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Netflix could soon block VPN & DNS users


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Old 06-01-2015, 11:23
Philip Wales
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This was inevitable. Despite attempts on here to convince people that it's perfectly fine to use these VPN/DNS workarounds to access other versions of Netflix, piracy is piracy. Might as well not pay anything and torrent the whole lot, it's no less illegal than accessing content not intended for your region. The amount of misinformation floating around on this subject is unbelievable really.

Also, Netflix UK is nowhere near as bad as is being made out. But that's the content your cheap as chips 5.99 a month gives you the right to watch, absolutely nothing else.
Utter rubbish, it's not piracy at all. It's just the same as importing region 1 dvds, blurays etc to play on your multi region player or when in America buying films etc that aren't available in your region. It can't be piracy because your paying for the service, and using the multi regions of Netflx as intended, your just not actually visiting those regions to view the content. Against NF's T&C's yes, but they aren't the law, so your not breaking any.
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Old 06-01-2015, 11:23
gother
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Well iOS apps have just received an update and they still work as before.
My ROKU1 just recieved the forced google dns update, tested it without blocking googles dns on my router and nothing American would work including Netflix, turned the google dns block back on and wollah all American stuff including Netflix working, so there is defo a way around it it seems.
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Old 06-01-2015, 12:36
c00kiemonster72
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My ROKU1 just recieved the forced google dns update, tested it without blocking googles dns on my router and nothing American would work including Netflix, turned the google dns block back on and wollah all American stuff including Netflix working, so there is defo a way around it it seems.
What software version is your Roku 1 using now?

Has the Netflix UI changed so it matches that of the Roku 3?

How did you know it was a 'forced google DNS update?
Did you see Google DNS located within the Netflix app, like you can on the Roku 3?

Just checked my Roku 2, and all is the same on there, no Netflix app update, no software update since Oct, and when checking the Roku says the firmware is up to date.

Netflix on other regions still works with or without google DNS blocked on the router on my Roku 2.

If nothing American would work on your Roku as in Hulu or Vudu, it sounds more like there was a different problem, rather than it being a Google DNS issue.
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Old 06-01-2015, 12:56
Kargo
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How can they do this on devices like the PS3 where the DNS can be manually changed on the console itself?
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Old 06-01-2015, 13:08
gother
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What software version is your Roku 1 using now?

Has the Netflix UI changed so it matches that of the Roku 3?

How did you know it was a 'forced google DNS update?
Did you see Google DNS located within the Netflix app, like you can on the Roku 3?

Just checked my Roku 2, and all is the same on there, no Netflix app update, no software update since Oct, and when checking the Roku says the firmware is up to date.

Netflix on other regions still works with or without google DNS blocked on the router on my Roku 2.

If nothing American would work on your Roku as in Hulu or Vudu, it sounds more like there was a different problem, rather than it being a Google DNS issue.
I was guessing tbh as it wouldn't work until i blocked google dns on my router i'll check the software later.
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Old 06-01-2015, 13:22
howard h
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The absurd thing is, especially in Europe, there are so many countries so close together that a large percentage of the population will do their shopping in another country. So if Germany hasn't the rights to a film, but France has, then a short drive means buy the DVD in France and watch in Germany.
Or even buy from a catalogue and have it delivered!
The movie industry is so out of touch they actually DESERVE to go under.
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Old 06-01-2015, 13:27
dave_windows
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I saw this in the news section and I couldnt help but laugh at them still calling people pirates.

They are still paying for the services they use so how exactly are they pirates when they are renting stuff legally just because they live in another country.

Maybe they should try to actually give every country the same amount of stuff before slagging off people who use the service.

Me personally couldnt care less as anything I want Ill buy a actual DVD from the shops.
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Old 06-01-2015, 13:51
stud u like
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I saw this in the news section and I couldnt help but laugh at them still calling people pirates.

They are still paying for the services they use so how exactly are they pirates when they are renting stuff legally just because they live in another country.

Maybe they should try to actually give every country the same amount of stuff before slagging off people who use the service.

Me personally couldnt care less as anything I want Ill buy a actual DVD from the shops.
How does that work when the DVDs I want are expensive online and unavailable in the shops?
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Old 06-01-2015, 14:31
Axtol
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As someone who relies on a VPN to access shows and films that I otherwise couldn't see if connecting from a British IP I'd be very disappointed if this goes ahead.
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Old 07-01-2015, 08:14
dave_windows
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How does that work when the DVDs I want are expensive online and unavailable in the shops?
Amazon.com
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Old 07-01-2015, 08:43
stud u like
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You have to pay duty and a storage fee at the Post Office with them. Plus I don't have a multiplayer. So very much a useless suggestion. Please try again!
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Old 07-01-2015, 09:47
hugon
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Whilst I shall be extremely disappointed if Netflix block users using Smart DNS, they are within their rights to do so.

Paying a subscription doesn't entitle me to watch content from other regions, regardless of the legality or not of it. By signing up for the service, I have agreed to abide by Netflix's T&C.

Although there seems to be a lot of evidence pointing towards the fact that studios want Netflix to tighten up security in regard to viewer location, it's obviously not in Netflix's interest to do so, as it would be very easy for them to restrict viewing to country of card issue as well as a geolocation check. Possible to circumvent still, but much more difficult for most people. So Netflix have an interest in keeping this "quirk" of their system open.

