ABC to require user accounts for iView streaming platform from March

Australians wanting to catch up on ABC television shows will soon need to create a free account and login to watch programs on its streaming platform iView.

The move has prompted a mixed reaction, with some viewers questioning why they have to sign up for a service that Australians pay for with their taxes or raising privacy concerns, while others have welcomed the extra convenience that comes with it.

The ABC said the move would bring it into line with other streaming services, commercial and public, to offer users a tailored viewing experience.

The president of ABC Friends, Margaret Reynolds, said the decision had concerned some members who were annoyed at having to sign up, while others had embraced the changes.

Lauren Rosewarne, an associate professor from the University of Melbourne, said that logins were used to track user consumption patterns and their interaction with ABC advertisements online.