Internet users have all come across a blocked website at some point in their lives. With more and more websites being banned, Internet censorship is growing, depending on where you live of course. However, there are still ways to bypass such restrictions and access restricted content.
How to Bypass Internet Censorship in 2019
In the guide below, we will show you the latest tips and tricks that will help you get past internet filtering and unblock restricted content.
Who Filters the Internet?
From public WiFi and workplace connection filtering to ISPs and country-level censorship, the list of banned websites goes on and on. It all depends on where you reside. In authoritarian countries like China for example, the government uses the “Great Firewall” to block Google, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and much more. In more developed countries like the UK, access to torrent websites like The Pirate Bay and KickAss Torrents is forbidden. Other countries like the UAE block VoIP services like Skype, WhatsApp, and Viber.
What Happens When I Visit a Blocked Website?
If you ever try to visit a website that happens to be blocked in your country, the internet service provider automatically redirects you to one of its pages. In different cases, you’ll encounter a connection failure. But if you want a list of banned websites by country, you can check out the Internet Censorship and Surveillance by Country page on Wikipedia.
How to Bypass Internet Censorship with a VPN
There are several ways to bypass internet censorship, depending on which website you want to enter. The best tool to do so is a VPN.
VPN stands for virtual private network. It redirects your internet connection to a server from a different region, and replaces your IP address with another one from a country of your choice. So it will seem like you’re surfing the internet from another country, like the US for example.
VPNs also encrypt your internet traffic, making it impossible for anyone to track it, including your ISP.
You can follow the steps below if you don’t know how to get a VPN:
- Sign up with a VPN provider. See list below for suggestions
- Download and install the VPN app.
- Sign in.
- Connect to server.
- Double check your new IP address on WhatIsMyIP.network.
- Enjoy full access to any online content anonymously.
Best VPNs to Bypass Censorship
There are a lot of trustworthy VPN providers today, but the pick of the bunch has to be ExpressVPN. It has high speeds and security features, over a 1,000 servers in 160 cities, and a very professional customer service support. ExpressVPN also maintains a strict no-logging privacy policy.
But if you’re still not convinced and would rather consider other options, the list below provides you with other reliable VPN providers:
- 30-Day Money-back Guarantee
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Apps For All Your Devices
- 24/7 Live Support
Other Tools to Bypass Internet Filtering
There are of course other methods to unblock banned websites. Smart DNS, Tor, and proxies are among them, though none of them are as proficient as a VPN.
- Smart DNS: You can change your DNS address and replace it with a custom DNS on your device. This overrides and bypasses the default DNS server controlled by your ISP.
- Tor: It allows to browse anonymously and, just like a VPN, reroutes your traffic. However it is much slower than a VPN and is incompatible with a lot of devices.
- Proxies: System-wide proxies generally function similarly to VPNs, but they’re not as reliable. For example, they only work with certain programs.
Tricks to Bypass Internet Censorship
- Download the VPN app on your device.
- Connect to a US server if you want to access a website that is only available in that country.
- If you want to unblock a locally-banned website, connect to a server close to your location. This will reduce internet speed drop.
- Use OpenVPN protocol. It is the best and most secure, while L2TP/IPSec, SSTP, and IKEv2 are also solid alternatives.
How to Bypass Internet Censorship with VPN
How to Easily Bypass Internet Censorship – Final Words
Censorship and geo-blocking are part of the online world. People all over the world suffer from internet restrictions, which can really get you frustrated. Fortunately, there are ways to bypass internet filtering. The best tool for that is the VPN, which not only gives you access to banned websites, but also allows you to surf the internet anonymously.
