You may have noticed that some website content is not accessible in your country or when you’re abroad. By using a VPN, you can gain access to these websites from anywhere in the world without compromising your security or privacy.
Understanding Geo-Restrictions: Why Some Content Is Unavailable in Your Country
There are two main reasons why some content may not be accessible in your country or when you’re overseas. The practice of restricting access based on the region or country is also known as “geo-blocking”.
- Access Regulation by Service Providers
- Government Regulations
Access Regulation by Service Providers
There are two primary reasons why a site operator may restrict access.
- Terms and Conditions: These stipulations may specify the countries in which the content is allowed to be distributed and explicitly prevent its usage in other locations.
- Exclusive Rights: Someone may hold exclusive streaming rights to the content for a specific region. Alternatively, the rights for a certain region may not be up for sale, preventing the acquisition of such rights.
Government Regulations
Some countries have strong internet regulations. A notable example is China. It regulates access to some overseas internet services as a national policy, including social media platforms like Twitter and LINE, search engines like Google and Yahoo, and foreign video services such as YouTube and Netflix. In addition to China, countries with stringent internet censorship include Syria, Iran, Ethiopia, Uzbekistan, Cuba, and Vietnam.
Unblocking Geo-Blocked Content: How a VPN Works
VPNs solve the problem because of the following two features.
- Concealing and Altering Your IP Address
- Encrypting Communications:
Concealing and Altering Your IP Address
An IP address is a unique identifier for your device on the internet or a local network. It’s essential in determining the location and other details of website visitors and users of online services. For instance, if you’re attempting to access content exclusive to the US from outside the country, the US-specific content won’t be displayed. However, by accessing the site via VPN servers based in the US, you can view the US-oriented content.
By employing a VPN, the website will treat you as if you’re browsing from the US, regardless of your actual location.
For more detailed about VPNs, please refer to the following articles.
Encrypting Communications
Another crucial feature of VPNs is their ability to encrypt communication content, safeguarding your online privacy. Since the communication content is encrypted, governments won’t know which sites you’re visiting, making censorship impossible.
Of course, governments are aware that VPNs can be used to bypass streaming restrictions, and they sometimes regulate VPN usage as a result. However, the general situation is such that personal use of a VPN, as long as it doesn’t infringe upon government policies or lead to the mass dissemination of procured information, is implicitly allowed.
In the past, there have been cases in countries with strict censorship, like China, where certain VPN services were completely disabled. Therefore, if you’re residing in a country with stringent censorship, we recommend that you mitigate your risks by subscribing to two or more services simultaneously, just as a precaution.
For more detailed about illegality of VPNs in China, please refer to the following articles.
How to Unblock Websites from Anywhere with a VPN
Discover how to unblock websites from anywhere using a VPN.
- Register with a VPN service
- Download and Launch the App and Connect to a VPN Server
- Access Websites You Want to Visit
Check the articles below for more details:
Worldwide Content
European Content
Australian Content
Austrian Content
Belgian Content
| RTBF | – |
Canada Content
| TSN | – |
Dutch Content
French Content
German Content
Ireland Content
Italian Content
Japanese Content
Korean Content
New Zealand Content
| TVNZ | – |
Spanish Content
| RTVE | – |
UK Content
US Content
Sport Content
How to Access Websites from Countries with Internet Censorship
Learn how to use a VPN to bypass censorship and access websites from countries with Internet restrictions.
- Register with a VPN service
- Download and Launch the App and Connect to a VPN Server
- Access Websites You Want to Visit
Check the articles below for more details:
| Google in China | X in China |
| Grok in China | Netflix in China |
| ChatGPT in China | – |
The Best VPN for Streaming
Here are some excellent VPN services we recommend.
