Streaming Restrictions on Netflix

Netflix is a popular streaming service providing content from a wide range of media companies.

You can access Netflix from a computer or with a smart TV, PlayStation, Xbox, or other devices by using its app.

Netflix has been widely available in most countries around the world for some time now and it seems to be still working well as millions of people use it every day.

In 2007, Netflix had more than 20 million subscribers. With this increase in subscriber list, there also comes some streaming restrictions on Netflix which are mentioned below:

Restriction #1 – Netflix Restricted Certain Movies in Your Country

Some movies are not available for streaming on Netflix no matter how old they are.

This is because the movie studios did not renew the streaming rights to the specific movie on a per-country basis for each country.

For Example:

Some countries have a limited number of choices of movies to stream on Netflix.

Now that we know all about how movies and shows are restricted by geo-restrictions.

And whenever you come across this geo-restriction you will see Netflix streaming error, which bothers you, and then you will find some solution to overcome this geo-restriction.

Geo-restriction can be overcome by using a VPN. A VPN is software that hides your IP Address and gives you a new IP address so that you can access geo-restricted content without any trouble.

Restriction #2 – Netflix Removed Certain Movies Because of Not-renewable Streaming Rights

Netflix is a business and must abide by the rules set by movie studios to provide movies for streaming.

One such rule is that these movies are allowed to be streamed only for a limited amount of time.

Once this period expires, the streaming rights of the movies are not renewed. This forces Netflix to remove these specific movies from their libraries for streaming.

The following movies were not renewed for streaming on the Netflix service by the owners of the rights:

• ‘Resident Evil: Extinction’ (2007) and ‘Atonement’ (2007). These were available on the last check.
• Universal Studios has removed ‘Carlito’s Way’, ‘Heat’ due to the expiration of streaming rights.
• Sony has removed ‘Babel’, ‘High School Musical 3: Senior Year’ and ‘The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
• Warner Bros. has removed Jason Statham’s movies namely; ‘Crank’, ‘The Bank Job’.

Restriction #3 – Netflix Is Not Available in China

Netflix is currently not available in China because the Chinese government wants too many favors from them which they have been unwilling to give.

It also wants a larger share of revenue, but Netflix is unwilling to give this up.

It also might be because Netflix has not been able to work out a good data deal and this is something that they need to operate.

However, people living in China can still get access to Netflix using a VPN.

Restriction #4 – Strict Parental Control Restricts Many Movies on Netflix

The strict parental control set by some parents for their children makes it difficult or even impossible for them to stream certain movies.

While the movie studios try not to put any restrictions so that no one can watch a specific movie, they can’t have a different copy of the movie in each country.

It becomes difficult for children to watch the movies that they want because of parental control settings.

For Example:

Some parents block the movie The Hunger Games because of its “violence, blood and gore”.

Restriction #5 – Age Restriction

Age restriction is a restriction imposed on the viewer of Netflix.  A person below 18 years of age cannot access the website.

This restriction is put by Netflix to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).  

The act aims at ensuring that children under 13 years do not view content that is meant for adults only.

Age restrictions determine which ages can watch specific types of content.  For example, a person below 18 years cannot see the TV-MA(Mature Accompanied) content on Netflix.

This is because TV-MA includes horror movies and graphic violence that children under 13 must not watch.

Netflix also uses age restrictions to encourage parents to understand what their kids are watching.  

Restriction #6 – Some Netflix Originals Are Restricted Because of the Same Title

Some Netflix Originals are restricted because they carry the same name as already popular TV shows or movies.

This means that the streaming rights to these titles are already bought by other companies, forcing Netflix not to stream them.

For Example:

Netflix is restricting the “Marvel’s Daredevil” TV Series.

Netflix Originals with Same Names as Popular Titles:

• Marvel’s Daredevil (TV Series)
• Marseille (TV Series)
• The Defenders

Restriction #7 – The Available Content for Streaming on Netflix Is Always Changing

The availability of movies and shows on Netflix changes over time because of licensing restrictions. That’s why it can be difficult to find out if a specific movie or show will be available for streaming on Netflix.

For Example:

• You want to watch “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl”, but you read somewhere that it was available on Netflix. However, when you try to stream it – there’s no luck.

• Another person wants to stream “The Godfather” because it is one of their favorite movies but also comes up empty.

Conclusion

The restrictions on Netflix can be challenging. You may not always find the TV show or movie you want, and it’s difficult to figure out if a specific title will be available for streaming at any given time.

However, with patience and perseverance, there is still plenty of content to enjoy.

There are seven types of restrictions on Netflix that can make it challenging to find the right content.

We have mentioned these restrictions in our article, knowing these restrictions will definitely help you to bypass these hurdles that come while streaming on Netflix.

I hope this article has been helpful to you!