It’s inconvenient when you can’t access a website or watch a video — whether on YouTube or the other streaming service.
This restriction could be due to a number of factors, including being in a different part of the world (geo-blocking) or having particular websites and services prohibited by your employer or school administration.
In some parts of the world, it’s even possible that your government is behind the block, but it’s also possible that an overzealous web filter has highlighted something it shouldn’t have. Similarly, if you encounter a notification warning you that the website you’re trying to visit is possibly dangerous – for example, because it can contain malware and be fraudulent – you should pay attention to it and not try to bypass it.
There are a few methods to get around these regional limits & filters as well as access whatever content you want, whether it’s Spotify, YouTube, Netflix, or something else if you’re sure it’s safe and won’t swindle you.
As always, you do not condone or encourage the use of these methods to gain unauthorized access to content. Keep yourself safe and informed.
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Google Translate allows you to access block websites that are restricted
It may seem improbable, but there is a simple and effective approach to getting around content filters in a variety of scenarios. This ‘hack’ will not work for everyone, but it will not allow you to access region-blocked websites or videos. (If you’re one of them, keep reading.)
However, it can be remarkably powerful for school and job filtration.
- To begin, you must first obtain the URL of a website you wish to visit.
- You can Google it, next right-click here on a link and select ‘copy link address’ or something similar — your browser’s options will differ.
- Go to translate.google.com and paste the URL you have copied, or input the website’s entire address if you know it, including www.reddit.com. Choose a language, like Spanish, and set English as the default language (assuming you speak English). Set the choices the other way there if you speak Spanish.
- If your IT admin doesn’t already know about this trick and it has blocked Google Translate.
- Click the link here on the right-hand side, as well as the site should load. You could be out of luck if they have.
You should be able to use the website normally now: links should work and videos may play. But you may not be users can download any files.
Access Blocked Websites Using a VPN, you may access banned websites and bypass censors
In some instances, such as at work or school, you simply wouldn’t be able to download/install a VPN. If you’re using your own smartphone and don’t want to use parental controls, you can download a VPN program.
Among the most popular & successful ways to get around regional blocks is to use this strategy. Your internet connection is routed into an online server, enabling you to surf as if you were and use a different device at a different location.
Unlike a simple proxy (see below), it uses this connection to transport all of your internet traffic, not just your web browser. While it may be more of it than you require to bypass a web filter. There are many other reasons to use a VPN.
There are many VPN services available, including several that are free. In other circumstances, a completely free one will suffice. However, we advocate using a commercial VPN like NordVPN, which is not only economical. But also provides the finest overall service.
Surfshark
Surfshark is another option that we can easily endorse. It’s much more economical, and it’s been continuously improving over the years that we’ve been using it. Check out the list of the top VPNs for more possibilities.
Even though there are some decent free VPNs available, few of them should unblock streaming services. Privado is one of them.
On your PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet. You’ll typically download & install a VPN program, input your login and password (as part of the setup procedure), and then select a country to seem to be browsing from. Then, as usual, go to the prohibited site, which should now allow you to access it.
However, you may manually set up a VPN connection within operating system settings on many devices, including phones. We can’t go into depth because each device is different. But you’ll need a variety of details, such as the server address, your account, password, and other information. This means you must first register an account using your preferred VPN service.
Using a proxy, you can access websites that are banned
Using a proxy service is another approach and getting around a block. It works similarly to a VPN in that it routes your traffic via another server. However unlike a VPN, it usually only works with select apps (such as your web browser or torrent client). Rather than concealing your entire connection. It also doesn’t encrypt all web traffic and usually merely alters your IP address to make it appear as though you’re in the region in which the content is available for viewing.
That’s good if you only want to visit the website and watch a video quickly. But there are certain drawbacks to using a proxy, particularly in terms of privacy and security.
People who want to access region-locked content like Hulu or US Netflix, or iPlayer. Because they’re not in the UK, frequently utilize proxies. However, they can be used to get around local content censors by evading them, allowing you can browse the internet freely.
Access Blocked Websites: Proxies
The simplest proxies simply function as a browser extension. But this means that only traffic from your browser. It is not from any other apps and services – will be sent through the proxy. If you’re concerned about your privacy, look for one that employs HTTPS encryption. As this is the only method to have your data encrypted.
Although there are public free proxies available, many of them have a terrible reputation for collecting/selling user data, injecting advertisements into online pages, or removing encryption. With that in mind, you wouldn’t advocate using a proxy service for routine browsing. A VPN is a better alternative – but if you just need to bypass a web filter a few times. A free proxy may be the most convenient solution.
HideMyAss is a well-known free proxy that also provides a VPN service (though we didn’t think it was particularly good in our assessment).
If you find another proxy service. You can use this free Proxy Checker tool to see if it’s a safe one or one that’s tampering with your web traffic.
To access the internet anonymously, use Tor
Tor, often known as ‘The Onion Router,’ is another method for browsing the web. Tor is the most well-known example of an ‘anonymity network,’ and it bounces your traffic around using layered (thus the name) encryption & peer-to-peer networking, allowing users to browse with near-complete anonymity.
However, there is one significant disadvantage to using Tor: it is slow. Because relaying your traffic from around the world a few times requires a while. You can expect substantially slower browsing speeds when using Tor. That’s the kind of trade-off you may well be prepared to make in exchange for more privacy. But it’s not always worth it if all you like is to get around a filter. Especially because the slower speeds would make streaming any kind of HD video impossible.
There are concerns that it isn’t as secure as many people believe. Particularly if the site you’re trying to visit doesn’t utilize SSL. Given Tor’s popularity among political dissidents and whistleblowers. You could be concerned that using it will put you on some form of government watchlist, depending on how paranoid you are.
Tor, on the other hand, is completely free, and we’d recommend it over any of the free proxies and free VPNs for long-term surfing (whereas a paid VPN service always wins. As well as some VPNs allow you to use Tor with them) — the increased protection and privacy is well for the slower connection rates.
Access Blocked Websites: With Google’s Public DNS, you can bypass site filters
Finally, you can teach your PC / laptop to utilize multiple DNS servers to get around online filtering. Google Public DNS seems to be a free, global DNS resolution service provided by Google.
Your computer runs a DNS lookup every time you visit a website, changing the friendly address to the server’s IP address so your browser can show the page.
If you have web filtering enabled on your computer, any domain names that associate with contaminated sites will prohibit you from resolving the page you are looking for. You can get around this by using an untainted DNS, such as Google’s, which allows you to see the results you want from a URL without redirection.
Conclusion
If you have ever tried to access a website only to discover that it is unavailable? There are many tools and tactics you could use to unblock websites and browse freely if your school or workplace bans you from visiting particular sites — or material is prohibited because you’re outside a geographic area. With our best advice, including the use of a VPN, you’ll be able to unlock your favorite websites and evade access restrictions.
