How accurate are IP-based location filters?

Language segmentation ensures subscribers receive content they can actually understand. It sounds obvious, but many programs get it wrong.

Don't assume language from country. Switzerland has four official languages. Canada has two. The US has millions of Spanish speakers. Belgium, India, Singapore, and many others are multilingual. Country is a hint, not a definition.

Ask for language preference. The most reliable method is explicit selection at signup or in preference centers. Let people tell you what they want.

Browser or device language can provide a reasonable default. Capture accept-language headers or device locale settings. It's where someone set their own preference, even if for another purpose.

Separate content streams by language. If you support three languages, you need content in all three. Half-translated programs frustrate subscribers. Commit to the languages you offer or don't offer them.

Handle fallbacks gracefully. What if you don't have content in someone's preferred language? Default to English or another common language, but acknowledge the limitation.

Language affects more than words. Date formats, number formats, and cultural references also need localization. "12/05" means December 5th in the US and May 12th in most of Europe.