If Netflix could talk, it might cry out: “I’m a global streaming giant, but in China, I don’t even get a proper stage!”
Some say watching Netflix in China feels like a cross-border tech adventure, often spiced up with the suspense of a “crime thriller.” So, what is Netflix’s real status in China?
“Officially Nonexistent”
Let’s get one thing straight: Netflix is “officially nonexistent” in China. But this doesn’t mean you can’t access its content—it just doesn’t have its own legal platform. So why is Netflix banned in China?
Who’s Controlling the Gates?
From the perspective of Critical Political Economy, the production and dissemination of media content are restricted by structures of power and capital (Hardy, 2014). For global media companies entering a new market, political, cultural, and economic environments must be carefully considered. Netflix’s entry into China faces these same power dynamics. Unlike a free market, China’s cultural industries operate under government-led “rules of the game” (Lee and Jin, 2018).
The State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) acts as the “gatekeeper” of Chinese media content, enforcing strict regulatory requirements. Netflix’s catalog, with its politically sensitive topics, “edgy” elements, excessive violence, and even LGBTQ+ themes, cannot meet these standards. This forces global streaming giants to “find another way in.”
So, the main reason why Netflix is not available in China is the geo-restrictions and online censorship. In other words, for Netflix to work in the country, it needs to comply with strict government laws. This would affect most of the content that Netflix has to offer, therefore a fair amount of shows and movies wouldn’t be available.
Why is Netflix banned in China?
Moreover, China’s National Radio and Television Administration enforces strict regulations on content. As the “gatekeeper” of Chinese media, it prohibits shows containing politically sensitive themes, “inappropriate” elements, excessive violence, or even LGBTQ+ topics, making it difficult for global streaming giants to find a foothold.
Can You Access Netflix in China?
The answer is: Yes — via VPN!
For many Netflix fans, a VPN is like a “magic key.”
VPNs are not illegal in China, but their use is heavily restricted.
Using a VPN in China is not officially illegal. China allows VPN providers to operate as long as they cooperate with the state, which defeats the privacy purpose of having a VPN in the first place. Many VPN services are banned, and the government often threatens to block VPNs altogether.
The Chinese government has even gone as far as removing all VPN apps from China’s Apple Store.
Are VPNs in China illegal?
While Netflix has a ban against VPNs and proxy servers, it’s perfectly legal to use VPNs on Netflix; it just may not work. Netflix has specific licensing agreements with TV shows and movies, meaning that they’re only allowed to offer them to certain audiences, divided by country.
As VPNs replace IP addresses, making users seem like they’re elsewhere, you can see where this becomes a licensing issue. However, you don’t have to worry about being carted off to jail if you use a VPN on Netflix. Unless you’re in a country where VPNs are illegal, you should be safe and sound.
Will Netflix Ban Me If I Use a VPN?
This murky legality makes streaming Netflix with a VPN feel like a covert operation—as if at any moment, the internet police might knock on your door and ask, “What are you watching?”
Cultural Compromise: The Glocalization Dilemma
Media companies often turn to cultural compromise to adapt to their target markets. This process is well-explained through the lens of Glocalization, which emphasizes incorporating localized elements into global content production (Netflix, 2019). By creating “locality within global narratives,” media producers aim to balance cultural differences and cater to specific markets.
Netflix has used this strategy to achieve worldwide success with titles like the Mexican film Roma and the Korean drama Squid Game. However, in China, this approach faces the dual challenges of “cultural adaptation” and “cultural compromise.”
Some Netflix content reaches Chinese audiences through local platforms like iQiyi, but only after undergoing strict curation and “sanitization” to meet cultural and regulatory requirements (Cerullo, 2019). This selective licensing sacrifices part of the content’s cultural integrity, which, from a Critical Political Economy perspective, reflects the influence of capital and power on cultural production (Hardy, 2014). Nonetheless, this strategy allows Netflix to expand its global brand and at least ensures Chinese audiences can access its content rather than being entirely excluded.
Piracy: The Alternative Path
The final option? Pirate websites. These platforms provide unauthorised access to copyrighted content. From a Critical Political Economy view, they represent users’ resistance against monopolistic capital (Lee and Jin, 2018). From a Glocalization perspective, piracy serves as an informal yet effective way of adapting global content for local consumption (Gómez and Muñoz Larroa, 2022). While piracy offers short-term convenience for users, it risks undermining the long-term sustainability of cultural production, creating a paradoxical media consumption phenomenon.
Netflix in China
Netflix’s presence in China is both a microcosm of the globalized cultural industry and a counterpoint to China’s localized economic model. Analyzing this through Critical Political Economy (Hardy, 2014) and Glocalization frameworks (Netflix, 2019), reveals that cultural compromise helps media cross cultural barriers but often at the expense of diversity and creative tension.
What are your thoughts on this? Let’s discuss!