Words by: Catherine Lewis
If you have a Netflix account (or very regularly "borrow" a password from a friend), chances are that you've encountered the idea of using a VPN to access Netflix libraries from different regions. It's one really fun bonus of using a VPN beyond the all-important internet safety aspect, and doesn't seem to be hurting anyone, since you do have to be using a legitimate, paid-for Netflix account in order to do it.
Unfortunately, Netflix themselves don't quite agree. The actual reason for the service showing different libraries in different regions is because they can't always secure the rights to stream some content out of designated areas, so dodging around the restrictions with a VPN is annoying for the copyright owners of that content. They've been trying to crack down on VPN usage for a while now, but most users were unaffected, as many paid VPN services will set your alternative IP address to a residential location, so you could continue enjoying your favourite anime series from Netflix Japan like a sneaky, binge-watching chameleon.
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Things have changed lately though, and not in a good way. The streaming service has been bringing down the hammer even harder, and is starting to Thanos snap some "suspicious" residential IP addresses too. Users who get caught up in this will be served a partial ban of sorts, which will only allow them to access Netflix Originals - definitely not ideal if the whole reason you were using a VPN was to get access to more things to watch.
It's not just bad news for those trying to binge overseas series, either. Not only does this affect users who need to watch content or use subtitles in a different language, but according to TorrentFreak, some completely innocent individuals are also facing "missing" content from their libraries, as if they were using a VPN when they never have. While there's not been an official statement released on the matter, over on Twitter, the service responded to one user's complaint, suggesting that they contact their internet service provider, which isn't really all that helpful.
As of now, it's difficult to determine exactly how widely users are being affected, but if you're watching anything from outside your region at the moment, you might want to finish binging it sooner rather than later, just in case you lose access. There's nothing worse than being left on a...
Featured Image Credit: Netflix, Petter Lagson via Unsplash