Skip to main content

Piracy could be on the rise in Canada following Netflix VPN shut-out

Earlier this year, Netflix began to crack down on those using VPNs to access content not available in their geographical region. This began in earnest in Australia, but recently Canadians have also found themselves unable to use VPN services to access Netflix internationally.

Instead of simply accepting this and watching something else, however, Canadian users are increasingly turning to piracy, according to a CBC report. Users don’t look at what they’re doing as illegal, and are baffled that Netflix would rather turn away revenue than let them access content in a different country.

Recommended Videos

Of course, Netflix itself would probably like nothing better. These restrictions are largely due to efforts by Hollywood studios to impose exclusive per-country licensing agreements. With Netflix’s global expansion, begun earlier this year, now in full swing, this has become a much larger problem for studios than it was at first. As a result, many countries’ libraries are much smaller than what’s available in the U.S.

“It’s kind of frustrating because you try to be legal, you try to be aboveboard. And they’re just big bullies and I’m really tired of big bullied,” former Netflix customer Suzan Lorenz told the CBC. “It just really annoys me someone out there is censoring and telling us what we can see.”

Lorenz is only one among many who are considering turning to piracy in Canada, and that’s a bigger problem than Netflix might have anticipated. A recent study shows that not only are Canadians bigger cord-cutters than Americans, but the study’s author Brahm Eiley says that Canadians are “kind of more comfortable going out and finding content in whatever creative way they want,” which could mean streaming, but could also lead to piracy when the former isn’t available.

In Netflix’s earnings call last week, CEO Reed Hastings called those affected by recent VPN bans “a very small but quite vocal minority,” adding that they were inconsequential to the company’s future. Even if that’s the case, while the company’s subscriber base has been growing, it’s stock price has not been keeping pace, suggesting that while Netflix is on top for now, it isn’t invincible.

Kris Wouk
Former Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
Check out this great romantic drama before it leaves Netflix next week
Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen as Lizzie and Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice.

In spite of the many wonderful movie adaptations that have come out of her work, Jane Austen is still viewed, at least in certain circles, as old-fashioned or boring in the same way that many authors from the 19th century are. If you ever find yourself harboring the delusion that Austen's work isn't interesting, though, all you really need to do is watch Joe Wright's 2005 adaptation of Pride & Prejudice.

Even though it's a faithful adaptation of its source material, the movie springs to life almost immediately and uses the conventions of its story to its advantage. Unfortunately, if you want to check the movie out on Netflix, you only have until the end of October. Here are three reasons you should take the time to do exactly that.
The material never feels dull or uninteresting
Pride & Prejudice (2005) Official Trailer

Read more
Netflix is testing out new charges for sharing passwords
Henry Cavill as Geralt in a scene from season 2 of The Witcher.

If you've ever shared your Netflix password with anyone outside of your household, then there's a high probability that Netflix knows about it. And while Netflix has yet to ban the practice, the streaming service is taking new steps to monetize it. Via Netflix's official blog, Chengyi Long, the streaming service's product innovation director, announced that the company is testing out plans to charge an extra fee to accounts that share their passwords.

For now, the options are only being tested in three countries: Costa Rica, Peru, and Chile. The good news is that the early version of the fee comes in at under $3 in all three countries. However, Netflix will evaluate the results before determining whether to raise the fee or if the practice will be brought to America.

Read more
Netflix teases Knives Out 2 and the rest of its 2022 films
The cast of Knives Out 2 walks up the steps of a boat.

The new year is only a month old, but Netflix wants to send an important message about its 2022 plans: It has no intention of giving up its status as the king of the streaming services. There will be 86 Netflix original movies released in 2022, which is 16 more than the 70 original flicks that Netflix released in 2021. In short, "every night is movie night."

Netflix has released a promo video for its 2022 films that feature several A-list stars breaking character in the midst of their clips to extoll the virtues of Netflix's approach. There's even a first look at Knives Out 2, which is currently in production, with a return appearance by Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc.

Read more