Netflix Is Less Annoying to VPN Users Now, But Some Titles Are ‘Hidden’

[Matrix]

 

Netflix has started to treat VPN users differently. Instead of preventing them from playing any content, the popular streaming service now allows VPN users to play content that's globally available. At the same time, however, it has begun hiding titles with geographical restrictions, without informing users.

 

 

Five years ago, Netflix started blocking customers who tried to access its service over a commercial VPN or proxy service.

 

These changes came after copyright holders repeatedly complained that ‘pirates’ were bypassing Netflix’s geographical restrictions.

 

The VPN ban caused a lot of frustration for legitimate VPN users, many of whom had no intention of breaking any rules. At the same time, the VPN ‘pirates’ found workarounds by picking services that managed to bypass Netflix’s restrictions.

Netflix ‘Unblocks’ VPN Users

Today, Netflix is still taking measures to keep VPN and proxy ‘pirates’ at bay, but the company has made some changes to make its service more bearable to VPN users.

 

Previously, VPN users could still log in and browse all titles that were available in their region. When they clicked play, however, a notice would pop up to inform them that the content wasn’t accessible through a VPN.

 

This has now changed. While it hasn’t yet been officially confirmed by Netflix, several tests using VPN servers from all over the world show that all visible content in the Netflix library can be played.

Hiding Titles for VPN Users

We emphasize the word visible here because there are still some restrictions. If Netflix detects that you’re using a VPN, it will hide titles with geographical licensing restrictions.

 

This issue was first spotted by uNoGS, which keeps an up-to-date database of titles that are available on Netflix in different countries. The site first noticed that something new was going on last month.

 

“We first noticed major changes with Netflix around May 1st. Along with forcing us to re-write a bunch of our legacy tools we noticed that a lot fewer titles were showing up with our scraper scripts,” uNoGS operator Brian tells us.

 

The site’s users also started to complain that some titles were not available on Netflix, unlike the site claimed. As it turned out, Netflix had begun hiding titles for VPN users.

Positives and Negatives

At the same time and on the upside, Netflix stopped blocking VPN users from playing titles for which it holds global licenses, including most of its own original series and TV shows.

 

In other words, VPN users should no longer run into any blocked content. They just see less content in their Netflix library. This makes VPNs more usable on Netflix and takes away a lot of frustration.

 

However, without disclosing these changes, it’s also confusing. Many people use a VPN for other reasons than bypassing Netflix’s restrictions. They now see less content but have no idea why or how to get full access.

 

When Netflix first made its changes, uNoGS noticed that VPN users could still play ‘hidden’ content by accessing it with a direct URL. However, accessing hidden content from a blocked VPN now brings up the dreaded “VPN error.”

 

 

Finally, it’s worth noting that some VPN servers are not detected as such by Netflix. These can still bypass geographical restrictions.

 

For example, when we use Netflix with a regular connection from Canada we can see Iron Man 3. When we use a Canadian VPN that’s blocked by Netflix, Iron Man 3 is gone. And with a Canadian VPN that’s not blocked by Netflix, the film shows up again.

 

The same applies to many other titles that are available in a limited number of countries.

Why these changes were implemented is not clear. We asked Netflix for a comment but, at the time of writing, we have yet to hear back from the company.

 

UNoGS and VPNcompare, which also highlighted the issue, both believe that the uptick in VPN usage during the COVID-19 pandemic might have something to do with it. Whatever the case, Netflix may want to inform their users why certain titles have suddenly disappeared.

 

  Source

[AZwaffelForAWaff]

Netflix throws that error at non-VPN users who disable geolocation via browsers. I don't understand Netflix logic. If it is a legit account, the person pays Netflix for its content, and the person's VPN geolocation is either spoofed or the server in geographical area where Netflix legally operates, then what is the problem? Is there a body of authority that has a problem with that?

[Mystique]

30 minutes ago, AZwaffelForAWaff said:

Netflix throws that error at non-VPN users who disable geolocation via browsers. I don't understand Netflix logic. If it is a legit account, the person pays Netflix for its content, and the person's VPN geolocation is either spoofed or the server in geographical area where Netflix legally operates, then what is the problem? Is there a body of authority that has a problem with that?

