It doesn’t matter where in the world you live; there are times when you will come across blocked sites and restricted areas of the internet. But if you encounter an internet block, don’t panic: you just need to know how to bypass barred sites and internet restrictions.

Why Some Websites Are Blocked and Restricted

There are numerous reasons why a website might be blocked.

1. Many services use geo-blocking tools to restrict access to their content in certain countries. The issue is perhaps most commonly associated with Netflix’s catalog. However, it can also apply to videos on social media (such as sports clips), news articles, and even entire services that are not available outside their country of origin (like Hulu).
2. Governments often block access to sites to suit their agendas. The internet restriction in China is perhaps the most famous example, with its Great Firewall blocking popular sites, including X (Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube. But we’ve also seen Turkey block access to social media in an attempt to quell protests in 2016, and Sri Lanka stop access to Facebook in the aftermath of the April 2019 terrorist attacks, supposedly to prevent the spread of fake news. Other countries block access to streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and so on, while others ensure no access to news sites.
3. Employers often block sites on their internal networks to boost productivity and cut out distractions, however frustrating that may be. It’s a similar situation for most schools and educational facilities.

Other restrictions may not be permanent. For example, certain YouTube music videos were banned in Germany for a period, ending when YouTube and the German authorities reached an agreement on profit sharing. But more typically, some governments will block internet access to certain sites during periods of unrest or key periods, such as elections.

How to Bypass Blocked Sites

If you run into a restricted site, what can you do? Here are the best ways to bypass blocked sites and access whatever page you want.

1. Use a VPN

The most popular way to access blocked websites is to use a high-quality, paid Virtual Private Network (VPN).

VPNs have many benefits, but the most important one is that they provide you with an IP address in another country when dealing with a blocked site. The foreign IP address makes it appear that you are based in a different location, meaning you won’t trigger a site’s geo-blocks and can circumnavigate restrictions.

Some services block access from VPN IP addresses. In practice, this has resulted in a massive game of cat and mouse, in which the VPN providers are generally victorious.

VPNs are incredibly easy to use: download the app onto your phone or computer, enter your login credentials, and choose the VPN server location you want to connect to.

Note that you can use free VPNs, but many of these services log traffic data or provide subpar protection. It is generally safer to avoid free VPNs and opt for a legitimate and trusted paid service.

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2. Use a Smart DNS

Services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer have clamped down on VPNs, resulting in the growth of smart DNS providers. These providers offer a way to bypass restricted websites. However, smart DNS services have some pros and cons when compared to VPNs.

Internet speed is one of the most significant advantages of using a smart DNS to get around a website block. Unlike VPNs, which route all your web traffic through a different network, smart DNS providers only need to reroute information about your location. This process results in a faster browsing experience.

On the downside, DNS services do not offer the same privacy benefits as VPNs. They do not encrypt your traffic, nor do they mask your IP. If authorities in your location are likely to prosecute based on the sites you visit, a smart DNS provider is not right for you.

3. Use a Free Proxy

If you need to access a blocked website quickly on a one-time basis, a free proxy might be the answer.

A proxy will hide your IP address, thus helping to disguise your location. It will not, however, encrypt your traffic. The lack of encryption means proxies are not as secure as VPNs; they are an excellent option to get around blocks on work and school networks but are unsuitable for anonymous browsing.

Furthermore, proxies are typically much slower than VPNs. You’ll also find they often have issues with page formatting and images. Both of these problems preclude them from being reliable long-term solutions. You should also ensure you’re using a legitimate proxy you can trust.

4. Use the Tor Browser

When you use the Tor network to browse the web, your traffic is wrapped in multiple layers of encryption and taken on a long journey through the worldwide system of nodes. This process makes it almost impossible for a regular website to know where the request originated, so it’s unlikely to get caught in any blocking filters. Tor is free to download and is used by millions of people worldwide every day.

However, you should be aware that Tor and the dark web are not completely anonymous. Government authorities can and do monitor persons of interest on the network. The process is just more complex than it would be via traditional browsers and internet channels.

5. Use Your Smartphone as a Hotspot

In a pinch, you can always switch over to a different network. If you’re connected to the Wi-Fi in a library, which will understandably restrict certain content, you could switch to your smartphone’s hotspot and use that instead.

You can always switch back once you’ve read, watched, or listened to the restricted content, and carry on using the free Wi-Fi.

6. Alternate Between HTTP and HTTPS

In the early days of the web, all website URLs used Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). However, it was deemed insecure and not suitable for the modern internet, and Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) was developed. The newer version added much-needed additional encryption to website connections, making it harder for people to snoop on and intercept your online activities.

The only issue was that not all websites wanted to start using HTTPS immediately, while others continued to run both an HTTP and HTTPS version. The latter situation created a situation where forcing a switch between the two transfer protocol versions may have allowed access to previously restricted websites.

However, as most sites now use HTTPS exclusively, this workaround is much less common. It’s also worth noting that using HTTP is less secure and could put your data at risk.

The Dangers of Accessing Content on Restricted Networks

At times, there are good reasons why certain institutions want to block access to certain content. Since the dawn of the internet, kids have attempted to bypass restricted websites at school. But in reality, educational institutions block content for one reason: safeguarding. It simply isn’t appropriate for schools to allow access to adult content, no matter your personal take.

Accessing blocked websites on a restricted network, such as an educational facility or your workplace, could also have severe consequences, depending on the content accessed. Bypassing blocked sites at school could see you expelled, while at work, you may face termination or even legal repercussions. And, in some countries, skirting internet restrictions could see you in trouble with the government, particularly in places with authoritarian leadership.

So, while we’re not against bypassing blocked sites, just remember it’s extremely important to be safe doing so.