How to Access Geo-Restricted Content With 3 Easy Tricks
Geo-restriction whether carried out by a corporation, streaming service, or government can affect various stakeholders. The infuriating “This Content is not available in your Country” message is always just lurking around. What can you do in such situations and access Geo-restricted Content? Is there a way to circumnavigate geo-restriction? Well, read more to find out what is geo-restriction, why companies opt for geo-restriction and how can you bypass geo-restriction from anywhere.
Geo-restriction is the way streaming platforms/websites block or limit access to exclusive content and services based on your local IP. The platforms monitor your IP address and assess where are you streaming from for providing or denying access. So, what’s the point of geo-restriction?
A lot of streaming platforms/corporations geo-restrict the content because of two reasons:
- Licensing and Copyright Policies
- Red tape around the jurisdiction.
Many gambling sites may block regions they don’t legally operate in. Streaming platforms may exclude some of their content for certain countries such as Hulu being geo-restricted outside the USA or a large online retailer may have prices that are only available for a certain region.
When you try to watch Disney Plus or Hulu outside the USA, you are redirected to a geo-restriction error. So, to bypass the geo-restriction we have enlisted the simple ways that can you choose to overcome geo-blocks anywhere. The following are three ways to access geo-restricted content:
- Using a Premium VPN
- Smart DNS Service
- Hiding your local IP address
We have discussed each and every way in detail below. This could be used to watch your favorite shows from Disney Plus, Netflix, and Hulu, view the best articles and content and do much more.
Smart DNS
A DNS (Domain Name System) makes a domain identity like Disney Plus, readable to your device. Imagine if every time you wanted to log in to Disney Plus, you would have to type a long sequence of strings instead of a short 9-letter name. Using a Smart DNS is a great way to access geo-restricted content. If you travel abroad, Smart DNS can help you access your favorite shows without the restrictions of your country.
It is also easy to set up. You can get a Smart DNS client for your computer, or set it up on your Smart TV or mobile device. You can also set up a proxy server to hide your true IP address from other countries.
However, Smart DNS is not a VPN, and it doesn’t provide the same level of privacy. The focus of all VPNs is to encrypt traffic. While they do offer some additional features, such as privacy and security, they tend to be more expensive than Smart DNS.
While you can set up Smart DNS on almost all devices, you can also set up a dedicated server to unlock geo-restricted content. Some VPN providers offer both services.
A Smart DNS works by replacing your ISP-assigned DNS address with a new address that’s obtained from a DNS server. The new address doesn’t contain your geolocation information, but it does replace the ISP-assigned address.
VPN
Using a VPN to access geo-restricted content can be a good option for users. However, you need to be aware of the legal issues associated with this type of service. Some VPNs are illegal in some countries and territories. You need to check your country’s laws to see if it is okay to use a VPN.
There are many streaming sites that are restricted to users in certain countries. If you’re in Asia or Africa, you may have trouble accessing some content. You may also run into geo-restricted services on some streaming sites, such as Netflix or Hulu.
The best way to avoid this problem is to update your VPN client. This can make it more difficult for your streaming platform to tell the difference between a real user and a VPN user.
The legality of using a VPN to access geo-restricted content varies from country to country. In some cases, it is a violation of the streaming platform’s terms of service, while in other cases, it is legal.
Hiding your IP address
Whether you’re a journalist or an activist, bypassing geo-restricted content can help you get your hands on your favorite shows. However, you may find yourself in a compromising situation if you attempt to access such content without knowing what you’re doing.
A geo-restricted website is one that blocks your access to content based on your location. Your location is identified with your local IP address. An IP address is a peculiar address that recognizes a device on the internet or a local network. IP stands for Internet Protocol which is a set of rules governing the format of data sent via the internet.
Essentially, IP addresses are the identifier that allows information to be delivered between devices on a network: they contain location information and make devices accessible for internal and external communication. Therefore, the geo-restricted websites track the user’s IP address to identify the local location of the user. If the user is in the geo-blocked region, the content is not available to the user. Therefore, if you want to access the geo-blocked content you must hide your local IP address.
Hiding your IP address is an appropriate way to bypass the geo-restriction. A VPN masks your local IP address with the IP address of the location in which the streaming service is available. This manipulation tricks the streaming service efficiently and lets you stream your favorite content.
Geo-restriction is often done for legal or copyright reasons. However, it can also be used as a form of censorship. This type of censorship is in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It’s often used by national governments to block access to websites and services. Some of the most prominent examples of this type of censorship are in China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
There are many reasons why content is restricted in specific regions. These reasons can range from copyright issues to ideological reasons. Regardless of why content is being restricted, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to bypass it.
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