Hulu begins blocking people who are using VPNs

If you use virtual private networks, or VPNs, to conceal your identity while surfing the Internet, you may be a little steamed at Hulu’s decision to block anyone attempting to use their site while connected to the Web via a VPN. Hulu has begun employing the practice this week, TorrentFreak reports. Hulu is reportedly blocking the use of VPNs because a large amount of people outside of the U.S. have allegedly been using them to connect to and use the streaming site via an IP address based here in the states. 

As it stands, access to Hulu is restricted in most countries outside the US for licensing reasons. That hasn’t stopped overseas users from accessing the site through US-based VPN (sneaky, sneaky), but it appears that Hulu has caught on to this workaround. As reported by TorrentFreak, Hulu appears to be blocking VPN users from being able to access the site. Although Hulu isn’t blocking VPNs directly—that is, it isn’t looking for signs that you’re on a VPN and blocking you accordingly, it’s blocking IP addresses associated with popular IP services. A VPN block doesn’t just impact international users, though; it also means that privacy-minded US residents who surf the Web through a VPN are also out of luck.