AfterDawn: News

Sorry, privacy fans: Hulu now blocking VPN users

The streaming video service Hulu has begun blocking users accessing the site through VPNs in an effort to block international users from seeing videos available only in the U.S.

As of this weekend, VPN users, including Americans trying to access the Web legitimately, will receive an error message.



The message reads: "Based on your IP-address, we noticed that you are trying to access Hulu through an anonymous proxy tool. Hulu is not currently available outside the U.S. If you're in the U.S. you'll need to disable your anonymizer to access videos on Hulu,"

Hulu's updated blocklist covers a huge range IPs from of all major VPN providers.

While such a move makes sense for Hulu and other streaming companies that do not want give unlicensed access to domestic shows, American users have rightful complaints as many are using the VPN to browse more securely, and not to see unauthorized content.




Source:
TorrentFreak

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 26 Apr 2014 0:36

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• 4 comments

• biglo30

  Wow really hulu? I hope this is not the same for the premium users. Free users I can understand why they want to do this but if this is also done for the premium paying users (who by the way still have to watch a bunch of commercials)this is terrible.
  

  
  

  26.4.2014 15:44 #1

• joebloe12

  Hulu is crappy anyway....who wants all those idiotic commercials?
  
  I can watch TV if I wanted that.
  

  27.4.2014 07:40 #2

• bhetrick

  Originally posted by biglo30: Wow really hulu? I hope this is not the same for the premium users. Free users I can understand why they want to do this but if this is also done for the premium paying users (who by the way still have to watch a bunch of commercials)this is terrible. From a business standpoint, one could easily understand that Hulu would want as many subscribers as possible. So blocking vpn's (or anyone for that matter) wouldn't make sense.
  
  So this seems like this could easily be the content providers having agreements with Hulu to only transmit certain programming to specific regions. Hulu's just doing what is necessary to protect themselves.
  
  

  28.4.2014 08:38 #3

• dEwMe

  Originally posted by bhetrick:
  
  So this seems like this could easily be the content providers having agreements with Hulu to only transmit certain programming to specific regions. Hulu's just doing what is necessary to protect themselves.
  
  EXACTLY! This is nothing new. I can't go watch stuff on the BBC sites. They aren't asking for anything but you proving you are entitled to watch the content. Being a paying member or free shouldn't matter. Either you are in the US or not. Kinda like a bar. Either you show ID that you're 21 or get lost...
  
  

  Just my $0.02,
  
  dEwMe

  29.4.2014 12:35 #4