AfterDawn: News

Netflix Finland accidentally used pirated subtitle streams

Earlier this week, Netflix expanded to Nordic nations including Finland, Denmark and Sweden.

To be able to properly expand, the company added native language subtitles to some of the videos.



However, it appears that a few of those streams were "unauthorized" fansubs, created by the popular fansub community "DivX Finland." DXF has been translating subs for TV eps and movies since 2003 and has seen their subtitles downloaded 26 million times, says Freak.

Making a joke, DXF wrote on Twitter: "It's nice to see that the texts are used, but they did not ask permission."

Netflix apologized and pulled the subs immediately: "We buy movies and TV shows from many different distributors. Generally they provide the subtitles. We're investigating how these subtitles were added to Andromeda. We have removed the series from Netflix pending the investigation. We are a legitimate service and pay a lot of money for the TV programs and movies on Netflix, including subtitles."



Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 20 Oct 2012 13:42

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• 7 comments

• Hopium

  i like how they brag about paying money for what these guys have been doing for free for almost 10 years.

  20.10.2012 18:41 #1

• KillerBug

  I thought that it was legal to use these subtitles with owned content? What could any studio possibly gain by refusing to allow people to understand what is happening in their shows and movies?
  

  
  

  20.10.2012 21:35 #2

• Bozobub

  I believe the problem is more that they used the fansubs without permission.

  20.10.2012 21:43 #3

• xboxdvl2

  i honestly dont think DXF minded them using the subs, its good publicity.they should of asked permission.
  

  R.I.P. mr 1990 ford falcon.got myself a 1993 toyota corolla seems to run good.computers still going good.

  21.10.2012 02:21 #4

• LordRuss

  Originally posted by xboxdvl2: i honestly dont think DXF minded them using the subs, its good publicity.they should of asked permission. I think that's the issue right there, "they should have asked". Especially from a company that makes millions of dollars renting out movies globally. At least, like anything else borrowed, give DFX the proper credit for their hard work.
  
  Another question that should be asked as well is where in deed did Netnuts get the Finish movies from? Theoretically, it should have been from the studio/distributor, period. They are the ones that are supposed to get the proper dubbing & subtitles; so what is 'that' company doing?
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  21.10.2012 13:15 #5

• Ripper

  Quote:I think that's the issue right there, "they should have asked". Of course that's not the issue; the "issue" is that a large, paid digital content service is providing subtitles that are not "legitimate".
  

  
  

  21.10.2012 19:18 #6

• Bozobub

  From what the article says, I believe that the fansubs in question were for NON-native productions, that were shown in Finland, Denmark, and Sweden. The picture pretty much supports that, as well.

  21.10.2012 19:29 #7