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Many Brazilians Are Seeking to Save on Digital Services Using VPN, but This Practice Can Violate Terms of Use and Bring Security Risks to Your Accounts.
The use of VPN to access lower prices on foreign streaming platforms and games has become popular. Although the tool itself is legal in Brazil, the “cleverness” of bypassing regional blocks to save money can be costly. Understand the legality, company policies, and the risks involved.
The Legality of Using VPN in Brazil: What Does the Law Say?
The use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is, in itself, legal in Brazil. The tool can be used for lawful purposes. It is supported by principles of the Internet Civil Framework, such as privacy and network neutrality. However, it is crucial to understand one point. The legality of the VPN does not extend to activities that violate contracts or third-party rights.
Is the Use of VPN Seen in a Positive Light?
The majority of major platforms have clear contractual clauses. These clauses, directly or indirectly, prohibit the use of VPN to circumvent geographical restrictions on pricing or access to content.
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Several companies are explicit about the use of VPN. Steam prohibits the use of VPN to exploit regional price differences. The platform considers this a violation of the terms of service and fraud. Spotify also prohibits circumventing territorial restrictions or content access in its guidelines.
According to the terms of use of Adobe Creative Cloud, it is prohibited to “circumvent any access or usage restrictions.” Meanwhile, Epic Games Store, while promoting regional pricing, may restrict or terminate access for violations. The use of VPN to bypass geo-restrictions would fall under this.
Netflix takes a different approach. It allows the use of VPN, but with a limitation. The catalog is restricted to globally available content. Thus, it is not possible to access specific prices or catalogs from other countries using a VPN. Additionally, ad-supported plans and live events do not work with VPN.
On the other hand, HBO Max (now Max) actively detects and blocks the use of VPNs. The platform requests users to disable the tool in order to access the service.
What Happens If You Use VPN to Bypass Prices?
The attempt to save money using a VPN to bypass prices can lead to various complications. Users expose themselves to penalties from platforms and security risks.
The main risk is account banning. This punishment can be a temporary suspension or even a permanent ban. This measure is confirmed for Steam and Xbox, and is implied for other platforms. With a ban, the user may lose access to game libraries, music, movies, software, and all previous purchases.
There are confirmed reports of Brazilian Xbox users being banned. They used VPN to purchase games in regions with lower prices, which was characterized as fraud by Microsoft. In addition to the ban, content restrictions may apply, as in the case of Netflix, or complete service blockage while the VPN is active, as with Max.
Especially with free or low-reputation VPNs, security and privacy risks increase significantly. Many of these VPNs track users’ online activities. This data can be sold to third parties, such as advertisers.
There is also the danger of exposure to malware and malicious ads, which can be injected by these VPNs. Weak or outdated encryption protocols can expose user data instead of protecting it. VPN failures can lead to the leakage of the real IP or DNS address, nullifying the purpose of the tool. It is important to remember that a VPN does not protect against all online threats, such as phishing or malware downloaded by the user, creating a false sense of security.
Payments and Extra Costs with VPN
In addition to penalties and security risks, using a VPN for purchases can lead to financial complications. Transaction failures are common. Payments may be denied if the payment method does not correspond to the region of the IP provided by the VPN. This has been reported by users and platforms such as Udemy.
Some financial institutions may also identify the use of VPN as a security risk. As a result, they may block access to banking apps or transactions. Finally, even if the purchase is completed, international transactions made with a credit card to pay for these services, even via VPN, incur IOF (Financial Operations Tax).
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