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Netflix Blocks Many IPv6 Users Over Geolocation Difficulty
An anonymous reader writes: In another example of content owners putting the screws to Netflix and consumers, network operators are reporting that the popular streaming service has begun blocking many customers on IPv6 connections. Many users of Hurricane Electric's IPv4-to-IPv6 service have been blocked entirely, while users on ISPs that provide native IPv6 are also facing difficulty connecting and watching shows. Netflix customer service has been advising users that the only workaround is to completely disable IPv6 on their computers. The ban on IPv6 appears to be the latest round of a wider crackdown against users whose IP address can't be sufficiently geolocated. While the rest of the internet moves forward with implementing IPv6, content owners are forcing Netflix to move backwards.
I'm curious if this will utterly destroy IPv6's reputation among Internet users at large.
It's no secret that IPv6 has been taking forever to deploy. Many network admins and more technical folks are skeptical about it, even if most Internet users have no idea what it is.
This will likely be the first exposure that many average Internet users will have had to IPv6, and it won't have been a good experience for them.
They'll now see IPv6 as that "problematic" technology that they disabled to get Netflix working again.
And once disabled on their computers, it's unlikely that it will ever be re-enabled again. After all, they'll want to continue being able to watch Netflix.
Historians may very well define this month as the one when IPv6 went from being a delayed technology rollout to a complete and utter failure.
IPv6's reputation may now be tainted in the eyes of many Internet users, much like how systemd has tainted Linux's reputation, and how Firefox's reputation has declined over the years.
is to discontinue subscribing to Netflix. ( Unlike Cable or Satellite, discontinuing / restarting service is dead simple. )
Enough folks follow this method and Netflix will set a world record in getting this issue resolved.
IPv6 is a solution to several problems that _do_ exist! Have you ever looked at the changes from IPv4 to IPv6?
Not going to happen. If they fuck up Netflix, people will just go back to pirating their shit.
According to Google, about an eighth of all their traffic today is IPV6, the percentage is growing, and the rate is accelerating. If you were waiting for a clear sign from the heavens that it's time to finally start supporting IPv6 as at least equal to IPv4, then you can stop waiting. While almost all of those systems currently also have native IPv4, it's absolutely insane to ignore v6 traffic in 2016. Do it at your and your employer's own peril.
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
In the short term, end users are still going to have ipv4 addresses. The immediate problem with having run out is for new servers, or new ISPs.
The real problem here is that netflix should be handling it at their end; stop returning ipv6 DNS responses and peoples computers won't try to connect with ipv6. Making customers turn off ipv6 on their computers will result in those users being unable to connect to some new services. Plus, many don't know how. The ad-hoc system of allowing some ipv6 blocks but not others is going to hurt them unless it only affects a small number of people.
You are correct on both parts. IPv6 makes it easier to geolocate fixed nodes. It is easier to geolocate fixed nodes because of what you stated. A single block can cover every single customer an ISP has and could ever have until the end of time. Mobile nodes not so much, but let's not muddy the waters here. The studios are the ones that brought this to Netflix and more than likely they'll bring it to everyone else in good time. The problem with being first and Netflix is they're the ones stuck trying to build the database and developing relationships with folks like Comcast, who would love for you to roll over and die any day now, to keep that database up-to-date enough to please the content gods.
It's a super shitty situation that Netflix is being placed in and Netflix is deploying a really brain dead way of trying to weasel out of this rock and hard place. Geez, I hate the way all this crap goes down because they all are acting like stupid five year olds.
I could be wrong, but I doubt that Netflix wants to implement any kind of geo-restrictions on its content. The problem -- as I understand it -- is that the rights to various media follow an extremely antiquated system, where one group might own the north American rights, another the European Union rights, another the Oceania rights, etc.
Again, this is just my understanding, but I think Netflix couldn't care less about who has access to their content; but if the studio execs get word that Netflix is allowing users to "illegally" access content, then they face revocation of the content rights.
geolocating IPv6 --- hmmm.... an interesting problem.
It ought to be a non-problem: Do away with the licensing bullshit that requires it. The whole thing was and is less than effective anyway.
The problem here is the content creators (*IAA asshats) who have no business sense. I can not get a good justification for the complexity of their distribution channels (country codes in dvd drives, IP restrictions, all of if). Why? Why?
/rant
If it's a sales tax issue, then the local taxes should be bolted after the sticker price ($9.99 + tax). If it's because censorship beauros around the world need to get and classify the material, fine! But let the governments worry about blocking it. This becomes a real problem when customers in countries not seemingly affected by these externalities end up suffering and have to regress in technology because of it.
And speaking of backwards, why isn't Netflix itself who is suffering the issue turning off IPv6? Why should I fuck up my home router because their service doesn't work with the latest shit? Clearly I'm living right here (SoCal), since my card and my billing address are here. Complain to their support dept and claim you need V6 for work, make them fix it, or lose business!
Why would Hillary do that? She's in the pocket of the copyright cartels.
I imagine that the present situation exists because studios are unwilling to license programs to Netflix on "billing address" terms. Instead, studios require geolocation of where the subscriber is located, not where the subscriber has an offshore bank account.
Just as a point of clarification, "*AA asshats" are NOT content creators. They are leeches.
[DISCLAIMER: This post is a work of satire and should not be misconstrued as a holy text upon which to base a religion.]