Netflix, the US-based tech company that provides on-demand Internet streaming of movies and TV shows in over 130 territories around the world, is now going to crack down on users using VPNs to access content that isn't supposed to be available in their regions.
The move seems to be an attempt to appease content holders while Netflix itself tries to figure out a way to license its entire catalogue of movies and TV shows to a global audience. Even its own in-house originals like "House of Cards" were blocked in certain European countries due to licensing agreements with local distributors.
Unfortunately, Netflix's expansion around the world hasn't matched the availability of its vast catalogue of content to users in different regions. Subscribers in South Korea, Portugal, Israel and the United Kingdom, for example, don't have the same wide selection of shows as American subscribers.
As a result, users in these parts of the world have turned to VPNs (virtual private networks) to get around Netflix's regional blocks to watch shows that aren't licensed to be shown in their countries. VPNs like VyprVPN, SlickVPN and Mullvad are popular programs used to get around Netflix's block. In fact, Mullvad has already been blocked.
What Netflix has helped slowly erode, TV and movie piracy downloads, is now bringing to the forefront geo-filter hacking to stream those very same TV shows and movies without restriction. But since Netflix has already rolled out its tighter regulations, users' VPNs that are blocked will begin seeing a "Whoops, something went wrong..." streaming error message.
Netflix members who don't use VPNs have nothing to worry about, however.
"We are confident this change won't impact members not using proxies. We look forward to offering all of our content everywhere and to consumers being able to enjoy all of Netflix without using a proxy. That's the goal we will keep pushing towards," says the company.
Naturally, VPN companies are up in arms about this. In fact, VyprVPN developer GoldenFrog's Sunday Yokubaitis argues for legitimate reasons to use VPNs even for those both in the U.S. and with a U.S. billing address. Throttling by ISPs and traveling abroad are some of the reasons Yokubaitis says are legitimate uses for VPNs. TorGuard's Ben van der Peit tells TorrentFreak his company has already developed a workaround.
"TorGuard is monitoring the situation closely and we have recently implemented new measures that can bypass any proposed IP blockade on our network," he says. "VPN users who encounter Netflix access problems are encouraged to contact us for a working solution."
As pirates have always found a way around governments and corporations blocking their channels of distrubution, VPN companies also have the very same tools and methods to bypass Netflix's fences. It's a cat-and-mouse game is all it ever really is in the end.
Photo: Esther Vargas | Flickr
