"This content is not available in your area."

Bretrick

Bretrick

Well-known Member
Location
Perth Western Australia
This is coming up more and more.
I was wanting to view an article on History.com and received the title message.

Their explanatory note was - Due to business and legal constraints, we are no longer able to offer History.com content in certain territories.
So I wrote them a short missive to voice my displeasure.

"I am writing to voice my displeasure at businesses and lawyers restricting what I can view in the public domain.
Banning or denying countries access to a webpage or website is disgraceful.
"Owner Rights" is destroying the free exchange of information and I can see one day where the majority of sites will require subscriptions to view content."

I always write to let companies know of my displeasure šŸ¤­
 

hollydolly said:
What always makes me scratch my head is when I'm reading or watching something about London.. or even England.. which was made in the UK.. and it tells me it's not available in my country... :unsure:
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That is particularly annoying. Shows that lawyers are controlling what the public can see. :(
 

Bretrick said:
I have always said I write for the 99.9% of people who do not write.
I would say each letter written would represent a much higher number.
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The problem with a written complaint is the information that you part with. Not the contents of the letter but your email address, or if you hand write a letter, your home address. It's all added to your profile and then sold on.
 
The blocking of any content, which I also experience,
regularly, is probably caused by an "Algorithm", one
that has found a bad or banned word/statement in the
content.

Nobody at the publishers end, I think, will answer any
written complaint.

They will only report to their boss that the system with
the new addition is working properly.

Mike.
 
horseless carriage said:
The problem with a written complaint is the information that you part with. Not the contents of the letter but your email address, or if you hand write a letter, your home address. It's all added to your profile and then sold on.
Click to expand...
That will not stop me writing.
I have nothing to do with unsolicited contact.
If and when I receive them, they are immediately allocated to spam.
I have been doing this for more than 40 years, - writing, complaining, pointing out wrongdoing and have never had any reason to worry about being spammed.
Sell my information, it will get them nothing and nowhere, excepting my email address.
 
Mike said:
The blocking of any content, which I also experience,
regularly, is probably caused by an "Algorithm", one
that has found a bad or banned word/statement in the
content.

Nobody at the publishers end, I think, will answer any
written complaint.

They will only report to their boss that the system with
the new addition is working properly.

Mike.
Click to expand...
I do receive answers from companies I write to. Obviously not a great deal of the time, but some companies feel the need to address my concerns.
Even if I do not get replies, I know that it is in the system somewhere.
We must let them know when they overstep the mark.
I would rather do something than do nothing.
 
Bretrick said:
This is coming up more and more.
I was wanting to view an article on History.com and received the title message.

Their explanatory note was - Due to business and legal constraints, we are no longer able to offer History.com content in certain territories.
So I wrote them a short missive to voice my displeasure.

"I am writing to voice my displeasure at businesses and lawyers restricting what I can view in the public domain.
Banning or denying countries access to a webpage or website is disgraceful.
"Owner Rights" is destroying the free exchange of information and I can see one day where the majority of sites will require subscriptions to view content."

I always write to let companies know of my displeasure šŸ¤­
Click to expand...
Like they give a damn.
 
I think the problem is where History.com got the content. There is no standard worldwide copy right laws. What one nation considers what has moved into the public domain varies from another nation's laws.. I remember when a US (UK?) rock band used a melody from a 17th century composer. After 300+ years, you'd think it would be in the public domain. Turns out-nope, in that one country of the composer's birth.. The band had to fork over big chunks of cash for copyright infringement. Copyright laws protect the people who create content. Say History.com may not have to pay royalties in the US, but will have to negotiate royalties in the UK. It's cheaper just to block the problem content in the UK
 
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Using a VPN service is a way around most, if not all, of those geographic restrictions.
Sure, it costs a little money or there are free ones as well but the paid services are
fairly inexpensive whereas the free ones are limited and not so great for streaming video.

Sometimes if you search for the video by its title, you often can find it from another
source that is not so restrictive of your IP address location. A VPN can also obscure
your online presence making what you do online nearly untraceable to ordinary means.
 
Freedom is a nice concept. Unfortunately, we have lost a lot of freedom over the years. People who think they have a lot of freedom haven't lived during the 1950s that I did.

Mind you, there was this nut case named McCarthy in the US. He made lists of people who he thought might be in favour of communist thinking. These folks were black listed. Many in Hollywood lost their jobs and could never act again.

Maybe there is freedom but to get that freedom you have to act the way you are expected to act. That is when freedom becomes a pipe dream. For example, ever see a motorcycle gang. You know, the "Born to Be Wild" bunch. Funny how they all are dressed exactly alike; yet they all claim that they are free! Join a motorcycle gang and dress differently from the rest and you'll find how much freedom you really have or don't have.
 

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Bretrick said:
I always write to let companies know of my displeasure šŸ¤­
Click to expand...
I would if I was convinced that anyone would:
A. Read my letter.
B. Care in the least.

What I will do is when invited to give a review or take a survey of some product or service....that's when I let them have it with both barrels.
But, in the long run nobody cares, but at least I know I tried.
 

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