Yes, several in fact!
It's all about money and control.
I absolutely hate it and it's one of the reasons why piracy is king. You get everything all under the same roof.
In some countries the right to screen and distribute such media is held by other companies and not netflix as they pay exclusive rights for such things. In saying that lets just say party A (hypothetically HULU) has paid in advance to screen game of thrones and party B (in this case Netflix) screens it globally at the drop of hat thus negating any value to the HULU having paid exclusive rights or for the series.
It's a thin argument but its all about the money and parent companies trying to milk money every single which way without any logic apart from greed.
You also have to consider that this also conflicts with physical media releases which also have to be figured into the equation. It's all a giant cluster$%&# of rubbish.

You are never going to have a valid competitor to piracy ever because the media companies are far to greedy. Look at the situation with Disney... they have just started their own service and pulled out the rug from everyone else. The situation with marvel on netflix... etc etc.
If they want someone to blame for piracy they needn't look that far.
Also streaming is a steaming pile of shit.
I had a service which had access to disney content and despite recording programing once they took the channel away my recordings were gone with it so technically they are just glorified bookmarks. Once again piracy is absolute king!
I would rather physical mediums and rip it all myself and have it for as long as I live if not more.

I am sure Netflix felt the same way as you at one point and were happy to have as many global users shelling out their money to be a part of their service but the big media companies and various other arms of said companies had a cry and forced their hand.

In summary:
Universal could license just to one party such as netflix and make some money but they would rather license to multiple parties globally at different costs and timings and have local branches earn a piece of the pie.

I also forgot to mention cinema's having a vested interest in this also. Look at the shi#storm that occurred when universal (I believe) release movies direct to streaming and not cinema's due to COVID-19

[halvgris]

just because of geoblocking i don't pay for streaming services, companies like amazon lured me in. watched one serie then got recommended another but when i picked show i got the message that it was geoblocked. americans and uk residents were allowed.

note nothing of this is revealed when you sign up and pay the same as a usa or uk citizen but you get way less content.

 

fcuking with current paying netflix customers isn't the way to go. if a service i subscribe and pay for has limits i'd leave. 

 

mystique explains more in details how companies tries to benefit from geoblocking above.

 

thanks to this flawed state i won't burn my visa card on any legal streaming service.

[halvgris]

2 hours ago, Mystique said:

I also forgot to mention cinema's having a vested interest in this also. Look at the shi#storm that occurred when universal (I believe) release movies direct to streaming and not cinema's due to COVID-19

this hasn't reached me.

 

but to be fair cinema is as nasty as public transportation never cleaned seats etc. where i live they force feed commercials for up to 20 minutes before showing movie. audio and screen quality depending on equipment and guy running it. i have seen blury movies and dull sound.

[Mystique]

16 hours ago, halvgris said:

this hasn't reached me.

 

but to be fair cinema is as nasty as public transportation never cleaned seats etc. where i live they force feed commercials for up to 20 minutes before showing movie. audio and screen quality depending on equipment and guy running it. i have seen blury movies and dull sound.

I don't see why cinema's couldn't (in most cases) function with social distancing in mind but I believe it had more to do with the movie studios seeing $$ in the decision to sign a deal to allow a select bunch or movies to be streamed over services and bypass the cinema. Once again this was motivated by greed and money. They knew full-well there would be more asses in seats at home during the pandemic and therefore they could extract more money from the situation. I believe a prime example ones a trolls movie which sparked a argument between movie studios (possibly universal) and a large cinema company in the US which has resulted in the parent company of the cinema's to boycott the studio's future works from being screened at their cinema's as they cinema believes that the studio broke their agreement by bypassing the obligation to screen new movie's at the cinema first.
It's always been about money and control and everyone wanting a piece of the pie.

That sounds pretty common in most places although some cinema managers are more proactive in cleaning and take pride in what they do. Nonetheless the commercial situation is much the same everywhere it seams. The cinema quality definitely seems lacking where you are.
It's so costly to go to the cinema where I live that you may as well just wait and buy it on a physical medium and have it for ever. God forbid you attempt to go to the cinema as a family... you might have to take out a small loan. LOL

[dfortunsan]

have you tried using Netflix with a dedicated ip or proxy? 

https://nordvpnteams.com/dedicated-ip/

https://hidester.com/proxy/