Why it matters to you
It’s not uncommon for families to share login credentials for subscription services, and these new features from LastPass will make doing so much safer.
One of the most crucial components of staying safe online is making sure that your account passwords don’t fall into the wrong hands. LastPass makes it easy for users to keep track of passwords for various different sites and services, and now it’s adding functionality that will facilitate sharing credentials with others.
Obviously, it’s generally not a good idea to let too many people know what your password is for any important account. However, it’s more and more common that a few different users might share one login — especially when it comes to subscription services like Netflix and Spotify — so the new family sharing functionality set to be offered by LastPass will no doubt come in handy for many.
Previously, the family sharing functionality offered up by LastPass was little more than a basic shared folder that could be accessed by several different users who held a paid account, according to a report from 9to5Mac. Before the end of the summer, this aspect of the service is set to receive some significant upgrades.
Soon, users will be able to share permission to log in to various accounts on a case-by-case basis, rather than just offering up access to the entire group. For instance, all members of the family might be given permission to log into Spotify, while only the parents have the ability to access online banking.
LastPass also plans to introduce a “family backup plan,” which will allow members of the family group to upload documents like their social security cards and medical records for use in an emergency. Other members of the group can be granted access to these documents so they’re accessible when they’re needed the most.
Family groups will be placed in the hands of one designated manager, who can nominate other members as managers, and add and remove people from the group. The primary manager will be the person who pays the subscription fee.
LastPass plans to launch these family sharing features to its millions of users before the end of the summer, but if you want a sneak preview, you can sign up for an early access program via the company’s website.