Websites seem to take a perverse pleasure in blocking what you can see and do online. Wayne Williams is having none of that. Here, he explains how to beat unreasonable restrictions
There’s nothing more frustrating than coming up against a brick wall when you’re browsing the web. We’ve all been faced with videos “unavailable in your country”, ISPs blocking websites and warnings that “your IP address has been banned”. Sadly, this is becoming increasingly common as web companies decide exactly what we can and can’t access online. In this feature, we reveal how to beat unfair blocks so you can do whatever you want (within reason!) on the web.
We’ll show you how to access sites blocked by your ISP, watch your favourite iPlayer programmes from abroad, download apps not yet available in your country, overcome geographical video restrictions, and more. We’ll also show you how you can get locked forum and social-media accounts reinstated, and read news stories that Google has removed links to.
BEAT WEBSITE BLOCKS
Access banned download sites
From time to time, you might find Chrome and Firefox blocking access to popular torrenting sites. This happens when the site in question gets flagged as hosting potentially harmful programs or is branded as a “deceptive site” that may steal user information. This is a regular occurrence – access to The Pirate Bay, for example, was blocked as recently as the first week in October.
Google’s Safe Browsing technology is designed to keep you safe on the web, and is used in Chrome, Firefox and other browsers. When it decrees a website to be unsafe, it will display a red warning page and block access to that site.
ISPs are also blocking download sites, including KickassTorrents and RapidMoviez, following court rulings in favour of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and the Motion Picture Association (MPA).
How to beat the block
A browser block is usually only a temporary inconvenience. Wait a couple of days and access should resume as normal, although you can get around the problem at any time. Firefox users should click ‘Ignore this warning’ to access the site, while Chrome users should click Details, then ‘Visit this site’. Of course, it’s possible the site in question has been blocked for legitimate reasons – malware in adverts is usually the cause – so always take precautions when bypassing the warning.
To beat an ISP block, try visiting the secure HTTPS version of a site – https://thepiratebay.org rather than http://thepiratebay.org, for example. If that doesn’t work, use a VPN to make it look as if you’re browsing from outside the UK.
Unblock Sky’s ‘adult content’ ban
Sky’s ‘Broadband Shield’ automatically blocks adult content for all new customers, as a result of proposals in the UK government’s Digital Economy Bill. This block is going to be expanded to existing Sky customers in the coming months. Sky Broadband is among the first ISPs in the UK to implement a porn-filtering system. The company says it will be “automatically switched on the moment a new customer activates their Sky Broadband”.
It’s hard to question the motives of Sky and the Government because protecting children from online pornography is vital. But Sky’s filters are overkill, and have also blocked some online games, dating sites and file-sharing services.
How to beat the block
The first time you try to visit a restricted site, you’ll be given the option to amend or disable Shield’s settings. You can also customise these on the My Sky site (bit.ly/mysky409).
Alternatively, you can get around the block by using a VPN such as TunnelBear (www.tunnelbear.com) which was recently updated with a new look and now has the ability to prioritise your favourite networks.
Watch blocked TV in the UK
When you try to watch a video in the UK, you may sometimes receive a message stating “We’re sorry. This video is not available in your region”. You’ll see this if, for example, you want to watch the pilot episode of HBO’s new sci-fi series Westworld (bit.ly/west409). The broadcaster or the show’s creators enforce this restriction, usually because they don’t have the rights to show the content outside of their home country (often the US for a lot of current TV that’s worth watching). Interestingly, it’s often songs in the soundtrack that are the problem, not the actual video.
How to beat the block
As always, a VPN is the easiest solution. The latest version of the Opera browser (www.opera.com) comes with a built-in VPN that you can use to get around the restriction. It lets you pretend to be browsing from the USA, Canada, Germany, Netherlands or Singapore. To enable the feature, click the Menu button and open Settings. Click the ‘Privacy & security’ entry on the left, then tick Enable VPN. A blue VPN badge appears in the address bar. Click this to change the location.
You might need to clear your browsing data before the video will play. Click the ‘Clear browsing data’ button under ‘Privacy & security’ and refresh the video page.
