An identity provider (200) communicates (101) with a first logged-in user who seeks to receive particular streaming content at a first corresponding first user platform and who has also identified at least one other user with whom this user wishes to share the receiving of this content. The identity provider invites (102) the other user to share in the receiving of this content. Upon receiving (103) an acceptance of the invitation from the other user, the identity provider can treat this other user as a logged-in participating second user (i.e., a user who is now both logged-in (even if this user was not previously logged-in) and who wishes to accept the invitation and participate in viewing the streaming content selected by the first user) and automatically direct (104) these users to a content provide to facilitate the substantially simultaneous receipt of the streaming content at all of the corresponding user platforms.