Netflix to crack down on proxy servers
Say goodbye to accessing Netflix across borders
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The Netflix logo is seen outside the company's headquarters in Los Gatos,
California. Credit: Netflix
2COMMENTS
Martyn Williams
IDG News Service Jan 14, 2016 9:27 AM
The days of using a proxy server to access Netflix across borders could soon
be over.
The streaming service said on Thursday that it plans to "evolve" its
technical defenses so that those attempting to skirt geographic content
blocks can't access Netflix sites in foreign countries.
Proxies enable users in one country to appear as if they are in another,
allowing them to gain access to sites and content that they normally wouldn'
t be able to see.
Netflix is one of the most popular destinations for proxy users because
until recently it was only available in a limited number of countries. But
that changed last week when it expanded its service to an additional 130
countries, giving almost the entire online world access to its service.
The Netflix service that users see in each country varies because of movie
licensing and distribution agreements that are still handled on a territory
by territory basis, so demand for access to the U.S. version of Netflix
probably won't end just because the service is available in other countries.
But it could be blocked by technical means. That's exactly what the BBC did
late last year to prevent access to its iPlayer streaming and on-demand
service from outside of the U.K., and Netflix is now set to follow suit.
"This technology continues to evolve and we are evolving with it. That means
in coming weeks, those using proxies and unblockers will only be able to
access the service in the country where they currently are," David Fullagar,
vice president of content delivery architecture at Netflix, wrote in a blog
post.
Fullagar acknowledged that "we have a ways to go before we can offer people
the same films and TV series everywhere," but he said that remains a goal of
the service. In the meantime, users in some countries might have to wait to
see movies and TV shows that are available to viewers just across the
border.
There's a small cottage industry of companies selling VPN and proxy services
that allow users to access geo-blocked content. They typically try to find
a way around any technical blocks.
