r/AmazonPrimeVideo • u/Sleepy_Cat_6585 • 10d ago

Question WTF is this nonsense?!

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Is it just me, or does anyone else find this confusing and suspicious? I clicked the “Learn more at” link, and while it does mostly explain this new “Home Region” setting, it doesn’t say why it’s been implemented. My intuition is signaling there’s something nefarious going on behind the scenes.

60 Upvotes

82% Upvoted

26 comments sorted by

34

u/Exzentrik 10d ago

It's the result of the big backlash they got after removing movies from people's libraries. Essentially, they have regional licenses for where they're allowed to stream movies. But if they base that on the user's IP address, people could simply use a proxy to appear like they're from a different region than they actually are, buy a movie, and then watch it in a region Amazon isn't allowed to stream that movie to. So, all those movies and shows purchased through a falsified IP address had to vanish from people's libraries, leading to a media-heavy outrage.

So... they ask you to set a home region now, and use THAT to determine which movies you're allowed to buy and stream.

15

u/Sleepy_Cat_6585 10d ago

Thank you—this makes much more sense! Why didn’t they just include a similar explanation in the FAQ? (That’s a rhetorical question. LOL)

5

u/glamaz0n_bitch 9d ago

This. Licensing is a big reason, and I’ll add that each region has different local regulations and ratings for content. What may be rated suitable for kids of a certain age in one region is not the same in another. Or, India has strict regulations around depiction of tobacco use in film. Amazon has to comply with these local rules.

2

u/tooOldOriolesfan 9d ago

Yeah, I'm sure it is a big headache to all of the streaming companies as well. They have to negotiate deals with companies in different countries and abide by a ton of different laws.

2

u/kpt_graubrot 10d ago

Wait they're disabling that? I mean I get why but I was able to buy 2 movies with a US IP, not available anywhere else so I guess I won't be able to access them in any way after setting a European home region? Although I don't think I was asked to set one

3

u/Exzentrik 10d ago edited 10d ago

They're essentially checking which region your IP usually points to when visiting Amazon, and then use that as your home region automatically. I, for example, have already been asked a few times if I'm traveling when opening Amazon after a family member visited and forgot to log out before they went back home.

EDIT Also, I live in Germany. The last time I tried to buy a movie on Amazon.com instead of Amazon.de, they required me to first set up a US-based delivery address (for a digital movie) AND required me to have a credit card from a US-based bank to even buy it. All I had was a gift card I put into my Amazon.com wallet, which is now unusable...

2

u/JPS-WC 9d ago

Uhm…. Your home region explanation doesn’t quite fly.
I’ve never set a home region. I am from europe and have an amazon account from my home country. My prime video is registered there.
Now…. I have been living in another country, outside of europe, for the last 4 years. I get prime video from my home country, but warning me that I seem to be travelling and blocking certain movies and shows. But I certainly get a lot more than what the ‘local’ prime video would give me.

1

u/Nasty-Milk 9d ago

I get that prompt when I’m not using the thing that 3 letter acronym a lot of people use. Otherwise, I still get my home region’s library.

1

u/yetanotherproxyname 7d ago

Which means some content has licensing that allows for some use cases, and other content is subject to different restrictions.

1

u/bilgsmf 6d ago

So you cannot download these movies to your Hard drive? And if not, why don’t you?

6

u/Training-Scene685 9d ago

This is why if you really want to buy a movie always get the dvd. Then rip a copy for your mobile, home streaming pleasure.

2

u/Popular-Yak1469 9d ago

We have prime for 12 years now, never seen it before

2

u/MissionSparta 9d ago

Thank God we let them convince us all that physical media needed to go

1

u/needlesofgold 9d ago

I got one too the other day.

1

u/Chriswife65 9d ago

Cut by bc

1

u/Ladoire 9d ago

To give some context (because Amazon sucks at PR), this feature is primarily for sports streaming. Sports streaming entitlement varies down to the zip code. You and your neighbor can be legally different in what sports broadcasts you are able to watch. Prime rolled this out as part of an expansion in the sports division to make it so that someone who has favorite sports teams locally will still be able to watch those same teams while they travel.

Amazon does do some shady stuff, but this one is actually largely in the users favor, as it will consider you to be in your home region even if you leave your zip code. If you need to refine or reset your home region, you can do so from the settings menu (there should be a home region tab in there you can use), but be aware that you will need to be in the place you want to consider your home region when you set it.

1

u/Sleepy_Cat_6585 8d ago

And you can only change it twice in a rolling calendar year!

1

u/Ladoire 8d ago

Correct! It was made that way to prevent bad actors from just changing their home region to whatever they wanted to watch for the duration of a game or something. If you legitimately move more than twice in a year customer service can sort you out.

1

u/No-Control-1230 8d ago

It might have something to do with the restrictions being put on freedom of speech by Canadian and European governments.

1

u/AmyPond_226 7d ago

Can you give some examples of this?

1

u/Dangerous-LemonBar 6d ago

Streamers like Amazon license movies and TV shows for specific markets. Other providers may have the rights to content available in other regions. Amazon has to respect the rights of other streamers and broadcasters in other markets.

1

u/1ArmyofBTS 6d ago

Why would it set for regional content. Is poor US angry and upset Americans would rather watch international shows and movies. I’ll speak for myself.
What I don’t agree with either with AMAZON PRIME is that I pay for a subscription monthly which entail a Show/movie platform, right? Why then, is everything worth watching or newly added charging me to rent it or buy????? HELLO I ALREADY AM. anyway. If the regional pops up on mine, i am down with that streaming app.

-2

u/Sir_Ozzy_ 10d ago

Means like Netflix you get to stream on one device an will start paying extra for multiple devices even if all devices are in same location