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An end to country restrictions for streaming within the EU?
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this post was submitted on 29 Oct 2023
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Kinda funny. A few years ago on R*ddit I ranted how Netflix and co don’t have to abide geoblocking laws and can just restrict content based on country and people called me an idiot for not understanding licensing laws.
And now this.
Netflix "hides behind" licensing deals that restrict it but those are just as problematic as Netflix own restrictions.
Licensing laws are an issue though. Just because they pass a bill saying you can’t restrict access to content doesn’t mean that they can open it up to a market that their contract doesn’t allow for. This could end up backfiring and having them remove lots of content from all regions in order to comply with this demand.
Yes, but just like the universal charger laws companies will simply have to alter their offerings to still fit the market. In the beginning they might have to pull some titles and frantically renegotiate, but remember that the owners of the media have a monetary interest in their material being accessible to customers. Future licensing deals will simply be different and encompass the entire EU.
Many contracts have long terms and took time and effort to negotiate. A law like that would have large revenue implications. It would upend the entire business. I wouldn’t be surprised if the entertainment companies take this to court or pull out of those markets entirely. The EU should not dictate product offerings. If people don’t like a service’s offerings, they can use another one. It is an abuse of their power.
If anything it is an abuse of the powers granted by copyright law to those companies to only offer content in very limited ways.
Imagine if you only watch a show on Netflix is you are physically in Texas and as soon as you are in Oklahoma you can't anymore. And then believe Netflix would pull out of the US market just because the federal government passed a bill mandating that content needs to be available in the entire US and not just select states.
Sorry, I understand and partially agree that this can put streaming services in a tricky situation but I strongly disagree with this.
It is exactly the duty of legislature like the EU to define the rules in a market and counteract market imbalances.
Just Netflix fanbois.
Those really exist? Recently I’ve heard many comments from people who stopped paying and started sailing the high seas instead.
Yes, recently. The time context in the above comment is " a few years ago".
Sorry what's the difference between geoblocking and restricting content based on country? Aren't those the same thing?