Netflix’s Absence in China
Stranger Things、Squid Game、The Witcher……Netflix’s hit shows attract global viewers, but the content is virtually inaccessible to Chinese subscribers. Netflix cannot operate directly in China due to policy restrictions. If Chinese viewers want to watch this content, there are usually only two options:
- either use a VPN to bypass restrictions, which comes with financial and technical costs;
- or simply turn to piracy websites, where you can access full episodes effortlessly with just a click.
Piracy Websites: Convenience or Trouble?
Due to platform oversight loopholes and inadequate policies and regulations, numerous piracy platforms in China provide access to content. On the surface, they appear to be “heroes” saving domestic audiences, but actually they are troublemakers. While they offer free HD Netflix sources while saving you the hassle of a VPN, you’ll be immediately flooded with pop-up ads when you open the site, and the pages can also sneak in malware and viruses. This kind of chaotic experience reminds me of a term – “Cyber Psoriasis”. They are like a persistent disease in the digital world that not only disrupts the user experience, but also hurts the viability of legitimate content.
A CNN article mentions that Renren Video had raised concerns for illegally distributing overseas content. It fills a gap in Chinese viewers’ demand for quality content, but the impact of such behavior on content creation and even the industry as a whole is worth pondering.
The Rise of Piracy: Driven by Users’ Cost-Benefit Calculations
In China, the vacancy of Netflix has led to an imbalance between supply and demand – users want to watch it, but there are no legal channels in the market to fulfill this demand. The rise of pirate websites is the result of the unequal distribution of resources in the economic system. Why do users choose piracy? The answer is simple: it’s cheaper, more convenient and more flexible. Compared to the monthly cost of subscribing to Netflix and buying a VPN service, pirate websites offer a “low-cost solution”. This reflects one of the characteristics of users’ economic decisions: they will always choose the option that meets their needs and costs them the least, even if it damages the industry as a whole.
Who Pays the Price for Piracy?
Maybe you’re thinking, isn’t piracy just about paying less to watch a show? But the truth is that piracy is not only stealing revenue from content creators, it’s also gradually weakening the environment in which high-quality content is produced. Big budget movies and series like those on Netflix rely on subscription fees from a large number of licensed users to support their huge production costs. If piracy continues to proliferate, fewer and fewer companies will take the risk of producing new content in the future.
On the other hand, users are actually paying for piracy. Things like those annoying pop-up ads, unsafe online environments, and even the risk of leaking personal data are all hidden costs.
Will We Ever Cure the “Cyber Psoriasis”?
Piracy websites may seem to satisfy audience demand on the surface, but the issues they bring are far more complex than they appear. To truly eliminate this “cyber psoriasis,” we first need to improve the economic system’s supply-and-demand relationship, and Netflix could try to launch more localized content in the Chinese market; there is also a need for media companies, users and policy makers to work together to create a healthier environment for viewers to consume content.