| ExpressVPN | NordVPN | SurfShark | |
| Prices | 1-Month: $12.95 6-Months: $9.99/month 12-Months: $6.67/month | 1-Month: $11.99 12-Months: $4.99/month 24-Months: $3.99/month | 1-Month: $12.95 12-Months: $3.99/month 24-Months: $2.39/month |
| Money-back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Countries | 105 | 60 | 100 |
| Servers | 3,000+ | 5,800+ | 3,200+ |
| Maximum devices supported | 8 | 10 | Unlimited |
| Connection Speed | Ultra Fast | Fast | Fast |
| Security | AES-256 Kill Switch | AES-256 Kill Switch | AES-256 Kill Switch |
| Privacy | No-logging | No-logging | No-logging |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat Support | 24/7 Live Chat Support | 24/7 Live Chat Support |
ExpressVPN: Ultra-fast Internet Speeds
| Prices | 1-Month: $12.95 6-Months: $9.99/month 12-Months: $6.67/month |
| Money-back Guarantee | 30 days |
| Countries | 105 |
| Servers | 3,000+ |
| Maximum devices supported | 8 |
ExpressVPN offers some of the fastest internet speeds among the VPNs we have used. All VPNs may slow down your internet connection, but ExpressVPN is one of the fastest, and you rarely notice the difference. Review sites consistently rank ExpressVPN as one of the fastest VPNs. Additionally, with over 3,000 servers in 105 countries, you have a wide choice of countries to change IP addresses to. Real humans are available 24-hour live chat support to help you with setup and troubleshooting. ExpressVPN also has a no-log policy.
After you’ve registered with ExpressVPN, you can use it to easily browse the internet just by downloading their app.
- Place a high importance on internet speed
\30 day Money-Back Guarantee/
NordVPN: The Ultimate Balance of Price and Internet Speed
| Prices (standard plan) | 1-Month: $11.99 12-Months: $4.99/month 24-Months: $3.99/month |
| Money-back Guarantee | 30 days |
| Countries | 60 |
| Servers | 5,800+ |
| Maximum devices supported | 10 |
NordVPN’s excellent service, and balance of price, internet speed, servers, and countries, has allowed it to gain the greatest market share in the world. Overall, NordVPN consistently receives great reviews from leading experts. NordVPN has more than 5,800 servers in 60 countries, so you also have a lot of choices for which country to change your IP address to. You can et help and advice from our friendly customer support team through email or live chat for your 24/7. And NordVPN also has a no-log policy.
After you’ve registered, you can easily browse the internet using NordVPN just by downloading their app.
- Want to balance price and internet speed
\30 day Money-Back Guarantee/
Surfshark: Impressive Performance with a Lower Price
| Prices (standard plan) | 1-Month: $12.95 12-Months: $3.99/month 24-Months: $2.39/month |
| Money-back Guarantee | 30 days |
| Countries | 100 |
| Servers | 3,200+ |
| Maximum devices supported | Unlimited |
Surfshark offers impressive performance with a lower price. You can get Surfshark much cheaper than other services if you apply for the 24-month plan. Furthermore, Surfshark has no connection limits. So, you and your family can connect and use all your devices simultaneously. Surfshark has more than 3,200 servers in 100 countries. Just like the other VPNs, you also have a lot of choices for which country to change your IP address to. Customer support experts are there for you 24/7, if you need a helping hand with them via live chat or email. And SurfsharkVPN also has a no-log policy.
After you’ve registered, you can easily browse the internet using Surfshark by downloading their app.
- Who are budget conscious and want to want to connect with lots of devices
\30 day Money-Back Guarantee/
Other Benefit and Advantages of VPNs
The following list shows cases in which a VPN is especially useful other than unblocking websites:
- Protect Your Privacy: Using a VPN enhances your online privacy, especially on public Wi-Fi networks, which are often unsecured. It encrypts your internet traffic, shielding your online activities from prying eyes, whether they’re hackers, advertisers, or even internet service providers.
- Save big on Subscriptions: A VPN can help you secure lower prices on subscription services like YouTube Premium, Netflix, Spotify, and others. By connecting to servers in different countries, you can explore various pricing tiers, often finding lower rates than those available in your home country.
- Unblock Gaming Opportunities: Gain access to games and servers not available in your region, experience earlier game releases, and enjoy enhanced multiplayer matchups with players around the world.
For more detailed about VPNs use cases, please refer to the following articles.
FAQ
Is it legal to use a VPN?
Yes, it’s generally legal to use a VPN in most countries. However, the legality can vary depending on your location and the specific regulations of your country. Always ensure you’re compliant with local laws when trading cryptocurrencies.
Should I use a paid or free VPN?
We recommend opting for paid VPN services for better privacy and security. Free VPNs may not provide clear information on how they manage log traffic data, and there’s a higher chance they might track your data. Paid VPNs typically offer superior performance, more features, and enhanced security.
Are there any other methods to bypass regional restrictions besides using a VPN?
Besides VPNs, there are other methods to bypass geo-blocking, including proxy servers, Tor browsers, and smart DNS/DNS changers. However, for individual users aiming to overcome geo-blocking, we recommend using a VPN as it’s the most straightforward method.
