Bypass geo-blocking with a VPN: is it allowed?

Activating a VPN is not only smart for your privacy, because you can also use it to watch series and movies that are not available in the Netherlands. But is it really allowed to circumvent this geographical blocking?

Bypass geo-blocking with VPN: is it allowed?

If you pay for a streaming service in the Netherlands, it won’t include anything available in the US, for example. For example, you now watch series such as Pokerface, Star Trek: Discovery and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur in America, but they are not available in the Netherlands. This is called geo-blocking: making content available exclusively for specific regions.

A VPN is a way to circumvent this geographical blocking. With a VPN, you can pretend your computer or smartphone is somewhere else. This is great for protecting yourself from snoopers, but it’s also a way to trick streaming services. This is because if a streaming service thinks your device is in the United States, you’ll be able to see offers from that country.

Why is the offer not the same everywhere?

Usually, exclusive and original series from streaming services are the same in all countries, but other series and movies are not. Indeed, streaming services must pay royalties to put titles on their platform. These rights determine how long and in which countries these series and films are available.

Take the Luther series, for example. The new film is a Netflix exclusive, but the original series was created by the BBC and the rights were later sold to various streaming services. This means you can stream Luther in the Netherlands on HBO Max and in the US on Hulu. These rights expire after a certain period of time, after which the series can move on to another streaming service.

Why do streaming services block VPNs?

Streaming services often go out of their way to dissuade you from using a VPN to bypass geo-blocking. Access is then blocked. Everything is related to these rights. A streaming service signs a license agreement, which states that this series or movie can only be on this platform in a specific number of countries.

If people from other countries can easily access it, it is in violation of this license agreement. So streaming services should do their best to prevent this.

Is it illegal to bypass geo-blocking?

Using a VPN to bypass geo-blocking to watch a series or movie in another country on a streaming service that you pay for is not illegal. It shouldn’t be, but you won’t get fined for it. However, if you’re using the VPN to access illegal content, that’s a different story.

Can I bypass geoblocking via VPN without any worries?

Just because it’s not illegal to use a VPN to bypass geo-blocking doesn’t mean you’re not in danger. If you subscribe to a streaming service, you agree to the terms of service.

Using a VPN to watch shows and movies from this streaming service in another country may violate these Terms of Service. It is then possible that the service intervenes and blocks your account.

Learn more about VPNs

You can use a free VPN or pay to use it. A free VPN is generally not recommended. However, there are many VPN myths that are not true. Did you also know that you can put a VPN on a modern Chromecast?