Rockford Posted January 18, 2016 Posted January 18, 2016 Why VPN, use external DNS DNS is only for name resolution, it doesn't hide the originating IP, those companies are essentially transparent proxies for certain IP ranges (for ones that geoblock). So if you try to view Netflix in the US it recognises that and proxies the connection, whereas something like SMH in Au it will just pass the request back to you to connect to them directly. Or they'd have local DNS servers set up to resolve local queries with explicit forwarders to their US/UK ones if required? (at least that is my understanding of them)
steve u Posted January 18, 2016 Posted January 18, 2016 Because I am so far behind everything I just connected to Metflix over Xmas, got the one month free trisl and l I ve it. No ads and plenty of new content for me. Not worried about VPN's at all.
henry218 Posted January 18, 2016 Posted January 18, 2016 Because I am so far behind everything I just connected to Metflix over Xmas, got the one month free trisl and l I ve it. No ads and plenty of new content for me. Not worried about VPN's at all. Be ready to be glued to your TV! [emoji5] 1
betty boop Posted January 21, 2016 Posted January 21, 2016 http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/hometech/netflix-starts-blocking-australian-customers-from-us-catalogue-20160121-gman3y.html looking like they have started blocking ... though in small occurrence and could be just testing their systems
warweary Posted January 21, 2016 Posted January 21, 2016 Tell them where they can stick their Netflix.
Guest thathifiguy Posted January 21, 2016 Posted January 21, 2016 I checked last night to see if I could still access US content with my VPN service, it turns out I can. For now.
Guest Eggcup The Daft Posted January 21, 2016 Posted January 21, 2016 Legal under Australian law. It does breach the Terms of Netflix though. The reason for blocking is not Netflix but the content owners (e.g big studio's like Fox etc) who like to charge us (OZ) a lot more money than they charge the US markets for the same content. They put the squeeze on sites like Netflix and Hulu to block access from countries which they use as a cash cow. Blatant robbery by the content owners IMHO as the old excuse 'we charge more for Australia as we have higher costs due to higher wages etc' just doesn't hold true in this case as all content is online and there is not operating cost differential if the Users are in the US, EU, OZ or any other country in the world. It's also illegal under US law, and the US could get shirty and ask for extradition, as they did with hackers from the UK in the past. As for finding the VPN services, they can simply look for addresses or clusters of addresses that are making multiple requests of their servers, or buy VPN access themselves and block the addresses they see when using them. As far as online content is concerned, the model for Australia is affected by the local broadcast market. Both Foxtel and the free-to-air providers have been paying high prices for content on our behalf for a long time. High prices exist because someone is paying them.
Graceman Posted January 21, 2016 Posted January 21, 2016 Sadly it is the way of the future in these austere times, and more and more organisations are following that path. Getting more difficult to watch some foreign tv now as well. A lot of it is to do with licensing regulations, but it is a pita.
Kaynin Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 (edited) US could get shirty and ask for extradition I'm not convinced it's illegal in the USA - I'm presuming you're referring to a copyright infringement? Even still, if it were a copyright infringement, not a snow flakes chance in hell of extradition in this scenario. Edited January 22, 2016 by Kaynin 1
Guest Eggcup The Daft Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 I'm not convinced it's illegal in the USA - I'm presuming you're referring to a copyright infringement? Even still, if it were a copyright infringement, not a snow flakes chance in hell of extradition in this scenario. Not copyright infringement for viewing, if a copy was saved it would be copyright. No, the offences are fraud, and possibly breaking a copyright protection instrument (disclaimer - I'm probably not legally spot on with the name of that second offence). Fraud! It sounds worse that way, doesn't it? But in the current political climate, you're right. But let's say that conditions changed. For example, consider the situation where clauses in the TTIP gave copyright holders rights to block and prosecute across Europe, and the Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement was ratified by lots of countries but somehow rejected by Australia. Such changes would leave Australia standing alone against a much tighter international framework, and with powerful media interests prepared to advocate for geoblocking and criminal copyright laws. In such circumstances, it's entirely possible that the US or another country might try to pick someone to go after, both legally and to bring pressure on the government of the day. As it is, the various agreements in the pipeline are likely to make dodging geoblocks illegal in Australia in the near future. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Counterfeiting_Trade_Agreement
betty boop Posted January 22, 2016 Posted January 22, 2016 net flix are on record though to only recently saying they are working for consistent programming worldwide. though am not sure how much of that is in their control. its more something to do with studios and rights in different countries for the media. you cant ask for consistency if theres one owner in one country and another somewhere else and they are all playing their different games as they do with trying to hock off to highest payer/audience etc.
