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HBO Cracks Down On People Using HBO Now Outside Of The US

By Nick Tylwalk

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For the time being, HBO Now is only available to users in the US, and can only be viewed inside the US within the terms of service. Some people have found a way around those restrictions, but HBO is taking action to prevent such unauthorized use.

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As reported by Daily Mail Australia, the land down under has been a particularly large market for viewers trying to get around the geographic restrictions, but HBO is aware of what’s been going on and has sent notification emails saying that accounts suspected of circumventing the terms of service will be deactivated as of April 21.

Interestingly, Australian citizens using a virtual private network, or VPN, are not committing any crimes according to their nation’s laws. However legality isn’t really the issue here; HBO has been very clear that HBO Now is only for use in the US, and the rights for premium cable of any kind overseas can be complicated to say the least.

Australians can watch some HBO shows, like Game of Thrones, via Foxtel, which has the rights to air new episodes the same time they debut in the US. Whether or not Aussies get the entire HBO Now experience at some point is very much a “wait and see” type of deal.

Until then, users trying to bypass geographic restrictions are getting very clear emails from HBO explaining that they are in the wrong:

"It has come to our attention that you may have signed up for and viewed video content on the HBO NOW streaming service from outside of the authorized service area (the United States, including D.C. and certain US territories).We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that the HBO NOW streaming service is only available to residents of the United States, for use within the United States.Any other access is prohibited by our Terms of Use."

(via Daily Mail Australia)

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