Implement Geofencing in MCLS

Geofencing

Geofencing is a technique used in live streaming to define virtual "borders" upon which location-based decisions can be made, such as permitting (also known as "geo-targeting") or restricting (also known as "geo-blocking") the availability of content based on a user's geographical location.

This technology can be used to enforce content distribution agreements and to comply with local regulations regarding the distribution of live content. For example, if a live stream is only licensed to be broadcast in a specific country, geo-blocking can be used to prevent viewers in other countries from accessing the content. This helps content providers to ensure that they are complying with their licensing agreements and that they are not infringing on any copyright laws. By using geo-targeting or geo-blocking, content providers can make sure that their live streams are only accessible to the intended audience, while also preventing unauthorised access and piracy.

MCLS geofencing feature

In MCLS you can create geofenced events and streams. You can do this easily through the MCLS Console, where you can specify territories that are permitted or denied access to the content. When creating an event or stream, you have the ability to add those rules (either to deny or allow):

VPN blocking

Blocking VPN connections and anonymous proxies is an important step in ensuring the security of live content. With the increasing popularity of streaming platforms and the rise of online events, it has become more important to prevent unauthorised access to live content.

As described in the previous section, MCLS allows for geofencing. However, there are tools and platforms available which are built to deliberately circumvent these geofencing measures. Typically this is done through VPN providers and tools. In MCLS we have created a feature that enables our customers to block viewers seeking to access the stream through a VPN provider.

The VPN blocking feature is available through the Streaming configurations section. In MCLS, you can navigate to the Streams -> Streaming configurations section and choose the Streaming configuration you want to modify, or add a new one if needed. In the Streaming configuration, there's a dedicated section to stream security. Here you will find a toggle, that can easily be toggled on or off. When toggled on, viewers that want to access the stream from a geofenced territory will be presented with a message in the video player itself that they are not allowed to watch the stream via the VPN connection:

Easing VPN restrictions on VOD

In some use-cases, you might want to allow customers to watch the video-on-demand stream with VPN connections. In this case, you are able to toggle the VPN setting on a per stream basis. This option is found in the stream manager: