[AusNOG] Netflix coming to Australia

Tim Groeneveld tim at timg.ws
Mon May 26 15:14:39 EST 2014


True that.

>From Netflix's own Terms of Service:


You may view a movie or TV show through the Netflix service only in geographic locations where we offer our service and have licensed such movie or TV show. The content that may be available to watch will vary by geographic location. Netflix will use technologies to verify your geographic location. THE NUMBER OF DEVICES ON WHICH YOU MAY SIMULTANEOUSLY WATCH IS LIMITED. Go to the change plan information in the "Your Account" page to see the number of devices on which you may simultaneously watch. The number of devices available for use and the simultaneous streams may change from time to time at our discretion.


It's still better to pay the $13/month for content then paying nothing, however, technically you are against the Terms of Service of Netflix.


This raises a question though, it is against the terms and conditions, is it illegal? For example, is it against the DMCA (Anti-circumvention). The Wikipedia article states "Courts have come out both ways on the issue. Some have held that the anti-circumvention provisions can only be violated when the circumvention has a connection to copyright infringement.". So, according to the US, it may be legal to get around the geoblock, but you are still breaking the ToS of Netflix.


Here in Australia, check out the COPYRIGHT AMENDMENT ACT 2006.


http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/num_act/caa2006213/


Schedule 9 is all about Unauthorised access to encoded broadcasts.


Unblock-US could be defined as a "unauthorised decoder", in which case, you could be thrown into the slammer even for using Netflix using Unblock-US.





---- On Sun, 25 May 2014 22:03:40 -0700 Joseph Goldman <joe at apcs.com.au> wrote ---- 


  The problem with this though is it is still technically illegal is it not? The rights are not for distribution in AU so you are kind of breaking copyright just as much as a torrent? I suppose the only moral standpoint is you are providing money to someone which is likely to end up in the content owner getting some return, but its only a small moral victory and still not 'legitimate'.
 
 On 26/05/14 14:55, Geordie Guy wrote: 
 
 Unblock-us.com is $5 a month and Netflix is $7 a month.  That's what I do, $14 a month. I don't know how much that particular Unblock-Us solution makes up of the up-to 200,000 Australian subscribers who choose to purchase a Netflix subscription because there's heaps of other options, but it works for me and took approximately 8 seconds to set up.
  
 
 
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 opFRzAikrdiLfi3MuZpK6H0RhVkJew at mail.gmail.com" type="cite"> 
  
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