Current Events > Netflix has finally started cracking down on VPNs

(+) Yeah! (+)

Its kicked me out for using them today and looks like thats just the way it is now.

I dont think its worth having only for the stuff available in my region. Anybody else have the same problem.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Yeah, it's almost comical the lengths they're going to piss everyone off.

Imagine fighting your own customers this hard. Do they realize that they're going to lose more money this way than they would over licensing or whatever weird shit keeps them from putting shows up in other regions?

Netflix doesn't make any money from their subscriptions, hell their streaming service is constantly making them in the red. Most of their revenue is from shareholders, which usually means reaching some kind of milestone in order to keep stock prices high. The issue Netflix is having is that they already reached the ceilling on how many subscribers they can get and now have to scrap away at the existing customers for some extra dough to show shareholders that they are still making "money". This is a problem when you go public, you're at the mercy of your shareholders and pleasing them every single time.

Prestoff posted...

Netflix doesn't make any money from their subscriptions, hell their streaming service is constantly making them in the red. Most of their revenue is from shareholders, which usually means reaching some kind of milestone in order to keep stock prices high. The issue Netflix is having is that they already reached the ceilling on how many subscribers they can get and now have to scrap away at the existing customers for some extra dough to show shareholders that they are still making "money". This is a problem when you go public, you're at the mercy of your shareholders and pleasing them every single time.

Yeah but its not going to please the shareholders when people start cancelling their subscription, is it?

Which VPN are you using?

Netflix seems to go in cycles when it comes to enforcing VPN bans, either that or VPN companies just adjust at variable speeds.

Im currently using Nord and Netflix works fine for me. But there was a long stretch of months last year where if I was signed into the VPN, Netflix wouldnt let me watch anything except Netflix originals lol

Kim_Seong-a posted...

Which VPN are you using?

Netflix seems to go in cycles when it comes to enforcing VPN bans, either that or VPN companies just adjust at variable speeds.

Im currently using Nord and Netflix works fine for me. But there was a long stretch of months last year where if I was signed into the VPN, Netflix wouldnt let me watch anything except Netflix originals lol

Ive been using expressvpn, which has been fine up until now.

Still seems to work for iplayer, Disney+ and Prime Video.

It's almost like they want me to stop giving them money.

Prestoff posted...

Netflix doesn't make any money from their subscriptions, hell their streaming service is constantly making them in the red. Most of their revenue is from shareholders, which usually means reaching some kind of milestone in order to keep stock prices high. The issue Netflix is having is that they already reached the ceilling on how many subscribers they can get and now have to scrap away at the existing customers for some extra dough to show shareholders that they are still making "money". This is a problem when you go public, you're at the mercy of your shareholders and pleasing them every single time.

Sigh...they dont really have to make THAT many shows or expensive blockbusters in order to be good.

Fuck TV shows

I conceptually understand why they are cracking down on account sharing, event though it is obvious unpopular.

But I don't get the incentive to crack down on VPNs. That just makes paying customers less happy for no real gain

Compsognathus posted...

I conceptually understand why they are cracking down on account sharing, event though it is obvious unpopular.

But I don't get the incentive to crack down on VPNs. That just makes paying customers less happy for no real gain

Regional distribution rights is my only guess. They don't have license to distribute a movie in an area, but they do in others. It's extremely shitty of them to do so. This is what happens when you put your faith companies to have your best interests at heart.

Spectrum never minded me VPNing back to my dad's apartment to watch cable TV at my house (or at least it never figured out how to block me).

Alucard188 posted...

Regional distribution rights is my only guess. They don't have license to distribute a movie in an area, but they do in others. It's extremely shitty of them to do so. This is what happens when you put your faith companies to have your best interests at heart.

I understand that, but for them to actually take action would have to mean that the companies that they are licensing from must be putting pretty significant pressure on them. Otherwise their is no financial incentive for Netflix to actually address the issue.

Compsognathus posted...

I conceptually understand why they are cracking down on account sharing, event though it is obvious unpopular.

But I don't get the incentive to crack down on VPNs. That just makes paying customers less happy for no real gain

They don't want you watching movies that are available in other countries that aren't available in yours. They want you to adhere to region-locked contracts.

Plex >

I canceled mine when they cracked down on using it outside your household here. I use it while traveling, so I don't want to be locked out.

Fuck netflix.

They act like "password sharing" wasn't part of the appeal in the first place. You had limited accounts, and that's what you paid for.

They make it seem like everyone was exploiting poor helpless Netflix, when Netflix is just a masterclass on how to tank a top 3 multinational in as many years.

Compsognathus posted...

I conceptually understand why they are cracking down on account sharing, event though it is obvious unpopular.

But I don't get the incentive to crack down on VPNs. That just makes paying customers less happy for no real gain

The only reason for them to do it is if the content providers for said region locked shows specifically ask Netflix to crack down and enforce it. Like you said, there's little to no monetary incentive to do so.

All password sharing and VPNs will be blocked from all services in a few years.

This is gonna be a new era of nickel and diming and they've barely begun.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


Here's the thing.

There are A LOT of people that aren't tech-savvy enough to know about all the workarounds. And I'm not just talking about the "boomers". People in their 20s though 40s that have no idea what *orrent sites are, or how to even use a VPN.

So there's a fairly good chance that has they crack down on VPNs and password sharing, subs may actually go UP.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

It's very easy to do it. One company does it and they all follow. Then people have no other options. Most people are way too lazy to pirate.

The wireless companies did the same shit a decade ago. One company put caps on data and then everybody did it and they nickeled and dimed the fuck out of everybody.

As for the people who turn to piracy, once they have everything locked down, they will move towards shutting every easy thing down as well. Sure, there will always be piracy, but it just won't be as easy.

Compsognathus posted...

I understand that, but for them to actually take action would have to mean that the companies that they are licensing from must be putting pretty significant pressure on them. Otherwise their is no financial incentive for Netflix to actually address the issue.

I would imagine the companies are putting pressure on Netflix. They have legal agreements for content in different regions, which the VPN bypasses. In this case, I can't really blame Netflix for cracking down on it. The password sharing stuff is nonsense though.

HornyLevel posted...

It's very easy to do it. One company does it and they all follow. Then people have no other options. Most people are way too lazy to pirate.

Either too lazy, or simply do not know how to do it safely.

To them, dropping $20 a month on a Netflix account is a lot easier.

i can't think of a more sure-fire way to move away customers from your service than cracking down on VPN usage or password sharing...

it's like Netflix woke up one morning and made a commitment to shoot themselves in the foot as much as possible.

opopopza posted...

I would imagine the companies are putting pressure on Netflix. They have legal agreements for content in different regions, which the VPN bypasses. In this case, I can't really blame Netflix for cracking down on it. The password sharing stuff is nonsense though.

It probably doesn't help that most VPNs now advertise that they get around content blockers. At least before when VPNs tried to solely be about internet security they could claim ignorance to people using them to get around content blockers.

But after some VPNs got called out for their claims about the security they could provide, they switched their focus to getting around content blockers.

Collat posted...

I canceled mine when they cracked down on using it outside your household here. I use it while traveling, so I don't want to be locked out.

Their content is really bad but I can't imagine anybody subscribing to a streaming service that doesn't let you stream from wherever the fuck you want.

I remember they kicked me off my VPN like a decade ago. I was using it because Netflix wasn't available in Australia like a decade or so ago and the first couple of years barely had anything. Don't really notice it anymore.

Pretty much every other streaming service has no problem with the stuff that Netflix has a problem with. I really wish Netflix would hurry up and die