It is great to have the option of accessing TV over the internet. Some premium entertainment systems, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, are only available over the internet. However, they aren’t available to everyone in the world.
Some websites require a subscription before they will let you access their content. However, payment is not the only requirement that they place on viewers. You also have to be in the right location. If you travel on vacation to Hawaii or Miami, you won’t notice these access controls. This is because the restrictions on access to video streams are imposed to enforce national boundaries. So, when you decide to travel abroad, you will suddenly find that all of those video sites you use at home don’t work anymore. This can be particularly irritating if you are trying to access a service that you have paid for.
Video access controls are known as “regional restrictions” or “geo-location restrictions.” All bona fide video streaming services use this method of control. That means, not only do video sites in the USA limit access to people who are in the country, but almost all video sites all over the world do it — except for pirate sites.
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