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Netflix to block proxy access to content not available locally

crap :(

Netflix to block proxy access to content not available locally - The Globe and Mail

http://static.theglobeandmail.ca/1ba...tflix-0110.JPG

Quote:

Netflix Inc. is promising renewed efforts to thwart subscribers who mask their location in order to access television shows and movies not available in their home country.

In a blog entry posted Thursday, the company’s vice-president of content delivery architecture, David Fullagar, said that “in coming weeks, those using proxies and unblockers will only be able to access the service in the country where they currently are.”

That is easier said than done. Netflix already uses technology to catch those who use virtual private networks (VPNs) or similar technologies to get around the country-specific locks that protect local content rights. Until now, the company has mostly relied on blacklists of VPN providers that offer the location-masking services.

Now, the popular streaming service says it will use newer technologies that should be noticeably better at preventing users from watching shows not licensed for their country, just one week after flipping the switch to make Netflix available in upwards of 130 more countries..

“Netflix uses a variety of technologies to properly geolocate members and to avoid attempts to circumvent proper geolocation. As the technology evolves and becomes better at detecting and blocking proxies, we are evolving with it,” said a Netflix spokesperson in an e-mail. The company declined to say how the new technology works.

Nicholas Lin, the founder of Toronto-based UnoTelly, a service that lets subscribers watch TV and movies on services like Netflix “without geoblocking,” said in a statement that his company is “monitoring the situation and waiting for more information.”

Last week, however, Netflix executives told The Globe and Mail that it is no easy task limiting the sort of geographical circumvention that has grown more common among subscribers who become frustrated when a show is available on Netflix in other countries, but not where they live.

“Since the goal of the proxy guys is to hide the source it’s not obvious how to make that work well. It’s likely to always be a cat-and-mouse game. [We] continue to rely on blacklists of VPN exit points maintained by companies that make it their job. Once [VPN providers] are on the blacklist, it’s trivial for them to move to a new IP address and evade,” said Neil Hunt, Netflix’s chief product officer, in an interview at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Netflix is estimated to have at least four million subscribers in Canada, though the company does not provide country-specific numbers. But what is clear is that viewing through online streaming services is rising fast. The typical user of such services watched seven hours of Internet TV each week in 2015, up from just 2.8 hours in 2011, according to figures from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

With that in mind, media executives in Canada and around the world have pressed for better protections for the territorial rights to the shows they license to streaming services like Netflix. Bell Media, a division of BCE Inc., has been particularly vocal, calling the use of VPNs to access content from abroad “stealing.”

Netflix is sensitive to their concerns, and says its goal is to license more content globally so there’s no issue, and already offers its original shows everywhere it’s available. But the economics of the TV industry still depend heavily on the ability to buy and enforce local rights to shows.

“For now, given the historic practice of licensing content by geographic territories, the TV shows and movies we offer differ, to varying degrees, by territory,” Mr. Fullagar wrote in his blog post.

With files from reporter Shane Dingman

Follow James Bradshaw on Twitter: @jembradshaw

if anyone has an active US DNS code for Apple TV please let me know :)

ah, the only reason I am even subscribed to these guys is because I can access the USA. Stop me and so does my subscription.. :lol

Netflix will, hopefully, drag their feet in this. Banning VPN/proxy IPs is a pointless game of whack-a-mole. At least they're not Hulu. The big WTF with Hulu is they are a lot more aggressive on blacklisting VPNs, even though they can get subscription fees. Unless you pay for the top-tier subscription, you're still going to get commercials! I'm surprised they are missing out on that cash, and sending people to torrents and newsgroups. It's like they want to turn people to piracy so that they can complain about it.

Those that use VPN services to watch US content will be fine, as long as their service is up to speed with cycling non-blacklisted IP addresses.

DNS services, on the other hand, will have issues, as it may be inconvenient to constantly change DNS addresses on your TV, gaming console, etc at the rate that its banned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Presto (Post 8717043)

I don't think I've ever successfully watched Hulu with my VPN service. The only times that it worked was with Hola!. If it ever gets to that point for Netflix then they will lose many subscribers.

Spoiler!

Agreed, it takes some knowledge to setup, but it's a close second to Netflix.

Quote:

Originally Posted by willystyle (Post 8717061)

Agreed, it takes some knowledge to setup, but it's a close second to Netflix.

There is also icefilms. super simple to use.

i find a lot of the stream choices do not connect which can be annoying. not sure if it's my connection or a lot of busy servers?

Quote:

Originally Posted by GLOW (Post 8717072)

i find a lot of the stream choices do not connect which can be annoying. not sure if it's my connection or a lot of busy servers?

That depends on your addon. Icefilms, Genesis, etc. shouldn't have dead links. Genesis has been quite slow lately, so it will take time to load.

ok i typically just use genesis and i have to try like 10 or so before i find one that will load properly...and then another 5-10min to let it buffer so it'll run normally.

Netflix is barely worth paying for even while using a VPN to get American content :fuckthatshit: I was thinking about cancelling my subscription earlier today before I read this and most likely will for sure now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GLOW (Post 8717076)

ok i typically just use genesis and i have to try like 10 or so before i find one that will load properly...and then another 5-10min to let it buffer so it'll run normally.

Link works. It just takes long to buffer.

Lately, I've found I had to downgrade to med. quality on Genesis to avoid any buffering issues.

I'm usually web browsing while I watch stuff in the background, so no big inconvenience for me anyways besides scrolling down the source feed a bit further.

Kodi is growing super fast, and I think some of the major services like Genesis are having problems keeping up with the demand. Be patient guys.

Now that netflix is global, an announcement/post like this is not out of the norm
I would think its the curators of the content pushing for this
ie.. House of Cards is not available in HK netflix as its licensed to LeTV

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Budong (Post 8717128)

Certainly, Netflix doesn't care about territorial distribution rights. It's obvious that it's the content creators and TV broadcasters pushing for these measures.

Quote:

Originally Posted by willystyle (Post 8717132)

Certainly, Netflix doesn't care about territorial distribution rights. It's obvious that it's the content creators and TV broadcasters pushing for these measures.

It's licensing rights that's at play.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lomac (Post 8717293)

It's licensing rights that's at play.

Poor choice of word.

Time to short netflix stocks

Netflix just opened up to rest of the world... ^ I'm. Sure new subscribers will be more than enough to make up for people who sign off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by willystyle (Post 8717351)

Poor choice of word.

:confused:

Not sure what you mean.