For Netflix to aquire content, it needs to abide by whatever conditions the Studios set, whether we agree with them or not. So it's likely that it may tighten up some aspects of location checking in the future, but in my opinion, it will do the minimum amount necessary.
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Old 07-01-2015, 10:05
Philip Wales
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I love the fact the same people, moaning about us using work around to get other Netflix regions, then go on to say that they import DVDs from abroad. Which is basically the same thing we do we NF. And they most likely avoid duty and customs on their purchases.
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Old 07-01-2015, 11:30
BKM
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I love the fact the same people, moaning about us using work around to get other Netflix regions, then go on to say that they import DVDs from abroad. Which is basically the same thing we do we NF. And they most likely avoid duty and customs on their purchases.
There is *NO* UK Duty or Customs payable in almost all cases!!!! They come in at less than the free allowance (£18???)

You also avoid sending country taxes (eg GST from Canada) as they are being exported.
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Old 07-01-2015, 11:45
SteveMcK
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You have to pay duty and a storage fee at the Post Office with them.
Ah, so you want them but don't want to pay for them? Different problem...
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Old 07-01-2015, 11:51
SteveMcK
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There is *NO* UK Duty or Customs payable in almost all cases!!!! They come in at less than the free allowance (£18???)
Interesting point. The EU has changed the VAT rules from Jan 1st, and it is now the responsbility of the sending country to claim and pay VAT at the rate of the receiving country. This applies even to non-EU senders. It's reckoned that it it could affect 250,000 UK small businesses who will simply give up export sales rather than try to comply with VAT rules from 26 countries for total export sales that barely make it above double figures.

I wonder if this will hit companies like Netflix as well, since their streaming could be construed as an automatic digital download? They may be trying to block EU customers because they don't want to fall foul of EU VAT rules, which could land them with criminal prosecution issues, not just for contractual reasons with the studios.
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Old 07-01-2015, 12:25
Philip Wales
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There is *NO* UK Duty or Customs payable in almost all cases!!!! They come in at less than the free allowance (£18???)

You also avoid sending country taxes (eg GST from Canada) as they are being exported.
£18 "right" is that what the seller puts on the package or actually what the value of the article is. I have no problems with importing things, and we all like to pay less tax. Just that some people are taking a "moral high stance" on others for basically doing the same thing, just one is physical and the other digital.
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Old 07-01-2015, 14:12
Lumstorm
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This argument reminds me of the early days of DVD when there was some outrage at us who imported titles not available in the UK. There were various reports of how buying illegal discs from Amazon.com we were pirates destroying the industry.

As with using a VPN there is nothing illegal about it you are breaking Terms and Conditions but they aren't law.

As a side note I buy most of my DVD, BD and a fair amount of games import and rarely get stung for tax.
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Old 07-01-2015, 14:56
The Phazer
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This argument reminds me of the early days of DVD when there was some outrage at us who imported titles not available in the UK. There were various reports of how buying illegal discs from Amazon.com we were pirates destroying the industry.

As with using a VPN there is nothing illegal about it you are breaking Terms and Conditions but they aren't law.

As a side note I buy most of my DVD, BD and a fair amount of games import and rarely get stung for tax.
Under British law you are committing a civil tort accessing the stream in any way unless you either fall under a copyright exemption (not applicable here) or you have the permission of the copyright owner (or their agent). By not being in compliance with the terms and conditions of Netflix you have no such permission, and therefore are not acting in a lawful manner.
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Old 07-01-2015, 15:10
Philip Wales
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So civil not criminal so not a pirate
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Old 07-01-2015, 16:26
The Phazer
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So civil not criminal so not a pirate
What?

Piracy is almost always a tort in the UK.
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Old 07-01-2015, 17:28
-GONZO-
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Unblock-Us update:
Update: Netflix Smart DNS / VPN Blocking Rumours
Last Updated: Jan 07, 2015 12:00PM EST
Since the weekend, there have been numerous media reports discussing whether or not Netflix is blocking access to their service via Smart DNS / VPN services.
The torrentfreak.com article that started the discussion was based on a single VPN provider (TorGuard VPN) experiencing issues providing access to its users to Netflix. This story was further fuelled by Netflix's testing of hard coding Google’s DNS service into some of their Android apps, which we documented here.
All our services are up and running with no issues. We have seen no evidence that Netflix is attempting to block our customers from accessing their service through our DNS servers.
Netflix has repeatedly denied the story: Netflix Hasn't Changed Their VPN Policy, Netflix Responds To VPN Blocking Rumors, Netflix denies crackdown on VPN users.
Smart DNS is an important service that provides Security, Privacy and helps promote Internet Freedom. We are confident that we will continue providing the quality service as we have for the last four years.​
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Old 08-01-2015, 09:14
Philip Wales
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What?

Piracy is almost always a tort in the UK.
I was making a more general use of the word pirate as in a criminal, not the main use of today as in illegal downloading etc.
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Old 08-01-2015, 18:04
-GONZO-
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​Netflix calls VPN lock-out claims false, teases possible interface change

"The claims that we have changed our policy on VPN are false," Hunt said. "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."

http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/netflix-...ook-interface/
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Old 24-01-2015, 11:51
ds_reader
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Utter rubbish, it's not piracy at all. It's just the same as importing region 1 dvds, blurays etc to play on your multi region player or when in America buying films etc that aren't available in your region. It can't be piracy because your paying for the service, and using the multi regions of Netflx as intended, your just not actually visiting those regions to view the content. Against NF's T&C's yes, but they aren't the law, so your not breaking any.
Unauthorised access is piracy and you have given some very good examples of piracy...

The concept isn't something new it dates back 400 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyrig...t#.22Piracy.22
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