I wonder how many of my compatriots actually live with those restrictions and how many find ways to circumvent them.
By blocking so many Youtube videos, GEMA has done a huge service to internet literacy in Germany. It still surprises me that, every now and then, I overhear complete laypeople discuss among themselves the setting up of proxy servers.
I find myself to be too lazy to circumvent them, even though I know how. I just close the tab and move on. Oftentimes there are better ways to spend my time than thath anyway. But at least among people I know there are few who know what a proxy is and how it helps them in that regard.
(It also should be noted that GEMA isn't alone to blame there; Youtube basically wanted the rights to store and distribute that content for free or close to, which doesn't work well if GEMA wants compensation.)
(It should also be noted that the GEMA distribution scheme is fundamentally flawed and that it overproportionally compensates well established "big" artists while neglecting young and upcoming artists. But that is another story)
By blocking so many Youtube videos, GEMA has done a huge service to internet literacy in Germany. It still surprises me that, every now and then, I overhear complete laypeople discuss among themselves the setting up of proxy servers.