by Vodafone intervenes, the network operator blocks various streaming domains. This includes the well-known “Burning Series” page, which is no longer directly accessible for Vodafone customers. In the meantime, Vodafone has issued a statement that the blockade will comply with a request from the rights holders.
Read these articles about SmartDNS, VPN and Geoblocking first, to get a better understanding:
- https://ventsmagazine.com/2019/05/24/watch-geoblocked-movies-abroad-with-smart-dns/
- https://www.empiremovies.com/2019/05/20/smart-dns-or-vpn-whats-better-to-watch-movies-abroad/
- https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/dns/what-is-1.1.1.1/
https://www.vodafone.com/content/index.html
Vodafone has now made a detailed statement to Netzwelt as to why one or the other user is currently being annoyed. Among other things, one refers to the obligation to block websites with “illegal offers” under certain conditions.
Due to the provisions of German and European copyright and telemedia law, access providers such as Vodafone are legally obliged under certain conditions to block access to websites with illegal content – e.g. illegal streaming offers of films and TV series. The Federal Supreme Court (BGH) has meanwhile substantiated this legal situation in a decision of principle. Such an obligation of the access provider to block Internet pages exists, according to the Federal Court of Justice, if the attempt of the rights owner to make direct use of the operator of the illegal offer is unsuccessful.
Rights owners demand the block
Currently, the rights holder of the TV series “Das Boot” has asked Vodafone to block domains through which the websites “s.to” and “b.to” can be accessed. The owner of the rights has made it credible to Vodafone that this series can be accessed illegally via the Internet portals s.to and bs.to without the necessary consent of the owner of the rights. The copyright holder has assured us that it is not possible for him to enforce his rights in any other way than by blocking access to these pages. Vodafone is of the opinion, after thorough legal examination, that we are currently obliged to block access to these Internet pages in accordance with the mandatory statutory provisions. As soon as these requirements no longer apply, Vodafone will lift the block again.
- Vodafone is currently blocking its own customers from various portals.
- The operators of the websites want to defend themselves against this, speak of “censorship republic”.
- In fact, such blocking is a serious encroachment on the free Internet, which must be criticized and questioned. But where do you draw the line, when is a block okay and when not?
DNS change lifts lock and accelerates the Internet
Changing the DNS server in the router or on the PC can bypass these locks. I myself have been using Cloudflare’s DNS server 1.1.1.1 for quite some time, which I have stored in my router. This is primarily due to me, however, because the DNS server of my provider is miserably slow in comparison.
