PayPal cuts off payments to UnoTelly Netflix-unblocking service

A Canadian company that helps people watch U.S. Netflix from Canada can no longer accept PayPal after the online payment processor cut off its service.

"On February 3rd, 2016, Paypal has severed payment processing agreement unilaterally and without prior warning," Toronto-based UnoTelly said on its blog Thursday.

"Paypal indicated that UnoTelly is not allowed to provide services that enable open and unrestricted internet access."

UnoTelly apologized for the inconvenience and said customers who pay using PayPal can choose to use a credit card instead.

PayPal'smove comesafterNetflixsaid it was implementing new measures to end the use of unblocking services like UnoTelly's.

Toronto-based UnoTelly is one of many companies that offer privacy technology that prevents online services such as Netflix, HBO Now, orHulufrom determining what country they're really visiting from.

By using such virtual private network (VPN) or DNS proxy services, Canadian Netflix customers can "border-hop" and watch shows such as Nurse Jackie or Hollywood movieblockbusters that are normally only available on Netflix in other countries, such as the U.S.

"Tired of being denied media content online because you are not in the U.K. or U.S.? UnoTellyallows you access to over 300geo-restrictedchannels regardless of where you live," saysUnoTelly'scustomer helpwebsite.

Some shows and moviesaren't available on Netflix in Canada because Netflixhasnot managed to negotiate a Canadian licensing agreement with the copyright holders. Copyright holderssuch as Bell Mediahave complained thatusers of such services are stealing from them.

• Netflix bound by copyright rules, contracts with studios

UnoTelly's services are available to customers in many countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Brazil and India.

"PayPal has recently discontinued service to certain businesses that actively promote their services as a means to circumvent copyright restrictions and violate intellectual property laws," the company told CBC News in a statement."We apologize for any disappointment this may cause our users."Netflix has notresponded to questions from CBC News.

Alleged copyright infringement

TorrentFreak, an online publication dedicated to copyright, privacy and filesharing, posted online an email that it says was sent from PayPal to UnoTelly.

It says that PayPal has determined that UnoTelly is "in violation of PayPal's acceptable use policy." It cites a section of the policy that says PayPal "may not be used to send or receive payments for items that infringe or violate copyright."

CBC News has asked UnoTellyabout the email, but as of 4p.m., hadn't received a response.

PayPal has previously refused to do business with other companies suspected of helping users violate copyright, such as cloud-storage service Mega and VPN provider iPredator, earlier TorrentFreak reports say.

Meanwhile, Netflix has apparently started directly contacting users of VPN services, according to Melbourne, Australia-based unblocking service Uflix, which reports that since Jan. 22, users have been getting messages that say, "You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy. Please turn off any of these services and try again."

Some consumer advocates have criticizedNetflix'scrackdown. Inablogpost this week,MeghanSali,digital rights specialist for Vancouver-basedOpenMedia, wrote that VPN is legal and "by far the most user-friendly way forinternetusers to encrypt their browsing traffic, and to ensure they have a private, secure connection...intoday's era of mass surveillanceand big data mining."

She added that it also allows users in some countries to protect themselves frominternetproviders that selectivelythrottle or slow down certain types of traffic. She added that while throttling is highlyrestricted in Canada, the rules are sometimes violated.OpenMediaadvocates for an openinternet.

• Bell executive says usingVPNsto skirt copyright is stealing
• Netflixbound by copyright rules, contracts with studios
• Cross-border streaming: Can Netflix 'stamp it out completely'?