Use video-conversion sites
The video-conversion site YouTubeMP3-org (www.youtube-mp3.org) isn’t currently blocked, but record labels are seeking a court order that will effectively put it out of business (read more at bit.ly/tube409). The site, which converts YouTube videos into MP3 files and which reportedly has over 60 million users every month, is accused of four counts of copyright infringement (direct, contributory, vicarious and inducement), as well as “circumvention of technological measures”, which means breaking YouTube’s rules on copyright.
The world’s biggest record labels, including Universal, Sony and Warner Bros, are behind the lawsuit, which is seeking $150,000 in compensation for every alleged act of piracy. It’s asking a federal court in Los Angeles to stop webhosting companies and online advertisers “facilitating” access to the site.
How to beat the block
You can continue to use YouTubeMP3-org at the moment, but it’s probably only a matter of time before the lawsuit has an effect. If it is blocked, you can try other sites, such FullRip.net (www.fullrip.net), which lets you choose the quality of the MP3 audio (from 32kbps to 256kbps) and add ID3 tags to the track (such as song title, artist, genre, album, year, and track number).
Read BBC news that Google blocks
A European Court of Justice ruling in 2014 allows EU citizens to request that Google removes search results that link to stories which can be deemed “inadequate, irrelevant, or no longer relevant” (Google extended it to include non-EU European countries, such as Norway). Among the stories that Google removes from its search results are ones from BBC News.
Google decides whether or not to remove search results, and it says that it rejects more requests than it complies with. It’s important to point out that the European Court of Justice ruling only requires Google to remove links to stories. The stories themselves aren’t touched – they just become harder for people to find online.
How to beat the block
In a move the BBC says is designed to maintain the integrity of its online archives – which are “a matter of historic public record” – the corporation has started publishing links to the stories from its news site that have been removed from Google’s search results. You can see all of them up to June 2016 at bit.ly/bbcnews409.
BEAT THE SOFTWARE BLOCKS
Download Kodi and other streaming services
The child-safety filters applied by ISPs are also reportedly being used to block videos in the popular (and highly controversial) Kodi media player (https://kodi.tv/download) and other similar programs. If videos don’t load for you in Kodi, or its add-ons are failing to display lists, you might be a victim of these filters.
How to beat the block
These filters are often enabled by default for new customers, and might be active without you knowing about it. If you’re a Virgin Media customer, log in at bit.ly/vmsafe409 and deactivate the Child Safe filter. BT Broadband customers can see instructions at bit.ly/btsafe409, while Sky customers should log into My Sky (bit.ly/mysky409).
Install mobile apps not launched in the UK
Developers don’t always release new apps globally. Often they will test an app’s popularity in one country before choosing to release it in others. This happened in July when Pokémon Go was launched first in the US, Australia and New Zealand, leaving Brits watching impatiently from afar as the craze took hold.
The developer or publisher might block an app because they don’t have certain rights for it overseas. Or, as was the case with Pokémon Go, an app’s popularity may place too much strain on its server. The solution is to stagger the release across the world, so the app works as intended.
How to beat the block
If you have an Android phone, you could root it, although that carries some risks. Another option is to install Rocket VPN (bit.ly/rvpn409) to disguise your location. Launch the VPN and choose the country where the app you want is available. Google Play will be tied to your Google Account, and that will be linked to your home country, so you’ll need to sign out and create a new Google Play account based in the country with the app you want. You need to enter your phone number for verification purposes, but the fact that it’s a UK number won’t matter.
Afterwards, go to Settings, Apps, Google Play Store and tap Storage. Clear the app cache, then tap Force Stop. Search Google for the app you want, then click the link to open it. Make sure the new Google account is the one connected to Google Play, and you should be able to download the app.
Rocket VPN is available for iOS (bit.ly/vpnios409), but it’s harder to cheat Apple’s system. You’ll need to create a new Apple ID, and use a method of payment for the country you’re choosing as your location (an iTunes gift card for that country will work). Changing your ID will wipe any existing subscriptions you might have through iOS.
