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Yu, Peter K. --- "A seamless global digital marketplace of entertainment content" [2017] ELECD 304; in Richardson, Megan; Ricketson, Sam (eds), "Research Handbook on Intellectual Property in Media and Entertainment" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2017) 265

Book Title: Research Handbook on Intellectual Property in Media and Entertainment

Editor(s): Richardson, Megan; Ricketson, Sam

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781784710781

Section: Chapter 10

Section Title: A seamless global digital marketplace of entertainment content

Author(s): Yu, Peter K.

Number of pages: 25

Abstract/Description:

In January 2016, Netflix, which aims to become ‘a new global Internet TV network’, launched its streaming service globally into more than 130 new countries. It also announced its plan to ban the subscribers’ use of proxies, unblockers and virtual private networks (‘VPNs’) to view movies and TV programs unavailable in the subscribers’ countries. With this ban in place, Australian subscribers will no longer be able to watch US shows until they become available Down Under. Likewise, US subscribers who are addicted to British shows will have to wait for those shows to come stateside. The content providers’ desire for this geocircumvention ban is easy to understand. If Australian fans have already watched a US show via Netflix, who will tune in when the show finally arrives in Australia? Thus far, movie studios and TV producers have repeatedly criticized Netflix for turning a blind eye to unlicensed viewing. Had the company continued to ignore geographical licensing restrictions, many of these content providers might eventually have pulled their material from the streaming service. Nevertheless, the recently announced VPN ban is unlikely to provide a long-term cure to the content providers’ chronic headaches. The problem lies not with Netflix, but with the unmet consumer demand in foreign markets. To some extent, the problem generated by the service’s subscribers reminds us of the early days of Napster, when consumers were eager to listen to music online but could not find legitimate access.