‘Game of Thrones’ season 5: HBO changes screening policy after leak
We know that some other shoe was going to drop here at some point when it comes to HBO, and how they planned to handle potential leaks in the future after the first four episodes of “Game of Thrones” season 5 leaked to the internet.
As it turns out, the result of all of this is something that the network was planned to do for some time. As first reported by Variety, HBO is switching over to a streaming-only format in the future in a way to further ensure that there are no other issues of the same sort of manner. While we imagine that there is no perfect solution to leaks or piracy (they’ve already tried a variety of different things), this is one of the best solutions that they have come up with to date.
In a way, we’re actually surprised that the network was still sending out any DVD screeners at all any more, given that this is for the most part something considered to be more of a thing of the past. Some other networks have been streaming them through a secure site for at least a little while, and are watermarked in such a way that would make it almost impossible for them to be leaked without the source coming out.
Ultimately, Sunday night’s new episode of “Game of Thrones” is really the first one that we’ve had all season that has not already been spoiled. In a way, we’re curious to see if the ratings rise because of it.
If you do want to get some other updates when it comes to “Game of Thrones,” be sure to head over to the link here right away! Also, you can sign up now to get some other TV updates on all we cover via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: HBO.)
optimistic4thefuture
May 11, 2015 @ 4:14 am
Here’s the thing, there’s no such thing as a secure website, period. Software can record any video that plays on a computer screen. So I’m not quite sure this will make it less likely a screener get’s leaked. Plus, you can’t hack a DVD, so now the watermark while it might turn up and point you to the person the leak “came from”, if the leak is someone hacking into the “secure” site HBO is streaming from, it doesn’t really mean a damn thing as far as who’s ID is watermarked on it. The person’s “account”, if you will, that was used to record the streamed episodes doesn’t mean they took part in making the leak possible. If people can get into a cloud accounts that require verification, they will get into these streamed sites. If I was HBO, I’d just make the person call in and talk on the phone directly when they are going to watch the episode, they would call at the beginning, and the end. Still even this wouldn’t stop possible leaks if their actual computer has been hacked. Quandary..