A VPN (virtual private network) is sort of a tool that helps you mask your real identity or IP address. It even makes it possible for you to access geo-restricted content which you wouldn’t be able to otherwise. For instance, you can watch American Netflix in UK as long as you’re using a trustworthy VPN that has your back at all times.
However, a question arises if streaming movies through a VPN is legal. Now we know, you wouldn’t want to get yourself in trouble just because you wanted to reach out a little and watch some shows that weren’t available in your UK content library. Surely, there’s no harm in that? Actually, the offense varies from country to country.
Many countries have banned the usage of VPNs for a variety of reasons. Let’s dive deeper, shall we?
Catching up on the basics
As mentioned previously, in countries like China, North Korea, Russia, and many others, the use of VPNs is not legal. That’s because the governmental laws of such countries are quite different from the rest of the countries. They’re stricter when it comes to monitoring online activities and such.
Such countries don’t approve when citizens try to bypass surveillance and censorship laws that are supposedly placed for their benefit. That’s why if you’re caught using VPNs in such countries, you may be fined heavily or receive a harsher punishment. So you might want to avoid using a VPN if you belong to such a country.
Now, as long as you don’t live in a country where VPN usage is banned, you should be good to go. However, bear in mind that whether you use a VPN or not, illegal activities are still illegal. Just because you’re masking your identity while breaching someone else’s data, you’re still committing a crime, and you could possibly face criminal charges for it.
That’s why if you’re streaming a show or TV channel, we’d suggest you stick to it and not wander anywhere else. On the other hand, many streaming websites like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, and others prevent streaming when you use a VPN. So you’d better equip yourself with an alternative or read the terms and conditions carefully.
Torrenting and streaming
Look, it may be heartbreaking to learn but downloading unauthorized torrents even through a VPN is illegal. The same goes for torrents of any movies, music, games, tv shows, and rest. If you take European law into consideration, you cannot download any file unless you have express permission from the owner or are in possession of the copyrights for the content.
Torrenting through VPN has become quite popular all over the world. So, it has become sort of a common practice. But we’d advise you to check in with the laws in your country to stay on the safe side.
Streaming movies and shows through free platforms such as Kodi and Popcorn Time is also illegal. If you’re in possession of illegal downloads, you could be subjected to certain fines. That’s why it’s much safer to rely on legal means of streaming rather than opting for illegal means.
You can always stream content legally by getting yourself a subscription to streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. In fact, nowadays, many streaming services offer free trials, so you can avail them and figure out if the hype is worth paying for on a monthly basis.
If not, you can cancel your subscription within the free trial period and not pay a single dime unless you want to continue the service.
Watching Geo-Blocked Content
If you’re living in the UK, we can understand why you’d itch to get your hands on the huge content library offered by the US. There are some shows that just aren’t available in the UK, sadly. For instance, if you’re a Kdrama fanatic, we doubt you can use Netflix to watch your favorite dramas because they wouldn’t be offered in your region.
Most streaming services’ content libraries vary from country to country because production houses sign certain copyright agreements so that their content is shown to a particular set of regions given the demand. As a result, the rest of the world cannot watch it unless you use a VPN to bypass the geo-restrictions.
Although it may seem sneaky and tricky at first but using a VPN to stream movies and shows is pretty straightforward as long as you use a premium VPN for the works. You can continue to use a new IP address every time you use a streaming platform, and that should help you keep your identity anonymous.
There are plenty of premium VPN services like ExpressVPN or Surfshark through which you can get access to any region’s content library with ease.
Using a premium VPN
Basically, as long as your country allows the use of a VPN, you won’t face any complicated issues in order to watch a movie or a tv show that’s geo-restricted. First of all, you need to get a subscription to a premium VPN. Nowadays, many VPNs offer a variety of packages, from budget-friendly options to student packages or even a family package, so your entire family can enjoy using a VPN.
Although before signing up, we would suggest you thoroughly research the VPN you intend on subscribing. Sometimes a few sneaky VPNs will spring up additional charges later on, which can become a headache.
Once you’ve done your research, get a suitable subscription package, download and install the app, and get started! Simply switch to the region you want to explore and start streaming straight away.
Conclusion
Hopefully, now you know the use of a VPN is legal to watch or stream movies as long as your country allows it. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the laws and regulations of your homeland to avoid unnecessary troubles later on. In the meanwhile, trust the VPN because it’s got your back. So, bring out those popcorn and comfy PJs because you’ll be quite busy for a good while.