Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

VPN Blockade Backlash Doesn't Hurt Us, Says Netflix (torrentfreak.com)

Posted by msmash on from the pull-the-blockade-entirely-then dept.

Ernesto Van der Sar, writing for TorrentFreak: Netflix CEO Reed Hastings says that the recent crackdown on VPN and proxy users hasn't hurt the company's results. The VPN blockade only affects a small but vocal minority, according to Hastings, and there are no signs that hordes of subscribers are abandoning ship. Earlier this year Netflix announced that it would increase its efforts to block customers who circumvent geo-blockades. As a result, it has become harder to use VPN services and proxies to access Netflix content from other countries, something various movie studios have repeatedly called for. When asked about the impact of the VPN changes on the results, Hastings brushed the issue aside as a minor detail that doesn't impact the bigger picture in any way. "It's a very small but quite vocal minority. So it's really inconsequential to us, as you could see in the Q1 results." Earlier this year, Hastings also admitted that a VPN-blocking policy might be impossible to enforce.

5 of 98 comments (clear)

  1. Small and inconsequential by Macdude · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If it's small and inconsequential, why bother blocking it at all?

    --
    "Grab them by the pussy" -- President of the United States of America
    1. Re:Small and inconsequential by MightyMartian · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Because the rights holders demand it. It's the only way Netflix can guarantee they'll continue being allowed to show their content.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    2. Re:Small and inconsequential by dmbasso · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Because the rights holders demand it.

      And it seems it's inconsequential to them as well. And from that we can extrapolate and say that those users, that were willing to pay but now are probably going to get the content by illegal means, doesn't really matter. It's a win-win-win scenario!

      --
      `echo $[0x853204FA81]|tr 0-9 ionbsdeaml`@gmail.com
    3. Re:Small and inconsequential by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Most people won't bother to get the content by illegal means - they'll just watch something else from Netflix.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
  2. Re:This bull by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Then Netflix shouldn't put it on my list. Or rather they should dish out for the rights, they've continued to increase prices while dropping more than half their content.

    You should just stop paying them.