3 ms·

"We're sorry but this site is not accessible from the UK as it is part of our international service and is not funded by the licence fee. It is run commercially

"We're sorry but this site is not accessible from the UK as it is part of our international service and is not funded by the licence fee. It is run commercially by BBC Worldwide, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the BBC, the profits made from it go back to BBC programme-makers to help fund great new BBC programmes. You can find out more about BBC Worldwide and its digital activities at www.bbcworldwide.com." What the fuck? I mean what reason is there to actively prevent us seeing free content?

lubutu 14y ago
Yeah, it seems BBC Worldwide is available for free in every country on Earth, except Britain. I'm not sure in whose head this makes any kind of sense.
CKKim 14y ago
I googled this and, wouldn't you know, a thread on HN came up! http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4110445 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4110445
5h 14y ago
A workaround, from the author no less! http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Ffuture%2Fstory%2F20121016-is-language-unique-to-humans http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&tl... https://plus.google.com/u/0/114046998698228319586/posts/GpH9ETaQSD5 https://plus.google.com/u/0/114046998698228319586/posts/GpH9...
- bediger4000 14y ago
  Proving, yet again, that any form of "DRM" or "Copyright" hurts more creators than it helps.
netcan 14y ago
Sounds like some sort of Vogon logic. Maybe BBC stuff is required to be free and ad-free for UK residents because UK residents pay for it in taxes. This is targeted at non-Uk people in order to make money with ads. So, it can't be shown in the UK. just a theory.
archangel_one 14y ago
To make it even better, I see that message from work where I simultaneously can't watch iPlayer because then the BBC think I'm coming from outside the UK. Goodness knows how they manage that... I feel like, having paid them £145, they could make it available to me anyway - it's hardly going to affect their bottom line to do so.
dbaupp 14y ago
http://www.readability.com/articles/9nkvm72p http://www.readability.com/articles/9nkvm72p
RyanMcGreal 14y ago
Are arbitrary and ridiculous restrictions on language unique to humans?

lubutu 14y ago

Yeah, it seems BBC Worldwide is available for free in every country on Earth, except Britain. I'm not sure in whose head this makes any kind of sense.

CKKim 14y ago

I googled this and, wouldn't you know, a thread on HN came up! http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4110445 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4110445

5h 14y ago

A workaround, from the author no less! http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Ffuture%2Fstory%2F20121016-is-language-unique-to-humans http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&tl... https://plus.google.com/u/0/114046998698228319586/posts/GpH9ETaQSD5 https://plus.google.com/u/0/114046998698228319586/posts/GpH9...

bediger4000 14y ago
Proving, yet again, that any form of "DRM" or "Copyright" hurts more creators than it helps.

netcan 14y ago

Sounds like some sort of Vogon logic. Maybe BBC stuff is required to be free and ad-free for UK residents because UK residents pay for it in taxes. This is targeted at non-Uk people in order to make money with ads. So, it can't be shown in the UK. just a theory.

archangel_one 14y ago

To make it even better, I see that message from work where I simultaneously can't watch iPlayer because then the BBC think I'm coming from outside the UK. Goodness knows how they manage that... I feel like, having paid them £145, they could make it available to me anyway - it's hardly going to affect their bottom line to do so.

dbaupp 14y ago

http://www.readability.com/articles/9nkvm72p http://www.readability.com/articles/9nkvm72p

RyanMcGreal 14y ago

Are arbitrary and ridiculous restrictions on language unique to humans?