Bypass geo-blocking with a VPN: is it allowed?

Not only is enabling a VPN smart for your privacy, because you can also use it to watch series and movies that are not available in the Netherlands. But is it really allowed to bypass this geo-block?

Read on after the announcement.

Bypass geo-blocking with a VPN: is it allowed?

If you’re paying for a streaming service in the Netherlands, it won’t include everything that’s available in the United States, for example. For example, series like Pokerface, Star Trek: Discovery, Moon Girl, and Devil Dinosaur are now being watched in America, but they are not available in the Netherlands. This is called geo-blocking: making content available exclusively to certain regions.

A VPN is a way to get around this geoblock. With a VPN, you can pretend your computer or smartphone is somewhere else. This is perfect for protecting yourself from snoopers, but it’s also a way to fool streaming services. This is because if the streaming service thinks your device is in the US, it will be able to watch that country’s shows.

Star Trek: Discovery

Why is the display not the same everywhere?

Exclusive and original series from streaming services are usually the same in every country, but other series and movies are not. That’s because streaming services have to pay royalties to put titles on their platform. These rights determine how long and in which countries these series and movies will be available.

Take the Luther series, for example. The new movie is a Netflix exclusive, but the original series was created by the BBC and the rights were later sold to various streaming services. This means that you can stream Luther in the Netherlands on HBO Max and in the US on Hulu. These rights expire after a certain period of time, after which the series may move to another streaming service.

Why do streaming services block VPNs?

Streaming services often go out of their way to discourage you from using a VPN to bypass geoblocks. Then access is blocked. It all has to do with these rights. The streaming service signs a licensing agreement, which states that that series or movie may only be on that platform in a select number of countries.

If people from other countries can easily access it, it is a violation of this License Agreement. So streaming services should do their best to prevent this.

Is it illegal to bypass geo-blocking?

Using a VPN to get around geoblocks to watch a series or movie in another country on a streaming service that you pay for is illegal. It shouldn’t be, but you won’t be fined for it. However, if you’re using a VPN to access illegal content, that’s a different story.

So can I bypass geoblocks via VPN without any worries?

Just because using a VPN to bypass geoblocks isn’t illegal doesn’t mean you’re not at risk. If you subscribe to the Streaming Service, you agree to the Terms of Use.

Using a VPN to watch series and movies from this streaming service in another country may conflict with these Terms of Use. It is possible that the service will then take action and block your account.

More about VPNs

You can use a free VPN or pay to use it. Using a free VPN is usually not recommended. However, there are a lot of VPN myths that are not true. Did you also know that you can put a VPN on a modern Chromecast?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *