Netflix breaking down on even more VPN providers

Netflix hunting down VPN and SmartDNS providers
Netflix hunting down VPN and SmartDNS providers

The battle between Netflix and VPN providers has gone on since the start of 2016, and it hasn’t slowed down. Most people believed it to be a short battle which the VPN providers would win, but things seem to go in the other direction.

Recently a company in Australia which has had unblocking US Netflix as their big profile threw in the towel and said that they can not help their customers anymore. Big VPN providers have fought for a long time, but it is a fact that fewer and fewer servers work with Netflix, and it gets harder and harder finding those working servers.

The battle between Netflix and the VPN and SmartDNS providers is a continuous battle, and especially SmartDNS providers say that Netflix has been incredibly quick at blocking any new solution they come up with. Often they found solutions that worked, only to be blocked within less than 24 hours. Great work Netflix!

What is the battle about?

Now you might not even understand what this battle is about? Some people find the entire VPN block to be outrageous, while Netflix has to keep their face up as they communicate with the movie companies. The pressure has been big on Netflix to keep the “borders” clean, in order for copyright laws to be kept. It is most likely due to such pressure that Netflix started their VPN-hunt early in 2016, and the hunting period is still going.

You might discuss whether or not it is fair to use a VPN to access another Netflix region. It is a fair question, but using a VPN in itself isn’t illegal at all, and the fact that you get access to another VPN region is only a by-product of actually securing and encrypting your online activity. But, what about security? That is the main problem with Netflix blocking VPN services.

Netflix vs online security

Imagine that you sit in your hotel room in Las Vegas and feel like watching Netflix on your computer. You have heard it several times that you should not use open WiFi networks as it is easy to steal your confidential information as you do so. That is why you have a VPN subscription to a VPN provider, to ensure that your data is encrypted and that your confidential data remains confidential. You surf the web, you pay a bill and visit Netflix to watch Downtown Abbey. But, instead of Downtown Abbey you get an error message telling you that you use a Proxy Server or a VPN and need to disconnect.

As a consequence you will have to jeopardize your online security in order to watch Netflix. Isn’t that lousy?

That is the main problem and the argument used by pro-VPN people who feel like Netflix is attacking online security even more than just the “Netflix region switching” problem.

What do you think? Is it fair of Netflix to block all VPN services and IP addresses? Will you consider using other streaming services like Amazon Prime, Hulu or maybe HBO Now instead of Netflix now, to ensure that you can surf securely and stream videos at the same time?

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