For years, we’ve escaped the shackles of our Internet service providers’ digital locks by way of virtual private network (VPN) tech, allowing us to bypass geographical blocks and consume content (savoury or NSFW; we don’t judge) only available overseas.
It came especially useful for the hordes of Netflix subscribers in Singapore who had already enjoyed the streaming service long before it officially launched here. That is, until Netflix made the highly unpopular move of cracking down hard on VPN users, restricting local subscribers to a very limited range of content.
But Netflix aren’t alone in being total spoilsports. The Ministry of Law is currently looking into making revisions to the Copyright Act, which will review the legality of VPN technology.
Yesterday, the ministry had asked for a review of the current exceptions that allow for bypassing “technological protection measures”, according to The Straits Times. The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (Ipos) played a heavy role in the whole thing, expressing concerns of copyright infringement when VPNs are used to circumvent geo-blocks. A two-month public consultation was launched yesterday as well to make the decision if VPN technology should be outrightly outlawed.
Aside from “protecting intellectual property”, we can totally see why the Singapore government does not like its citizens having unrestricted internet usage. Banned content (of political nature) like Tan Pin Pin’s To Singapore, with Love can totally be watched online right now via VPN.