Stop Facebook blocking ad blockers
If you use an ad blocker on Facebook, you may find it hasn’t stopped you from seeing ads on the site recently. That’s because the social network has started showing adverts that display even if you have ad-blocking software installed (infuriating Adblock Plus in the process).
Facebook’s logic, apparently, is that it can’t let ad-blocking renegades jeopardise the billions it makes from advertising. Well, that’s what we think, anyway. What Facebook claims publicly is that it isn’t about the money. Andrew Bosworth, vice president of ads and business platform at Facebook, said (presumably with a straight face): “This isn’t something that we need to do for revenue, this is something that we really believe in”.
So what exactly do they “believe” in? Showing adverts that are “better” and less “annoying and disruptive”. Bless Facebook - it’s acting in our best interests. How sweet.
How to beat the block
Adblock Plus (adblockplus.org) has been fighting back against Facebook’s tactics, but this has resulted in a game of cat and mouse. Some days you won’t see ads, some days you will. You can manage the type of adverts Facebook shows you by tweaking its new ‘advert preferences’ (bit.ly/fbads409).
Meanwhile, read Adblock Plus’s blog for its take on what it calls a game of “ping pong” with Facebook: bit.ly/adblock409.
Stop Netflix blocking VPNs
Netflix is spending a lot of money on original and exclusive content, but not all its films and TV shows are available in all the countries that Netflix serves. For example, Ricky Gervais’s film David Brent: Life on the Road will be available exclusively on US Netflix early next year, but won’t be shown in the UK, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand.
It’s easy to beat such geographical restrictions using a VPN, but Netflix is cracking down on these services, blocking them where it can. The company doesn’t suspend your account or penalise you in any way – it just recognises when VPN software is being used and prevents you from accessing its programmes.
How to beat the block
While Netflix will recognise and block most popular VPNs, such as CyberGhost (www.cyberghostvpn.com), NordVPN (nordvpn.com) and TunnelBear, it does so with varying degrees of success. Switching the location you use in your choice of VPN, even those mentioned above, may be enough to get around the block.
At the time of writing, ExpressVPN (www.expressvpn.com) is still working. It isn’t free (it costs $12.95 – about £10.52 – a month), but there is a 30-day money-back guarantee which lets you try it without risk. This might be worth doing if you only want to use it to binge-watch a series on Netflix.
Don’t forget to cancel your account before it starts charging you, though.
Stop BBC iPlayer blocking VPNs
Like Netflix, the BBC is clamping down on VPN use to stop users outside the UK from accessing its content for free. If you live overseas or are holidaying abroad, using a VPN to keep up with your favourite BBC programmes seems like the perfect solution, but it breaks the corporation’s terms of service. Last year, the Global Web Index (www.globalwebindex.net) claimed that more than 60 million people watched iPlayer content for free outside the UK.
In an effort to control this, the BBC makes regular updates to iPlayer to block VPNs. It reportedly plans to launch its own paid-for video service in America in the next few years, so it wants to limit which programmes can be watched beyond British shores.
How to beat the block
iPlayer doesn’t block all VPN services, so you may be able to get around the restriction by trying a different tool, or connecting to another network. At the time of writing, TunnelBear still works with iPlayer and lets you watch BBC content overseas.
UNBLOCK YOURSELF FROM THE WEB
If you have been unfairly blocked from forums, social networks and other online services, ‘unbanning’ yourself can be difficult. What matters is how and why you ended up on the blacklist.
The first step is to report the problem. If, for example, Facebook has blocked you, take a look at the information in the Help Centre (bit.ly/fbhelp409). You can fill out a form to lodge an appeal if you think your account was “disabled by mistake”.
If Twitter has blocked you, follow the instructions in its help pages (bit.ly/twithelp409). To unblock a OneDrive account, visit bit.ly/odhelp409.
Some forums rely on IP address blacklists to block spammers and trolls, but these can be unreliable. You might find yourself being blocked through no fault of your own because your IP address has somehow ended up on the list. You can try getting your IP address off the list by speaking to the forum owner. If that doesn’t work, sign up or log in from a different IP address by either accessing the site from somewhere else – such as a café – or by using a VPN or proxy server.