Netflix’s conditions of use govern access to content according to the country of subscription and the territories in which the platform holds the necessary rights. A French subscription therefore allows access to the Netflix service, but not to all the catalogs on the planet. Too bad for the film spotted in a TikTok recommendation from elsewhere, but the contract does not work like an audiovisual passport, unless you move for good since Netflix only authorizes the change of country associated with the account in the event of a change of residence.
In practice, Netflix therefore does not promise access to any foreign catalog on the grounds that a subscription is active. If the platform detects a VPN, it can limit the display to titles available globally, display an error message or request deactivation of the tool. The blocking targets less the use of the VPN itself than its effect on location, since this data conditions the applicable broadcasting rights. Please note that the conditions of use also provide for the possibility of restricting or even terminating access to the service in the event of non-compliance with the rules.
A VPN can therefore be used to secure a connection, including before launching Netflix. On the other hand, using it for the purpose of modifying its location and accessing a foreign catalog amounts to disregarding the rules set by the platform.
The subject is all the more present as large providers like NordVPN, ExpressVPN or CyberGhost often highlight the compatibility of their servers with streaming platforms. But on the Netflix side, the rule does not change. Using a VPN to change your location and access a foreign catalog may result in blocking or limited viewing of content.