Gruffnutz Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 The point is that an Australian Netflix subscriber accessing the USA Netflix content is not legal. The user is in breach of the terms and conditions with Netflix, and Netflix is in breach of their license to distribute the content. It's not illegal, it's commercially prohibited. Licensing isn't 'the law'. Yes, it is.... but I think it's important that people understand that Netflix isn't directly the source of the problem. Don't shoot the messenger (so to speak) Kinda. Netflix enter into lisencing deals they can't deliver on then blame the consumer for being smart. It's a bit crap...
steve u Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 So if you use a VPN, do you not enter into an agreement at all with Netflix Australia? And if so, are you then entitled to the overseas content? I've never worried about a VPN and the only show I'm interested in that is not on Netflix Aust, is Game of Thrones. Is the purpose of a VPN, mainly for shows like GoT, or is it also because of the benefit of anonymous internet brousing? Is there such a thing?
henry218 Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 So if you use a VPN, do you not enter into an agreement at all with Netflix Australia? And if so, are you then entitled to the overseas content? ? Your agreement is with Netflix, specifically contents that is provided by Netflix for Australia region. By using VPN and accessing content outside of your agreement, you basically breach that contract. The question is, what can Netflix do to you? [emoji5] 1
Kaynin Posted January 25, 2016 Posted January 25, 2016 The question is, what can Netflix do to you? [emoji5] +1. Exactly.
thesnodger Posted January 30, 2016 Posted January 30, 2016 To answer the original question, they'll implement IP blocking most likely. All they need is the range of IPs the VPN providers use and then block them. It's a really thing to do. 1
betty boop Posted January 30, 2016 Posted January 30, 2016 They're doing already to limited amount if read news. It's just showing enforcement or they loose the studios custom. Not something they want to loose. So they have to comply.
gcgreg Posted January 30, 2016 Posted January 30, 2016 The studios are not Netflix' customers, it's the other way around. Only a matter of time before this issue subsides as streaming will become a (if not THE) major revenue stream for studios.
Kaynin Posted January 30, 2016 Posted January 30, 2016 Particularly with the streaming services fighting hard for content anyway...e.g. Stan signing up Showtime a few days ago...
Kaynin Posted January 30, 2016 Posted January 30, 2016 The studios are not Netflix' customers, it's the other way around. Only a matter of time before this issue subsides as streaming will become a (if not THE) major revenue stream for studios. Exactly. There are some areas in the movie, as well as music, industry who are hanging on to out-dated models. Streaming has changed the face of both industries...they need to re-think their practices... 1
betty boop Posted January 30, 2016 Posted January 30, 2016 The studios are not Netflix' customers, it's the other way around. Only a matter of time before this issue subsides as streaming will become a (if not THE) major revenue stream for studios. yes correction. not customers but suppliers. as suppliers they sell to the highest bidder...this is eroded if people bypass who they license to distribute and stream from somewhere else. put yourself in say stan or presto's shoes...they pay a huge sum to get sole access to a show...this brings them more viewers as people sign on to watch the show....however it doesnt if these viewers just use a vpn to watch from some place else. they dont get income needed and the ability to pay the big bucks to secure rights in their region. the studios loose and so do the streaming company. whether people like it or not this is the model they work with. netflix has indicated they want to have the same access world wide. while they would like that the studios dont operate like that. and if netflix cant play by studios rules the studios will sell to someone else who will.
Kaynin Posted January 30, 2016 Posted January 30, 2016 netflix has indicated they want to have the same access world wide. while they would like that the studios dont operate like that. and if Netflix cant play by studios rules the studios will sell to someone else who will. Yep, and it's the studios who - should - move with the times. Music streaming is a different model where greater variety is provided to the end consumer. The supplier, Spotify, pay each time the title is accessed, but the consumer gets a larger library. I like this model, albeit at the moment artists don't get a big enough slice of the pie, but that can be worked on. It's a better model for the consumer, IMHO, and I'd like to see it with movie streaming...
Kaynin Posted January 31, 2016 Posted January 31, 2016 To answer the original question, they'll implement IP blocking most likely. All they need is the range of IPs the VPN providers use and then block them. It's a really thing to do. And a work around was sorted very quickly after Netflix blocked VPN users - http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/hacking/australian-consumers-win-battle-against-netflix-geoblocking-but-may-lose-war/news-story/775c10292c33aac4f97b6a7290c098d1 "It wasn’t long before unblocking services found a way around the new measures. Melbourne based company uFlix which charges Australians $2 a month to unblock the US catalogue (by making the customer’s IP address appear as though it’s originating from the US) was one of the first to publicly announce it had overcome the new geo-blocking regime, just days after it was implemented." Netflix's response isn't the answer to the issue...unless they just want to look like they're doing something...
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