Look, I’ve been streaming content for nearly two decades now, and let me tell you, the state of affairs with these streaming platforms is driving me up the wall. It all started innocently enough with Netflix paving the way for on-demand streaming, but then, like a bad breakup, other competitors joined the game, and before we knew it, we were drowning in subscription fees for content that used to be freely available.
Remember when Netflix offered an affordable plan under nine dollars? Those were the days! Now, it’s as if they’re on a mission to empty our wallets, with monthly fees skyrocketing by 130% over the past couple of years. It’s insane, and some families are struggling to keep up, resorting to subscribing just long enough to binge-watch their favorite shows before cancelling the service.
But then you have to ask yourself, what happens when people start saying “enough is enough”? When they start seeking alternatives? It’s reported that VPN subscriptions are surging in Europe, and piracy traffic is expected to rise by 20% within the year. We’re going back to the days of Napster, folks!
On top of that, these streaming services have effectively replaced traditional cable television and its excessive fees with a new set of subscription costs we must manage. But this is pushing people to say “screw that,” and turn to unconventional methods like setting up VPNs for free downloads. And let’s be clear; the only ones responsible are the streaming services, who are chasing customers away with their ever-increasing fees and lack of transparency.
From a 5000 foot view, it’s clear as day. They lured us in with the promise of an affordable alternative to cable television, but now, these subscription services are no different than the old cable companies. They raise the rates, they give little explanation, and they expect customers to just swallow it because “we have it; they don’t.” But as Jimi Hendrix once sang, “You got another thing coming.”
You can believe there’s going to be a reckoning with these streaming services, the cable companies, and these outrageous subscription fees. This won’t last forever, people aren’t going to take this forever.
As Led Zeppelin once said, “There’s a sign on every corner saying ‘Something’s wrong.’ You got another thing coming.”
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