Netflix starts blocking some VPN users

froggyboy604

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Netflix has been threatening for a while to block proxy and VPN users and it looks like that threat has now come to pass. Reports are going around that people used to accessing Netflix via a VPN are now getting a message that they are being blocked.


The message reads, "You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy. Please turn off any of these services and try again." The image above is from an ExpressVPN user who says after calling the support team at the VPN provider, they directed him to a new server that worked without issues.

He figures that Netflix is only blocking known IP ranges. Many Netflix users take advantage of VPNs to get around geo-restricted library access and to avoid ISP throttling.

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This stinks that people who don't like in the US can no longer watch Netflix's US-Only video with a VPN.

I bet, this will lead to an increase in Piracy where people rip videos from Netflix's video stream, and convert it into a video file like MP4, and use a service like Bittorrent to share and download shows which can't be accessed on Netflix with a VPN.

I bet, some people may ask their US friends and family to use a External video recorder, or computer video recorder like those video capture recorders for recording gameplay videos from consoles to record Netflix video streams, and send the shows on a DVD disc, or USB drive to non-US countries.
 
VPN are pretty good companies (at least paid), so I'm sure they will get around this block with ease.
 
People should have a choice to use it or not.

Sucks what they are doing at the moment but they will find away to go through there blocked wall of cash
 
VPN are pretty good companies (at least paid), so I'm sure they will get around this block with ease.

I think some VPN are changing their I.P. addresses to get around the block, but Netflix could block the new I.P. addresses quickly.

I think these VPN blocks will make more people buy Blu-Ray and DVD movies and TV shows since the shows and videos which you want to watch won't be available randomly because Netflix is blocking you from viewing US-region locked shows.
 
There are so many VPN's in the world and brand new ones appearing that it will be easy to get around this. The company is only damaging themselves as people will start watching them off other sites
 
Doesn't Netflix require a monthly fee to watch? How do people who are not from the US pay for their Netflix account? Paying through Paypal while using a VPN sounds risky.

Yes it requires a monthly fee of $10 to watch.

Maybe they setup a fake identity with a US credit card or Paypal where their billing home address is a US Address, so they can watch the US version of Netflix with more shows or movies through a US VPN. Users outside of the US may pay a US Citizens to sign-up for a Netflix account for them.

There are other versions of Netflix like Netflix Canada which has fewer shows and movies than the US version of Netflix. But, I think if you use a US VPN on Netflix Canada to try to access Netflix US, Netflix will find out that you are trying to access the US version of Netflix which is against the "terms of service".
 
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