Movie streaming giant Netflix has denied reports that it has been cracking down on users viewing media blocked in the region via virtual private networks. Though the company said that it retains an anti-VPN policy, it claims that not all VPNs have been blocked.
VPNs have allowed users to view content not being offered by their own country’s version of Netflix. Users in the UK have been able to access the US version of Netflix by adding tools to their browsers.
Chief product officer Neil Hunt said: “The claims that we have changed our policy on VPN are false”. Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Hunt claimed: “People who are using a VPN to access our service from outside of the area will find that it still works exactly as it has always done.”
Many believe that Netflix have clamped down on the use of VPNs after facing pressure from various film studios. Studios see the tolerance of VPNs as evidence that licensing arrangements are being overlooked. Netflix said that whilst they have always blocked work-arounds routinely, they had made no extra efforts to restrict access recently. A “failsafe” built into the Netflix Android app was designed to help users faced with unreliable DNS providers, claimed Hunt.
Have you experienced problems with Netflix workarounds? Should Netflix users accept the wishes of the film studios even if their own country’s content seems inadequate? Let us know what you think below.
