is no "sign out everywhere" option. If you believe your account has been compromised, it is best to start a chat with Amazon's support team to make sure you are signed out of all locations.

To check your login activity on Instagram, open the app and go to your profile (bottom right). Then, click the menu (top right) and select Settings. Tap Security and then Login Activity to view where you are logged in. If you want to log out of any of the devices, click the three dots next to each one.

To view the devices and locations where you are logged into Facebook, go to your Facebook account settings and select Security and Login. Once you are there, you can tap the three dots next to each device to log out.

It is essential to create strong, unique passwords to protect yourself from hackers. Hackers can acquire large amounts of passwords from data breaches and use them to try and access other accounts, which is why it is important to not reuse passwords. You can check if your password has been leaked at HaveIBeenPwned.com. Password managers can also be helpful in keeping your passwords secure.

Enabling two-factor authentication is a great way to increase your security. Many services offer this feature, such as Apple, Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Instagram. It is best to take advantage of the various secure options available, not just the standard text-message code.

Before you give away or sell an old device, make sure to wipe it clean. It is important to sign out of all accounts to prevent any unauthorized logins. My colleague Cordilia James has created a helpful guide on how to properly prepare an iPhone or Android phone for disposal.

It is important to be aware of phishing emails and text scams. Cybercriminals often use emails or texts to lure people into clicking on a link that appears to be a legitimate login page. However, this is a trick to get people to give away their personal information. Netflix had to create a help page to address a scam that was targeting its users. To avoid falling for this type of scam, it is best to go directly to the service's website instead of clicking on links from emails or texts.

When using a shared device, be sure to log out of your accounts. This is especially important when visiting a hotel or Airbnb; you don't want the next guest to be able to access your streaming account. Additionally, many streaming services limit the number of simultaneous streams, so it's best to bring your own device when traveling.—To stay up to date on the latest news and insights from the world of technology, subscribe to our weekly newsletter.