4 ms·

Netflix is enforcing it. They do the actual technical action of blocking access.

by gsich 9y ago

nsxwolf 9y ago
They are required to per the licensing deal they made with the content owner.
- gsich 9y ago
  This always reads like an excuse. They don't have to enforce it as strictly. Content owners don't specify the exact technical details Netflix has to deploy. If the deal says "no access for users outside country x", Netflix could just ask the user from which country they are from. Then, depending on the answer either show it or not. On another note, some companies like this. Take Valve with Steam. They are definitly in a position to dictate "no region lock bullshit", yet they still make them available. Because it means more money.
  - lmkg 9y ago
    > They don't have to enforce it as strictly. Content owners don't specify the exact technical details The deal can include whatever the content owners want it to include. And the content owners want it to include strict enforcement. They can specify the specific technical details of enforcement, if they want. That's a legal contract, and one that they have a financial incentive to offer. Or they can specify an acceptable level of enforcement failures, or they can specify financial penalties for insufficient enforcement, or they can specify Netflix carries liability for infringement that it allows. Or they could leave Netflix to do as they will, but threaten to pull their content or to sue Netflix for contributory negligence or whatever if Netflix doesn't comply. The fact of the matter is, the content owners have leverage and Netflix is not (yet?) in a position where they can blow off such concerns. Netflix is trying to get into that position, by creating its own content, but right now the majority of their content is dependent on other parties finding Netflix an acceptable content partner.
  - drchickensalad 9y ago
    You're free to think that, and possibly some less important companies could get away with it. However, in reality, the content owners really aren't that dumb and incompetent. There are very punishing legal implications to breaking the contracts, especially your relationship with others. And the content owners don't just do nothing; there's quite detailed questions and requirements they give when you renew their content, and they very often discover things they want to change after. It's obviously a problematic enough relationship that netflix doesn't want to be a part of it anymore. More power to them; I wish this could be done for all industries as easily/well.
    - xxs 9y ago
      >You're free to think that, and possibly some less important companies could get away with it. In the EU most people have identity documents... and enough services that provide identity verification. The said verification is mandatory in some industries like online gambling. There is no intrinsic hurdle to remove the retarded IP block. Using VPN to bypass it is just yet another step away but again, why bother with VPN when I can get it via torrent?
      - kelnos 9y ago
        That doesn't matter. The studio doesn't care that you live in country X. They just care that it's being viewed in country Y. I disagree with this practice as well, but I doubt even a company like Netflix has the clout to negotiate better terms.
        zimpenfish 9y ago
        > but I doubt even a company like Netflix has the clout to negotiate better terms. I think they might be getting there - they've shown they can generate their own content that people want to watch and that they're a "destination" site - both pretty big sticks to wield at the next relicensing discussion. (Imagine trying to explain to your investors that your next 10 years of films won't be on Netflix...)
FabHK 9y ago
As a side effect, btw, you can't watch Netflix if you habitually use a VPN (as they block proxies).
- cat199 9y ago
  > if you habitually use a VPN depends on the VPN... if you mean 'commercial vpn service', then probably yes. if you mean 'routing it through some other machine you own', 'your access to <xyzpq network>' then probably no.. vpn != commercial vpn service
  - amaterasu 9y ago
    I was running my own Netflix VPN service (admittedly on a low cost VPS), and was blocked within a day when Netflix introduced their new policy.
    - eecc 9y ago
      Try from a residential IP block; off a simple raspberry at home for example.
    - kahnpro 9y ago
      Yeah, they are blocking most VPS providers. You'll need an obscure VPS host or a residential IP
JustSomeNobody 9y ago
Surely because they have to if they want to continue to have access to content.
Double_a_92 9y ago
Yeah but what would you expect Netflix to do? Just illegally stream it anyway? They'd get in trouble...

Netflix is enforcing it. They do the actual technical action of blocking access.

by gsich 9y ago

Netflix is enforcing it. They do the actual technical action of blocking access.

nsxwolf 9y ago

They are required to per the licensing deal they made with the content owner.

gsich 9y ago
This always reads like an excuse. They don't have to enforce it as strictly. Content owners don't specify the exact technical details Netflix has to deploy. If the deal says "no access for users outside country x", Netflix could just ask the user from which country they are from. Then, depending on the answer either show it or not. On another note, some companies like this. Take Valve with Steam. They are definitly in a position to dictate "no region lock bullshit", yet they still make them available. Because it means more money.
- lmkg 9y ago
  > They don't have to enforce it as strictly. Content owners don't specify the exact technical details The deal can include whatever the content owners want it to include. And the content owners want it to include strict enforcement. They can specify the specific technical details of enforcement, if they want. That's a legal contract, and one that they have a financial incentive to offer. Or they can specify an acceptable level of enforcement failures, or they can specify financial penalties for insufficient enforcement, or they can specify Netflix carries liability for infringement that it allows. Or they could leave Netflix to do as they will, but threaten to pull their content or to sue Netflix for contributory negligence or whatever if Netflix doesn't comply. The fact of the matter is, the content owners have leverage and Netflix is not (yet?) in a position where they can blow off such concerns. Netflix is trying to get into that position, by creating its own content, but right now the majority of their content is dependent on other parties finding Netflix an acceptable content partner.
- drchickensalad 9y ago
  You're free to think that, and possibly some less important companies could get away with it. However, in reality, the content owners really aren't that dumb and incompetent. There are very punishing legal implications to breaking the contracts, especially your relationship with others. And the content owners don't just do nothing; there's quite detailed questions and requirements they give when you renew their content, and they very often discover things they want to change after. It's obviously a problematic enough relationship that netflix doesn't want to be a part of it anymore. More power to them; I wish this could be done for all industries as easily/well.
  - xxs 9y ago
    >You're free to think that, and possibly some less important companies could get away with it. In the EU most people have identity documents... and enough services that provide identity verification. The said verification is mandatory in some industries like online gambling. There is no intrinsic hurdle to remove the retarded IP block. Using VPN to bypass it is just yet another step away but again, why bother with VPN when I can get it via torrent?
    - kelnos 9y ago
      That doesn't matter. The studio doesn't care that you live in country X. They just care that it's being viewed in country Y. I disagree with this practice as well, but I doubt even a company like Netflix has the clout to negotiate better terms.
      - zimpenfish 9y ago
        > but I doubt even a company like Netflix has the clout to negotiate better terms. I think they might be getting there - they've shown they can generate their own content that people want to watch and that they're a "destination" site - both pretty big sticks to wield at the next relicensing discussion. (Imagine trying to explain to your investors that your next 10 years of films won't be on Netflix...)

FabHK 9y ago

As a side effect, btw, you can't watch Netflix if you habitually use a VPN (as they block proxies).

cat199 9y ago
> if you habitually use a VPN depends on the VPN... if you mean 'commercial vpn service', then probably yes. if you mean 'routing it through some other machine you own', 'your access to <xyzpq network>' then probably no.. vpn != commercial vpn service
- amaterasu 9y ago
  I was running my own Netflix VPN service (admittedly on a low cost VPS), and was blocked within a day when Netflix introduced their new policy.
  - eecc 9y ago
    Try from a residential IP block; off a simple raspberry at home for example.
  - kahnpro 9y ago
    Yeah, they are blocking most VPS providers. You'll need an obscure VPS host or a residential IP

JustSomeNobody 9y ago

Surely because they have to if they want to continue to have access to content.

Double_a_92 9y ago

Yeah but what would you expect Netflix to do? Just illegally stream it anyway? They'd get in trouble...