Netflix Inc. Will Set Up Efforts To Block Proxy Access To TV Contents Not Available In Other Countries
The video-streaming service provider, Netflix, announced that it would set up efforts to block subscribers from watching TV contents not available in their home countries through virtual private networks (VPN). The announcement came after various copyright holders expressed their concerns ove illegal viewing of their intellectual property.
The company wrote in their Blog that they would stop users from using private network proxies to fake their location to get access to the service. It also alleged that it has a responsibility towards content owners of licensed content.
"The strategy is simple; they have a responsibility to content owners only to show that content in the geographies for which they have a license. Enforcing those restrictions is a Netflix responsibility," said Brian Blau , a research director at Gartner.
According to NBC News, Netflix's policies towards proxy were initially Laissez-faire, but the new technology underway will prevent customers to from VPNs to access the service.
"We are making progress in licensing content across the world," wrote Netflix's David Fullagar. "In the meantime, we will continue to respect and enforce content licensing by geographic location."
On the other hand, the company assured its users that it would come up with long-terms strategies to offer the same movies and TV shows in every territory. Though it may take years for Netflix to come up with uniform content throughout regions, people will no longer require using VPNS once the universal library has been created, Bloomberg asserted.
Bloomberg also reported that the move to block illegal users comes in after Netflix launched its service in more than 130 new countries last week including India, Nigeria, Russia and Saudi Arabia. It might, however, take a while before some of these countries start watching hit shows and movies because the deals with respect to acquiring viewing rights are reportedly complex.
China and three other territories where U.S. laws forbid the company from operating have yet to receive Netflix services.
