It’s pretty clear now, isn’t it? Brexit is going to suck. No-one’s going to be happy with the outcome and we’re all going to continue hating and blaming each other. We’re going to get bugger-all Euros for our quids when going on holiday, and now it appears we won’t even be able to block each other out with some Netflix and Spotify comfort while abroad.
A new set of government papers detailing the implications of the disastrous ‘No Deal’ scenario were published on Friday and it seems – in that eventuality – Brits could be shut out of their online content subscriptions when they travel within in the bloc.
The crux of the matter is the current ‘portability’ agreement that binds the likes of Spotify and Netflix to offering access to their localised content libraries within the EU. Once Britain leaves, that arrangement goes out of the window and Brits could lose access unless a new accord is agreed with Europe post-Brexit.
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“The portability regulation will cease to apply to UK nationals when they travel to the EU,” the papers say (via Independent).
“This means online content service providers will not be required or able to offer cross-border access to UK consumers under the EU Regulation.UK consumers may see restrictions to their online content services when they temporarily visit the EU.”
Should this occur, Brits would probably still be able to access the likes of Spotify and Netflix, but would have to abide by the local libraries. However, the portability rules only came into play in April 2018, so it sure would be a shame to lose them now.
Couple that with the prospect of whopping post-holiday phone bills returning after Brexit, as roaming agreements end, it’s all looking very bleak for Europhile Brits after March 2019.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
