Explanation on why VPN's will soon not work for video streaming [Parts 1+2 - UPDATED]. Comments Welcome. Please.

nomad440

Member
Not sure how soon, but as a security-insider and someone who works closely in this arena, the days are numbered for our favorite VPN solutions for getting video content. Me included.

VPN's are a great way to protect your internet traffic form prying eyes, and while you may think you are anonymous (outside of TOR, and even that is debatable), its not your data that's being looked at, its HOW your data is being looked at.

1. VPN will hide me PART 1? Sure! It will. As long as your ISP permits you to connect to your VPN. After that? ISP's have started forming contracts with big streaming providers to offer faster traffic for their services. IF THEY COMPLY. It's called an interconnect. In the big datacentres where Netflix (Amazon-hosted, didn't know that did you!), Youtube, AZ Prime, Hulu, interconnect with ISP's for pay-services, they are not offering a link... they are offering an interconnect into their ultra-speed backbone. INTERCONNECT. That means the equivalent of adding the world's fastest SSD drive to your PC with ALL the videos, versus your puny 100mbit fiber. Your ISP can then serve region-locked content at blistering speeds, even at a discount sometimes, for the big streamers. VPN users? "lock to 1Mbit when using a VPN"

If you are interested in the other 4 parts, reply on this thread.
 
I'm so sick of this garbage with killing net neutrality I'm almost afraid to ask for the other 4 parts as I'm sure it's more bad news, but I guess I'd rather have a heads up rather then waiting for the ISP to shut me down.

Krissy
 
Part 2, then!. The other side of this is quite literally a legal issue. There are a plethora of cable and satellite-based content-providers around the world. These providers need to protect what they have paid for. It's basically broadcast-rights. For example, in South Africa, Multichoice is the big bad boy when it comes to premium-content, as in, it buys up the rights to broadcast GoT a year in advance. That means, no-one, not Netflix, Not HBO, not Amazon Prime, nobody but them, has the rights to broadcast GoT in South Africa. Should Netflix simply allow GoT watching in SA, Multichoice's lawyers will be at their doors with a lawsuit in a matter of minutes, And Multichoice would win! So, Netflix MAY NOT broadcast content already licensed in that country by another provider. It's that simple. If your IP is South African, centain content that is already licensed to other providers cannot be shown, due to pre-existing broadcasting rights. So let's go VPN! With the VPN, you may be presenting Netflix with a UK IP address, and maybe GoT is available to watch. The problem with this is, you are now effectively giving Netflix the middle-finger. You're screwing Netflix over by going against an agreement that prohibits you from watching GoT on that platform. You are now watching the content as a pirate, and screwing Netflix. So what do they do about it? Well, throttle known-VPN's. If they cannot categorically define where you are connecting from, they have to take some action around protecting against illegal-use, or they will get sued. It's not about you, it's about them. VPN's hide your originating-country or location, and as such, make it harder for Netflix to know what selection to offer you, so they shut things down to prevent legal action.

Your VPN hurts Netflix in trying to get more content for your region, because now it not only doesn't know that a South African market exists for something, it doesn't know at all. If I search for "Supernatural" from a SA-based Netflix account, I will find nothing. But if 20,000 people do the same, Netflix is going to take notice, check broadcasting right, and if all is well, probably get a license from TheCW to show Supernatural on its SA offering.

Part 3, Anyone?
 
Part 2, then!. The other side of this is quite literally a legal issue. There are a plethora of cable and satellite-based content-providers around the world. These providers need to protect what they have paid for. It's basically broadcast-rights. For example, in South Africa, Multichoice is the big bad boy when it comes to premium-content, as in, it buys up the rights to broadcast GoT a year in advance. That means, no-one, not Netflix, Not HBO, not Amazon Prime, nobody but them, has the rights to broadcast GoT in South Africa. Should Netflix simply allow GoT watching in SA, Multichoice's lawyers will be at their doors with a lawsuit in a matter of minutes, And Multichoice would win! So, Netflix MAY NOT broadcast content already licensed in that country by another provider. It's that simple. If your IP is South African, centain content that is already licensed to other providers cannot be shown, due to pre-existing broadcasting rights. So let's go VPN! With the VPN, you may be presenting Netflix with a UK IP address, and maybe GoT is available to watch. The problem with this is, you are now effectively giving Netflix the middle-finger. You're screwing Netflix over by going against an agreement that prohibits you from watching GoT on that platform. You are now watching the content as a pirate, and screwing Netflix. So what do they do about it? Well, throttle known-VPN's. If they cannot categorically define where you are connecting from, they have to take some action around protecting against illegal-use, or they will get sued. It's not about you, it's about them. VPN's hide your originating-country or location, and as such, make it harder for Netflix to know what selection to offer you, so they shut things down to prevent legal action.

Your VPN hurts Netflix in trying to get more content for your region, because now it not only doesn't know that a South African market exists for something, it doesn't know at all. If I search for "Supernatural" from a SA-based Netflix account, I will find nothing. But if 20,000 people do the same, Netflix is going to take notice, check broadcasting right, and if all is well, probably get a license from TheCW to show Supernatural on its SA offering.

Part 3, Anyone?
I am interested in the rest of what you have to say part 3 & 4 please
 
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