How to access blocked websites and videos: There are a few ways around these restrictions if you want to read a blocked web page or watch a blocked video. Firstly, the restriction may be due to video licensing, which means the content can only be viewed in specific countries or regions. Secondly, if the website owner is blocking the entire website, it may be because they are not in compliance with local data protection laws. Lastly, some websites and services, like Facebook, YouTube, Spotify, and TikTok, may be blocked because an administrator at your place of employment or school doesn’t want you to use them during working or studying hours.
China is the only country with internet filters in place, but it’s also possible that an overzealous web filter has blocked a website that it shouldn’t have.
On the other hand, if you’re seeing a warning that the website you’re trying to access might be hazardous, it could be trying to trick you or contain malware. Please do not attempt to circumvent those blocks; instead, you should not disregard them.
Use the techniques listed below to get beyond blocks and filters, provided that you are certain the website is secure and won’t defraud you. As always, we do not support or encourage the unauthorized use of these techniques to obtain content. Keep yourself safe and use common sense.
How to access blocked websites with Google Translate
This may sound unusual, but in many cases, it’s a straightforward and efficient method of getting over content filters. This “hack” won’t work for everyone, nor will it be able to access region-blocked websites or videos. (If so, continue reading.)
But it can work remarkably well for filters related to job and school.
The website you wish to visit’s URL must first be known to you. If you’re unsure, look it up on Google, then right-click the link and select “copy link address” from the menu.
Enter the URL you just copied, such as www.reddit.com, into the left-hand pane of translate.google.com now. Choose a language to translate into, such Spanish, and leave English (assuming you speak English) as the target language.
The website should load after you click the link in the pane on the right. Your IT administrator may have disabled Google Translate as well if they are already aware of this scam. If so, this approach isn’t going to work.
You can now surf the website virtually normally, provided it hasn’t been blocked. Videos should play, links should function, but you might not be able to download any anything.
How to access blocked websites using a VPN
One of the most widely used and successful ways to get around regional restrictions is with a VPN. You might not be able to download or install a VPN at work or school, for example. However, installing a VPN program on your own smartphone is quite simple if parental controls aren’t activated.
With a VPN, your internet connection is routed via a server located in a different part of the globe. To access the internet as if you were physically there, all you have to do is choose a location (such a nation or city) using the VPN app. If you are curious about the specifics, you can learn how VPNs operate.
VPNs that are paid for or free can both unblock websites. However, if you wish to watch Netflix (or another streaming service) movies or TV series that aren’t available in your location, we advise going with a premium VPN like NordVPN.
Use these free VPNs if you’d rather not pay. Just be aware that very few will unblock streaming services, and all will cap your monthly data usage.
See our list of the top VPNs for alternatives to premium VPNs.
However, you may manually set up a VPN connection in the operating system’s settings on a lot of devices, including phones. We can’t go into detail about it here because every device is different, but you’ll need a number of details, such as the server address, your login, password, and some other information. This implies that you must first register for a VPN account with the company of your choice.
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Access blocked websites with a proxy
Using a proxy service is an additional method of getting around a block. It uses a server to route your internet connection, just like a VPN does. However, unlike VPNs, it usually only works with particular apps (like your web browser or torrent program) and not your entire connection. It usually merely modifies your IP address to make it appear as though you are in the region where the information is visible; it doesn’t encrypt all web traffic.
That might be acceptable if all you want to do is quickly browse a website or watch a video, but using a proxy has drawbacks in terms of security and privacy.
Using proxies, one may frequently access content on Hulu, Netflix, or BBC iPlayer that is region-locked. However, they can also be used to work around content filters, which should allow you to browse the internet without restriction.
Although many proxies are accessible via browser extensions, this implies that they can only access websites and web services that are prohibited. If Spotify is prohibited in any other way, you cannot use a proxy to access it; instead, you must use Spotify through your browser.
Opt for an HTTPS-encrypted proxy if privacy is a concern.
Public proxies are available for free, but a lot of them have a negative reputation for removing encryption, putting advertisements on websites, or gathering and selling user data. For this reason, we advise utilizing a VPN. However, it can be a viable choice if you only wish to circumvent a web filter occasionally or if you are unable to install a VPN program.
Among the most well-known free proxies is HideMyAss. Use only reliable, trustworthy proxies and try to stay away from utilizing unknown ones. This also applies to VPN services, as they may be able to view and record details about your online activities.
Access blocked websites with Tor
Another choice you have is to browse the web via Tor, sometimes known as “The Onion Router.” The most well-known “anonymity network” is Tor, which employs peer-to-peer networking and multilayer encryption (thus the name) to distribute traffic across users, making it very impossible for anyone to track any activity back to you.
Depending on the speed of your internet connection, you might not notice any slowdown in the Tor web browser as it is now faster than it was previously. You may be ready to accept this kind of trade-off in exchange for more privacy, but if all you want is to get around a filter, it might not be worth it—especially if the slower speeds result in buffering video.
Additionally, there are worries that it may not be as safe as previously believed, particularly if the website you’re attempting to visit doesn’t employ SSL. Furthermore, considering how common Tor is among political dissidents and whistleblowers, you may be concerned that using it would place you on some type of government watchlist, depending on how paranoid you are feeling.
However, as Tor is completely free, we would advise using it for extended web browsing rather than any of the free proxies or VPNs (although some VPNs allow you to utilize Tor with them). Any decrease in connection speed is definitely worth the increased privacy and security.
