Want to watch Hulu but not pay for it overseas? That is coming to an end as the video-streaming site is moving to curb piracy by blocking VPNs overseas, where users are able to stream content without paying for it.
According to reports, Hulu has already begun denying access to its service by regularly used VPN services, in the United States and abroad. For American-based users, the site is telling users to "disable your anonymizer" in order to be seen as coming to the site with verifiable credentials.
The overall aim is to force foreigners and those accessing Hulu from abroad to stop doing so.
Although Hulu has not publicly stated their intentions with the effort to force away VPN users from the site, it is clear from early reports that foreigners attempting to get onto Hulu using a VPN from abroad are being barred. This is a move that Hulu had been expected to go forward with for some time.
Those using VPN services to protect against privacy may come up against walls, even if they are paying users of Hulu. It is unclear if the crackdown will affect paid members services or if Hulu is going after a specific set of Internet addresses and sites. Tech experts say it is unclear if all VPNs will be barred from using Hulu, or if only a certain select number will.
It has already prompted a number of VPN companies, including Private Internet Access to discuss with Hulu solutions against being blocked.
"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," a notice from Hulu reads.
Using VPNs has become increasingly popular, especially after the revelations over Internet information being taken and used by companies to sell to advertisers and the government. The Heartbleed Bug, which has spawned widespread privacy concerns, has also emboldened the VPN sector, where users are able to browse online without personal information falling into large corporations' hands.
Still, Hulu is looking to rid itself of users pirating their services, and watching television and movies online. This is part of an overall industry effort to end piracy of pay services. For Americans, however, it could result in another stepping stone toward privacy.
Hulu has become one of the leaders in online video-streaming services and it hopes to continue to offer the best experience for users, but wants to maintain a payer's commitment to watching online and hopes that by cracking down on VPNs it will begin to erase a number of "free riders."
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