Nowadays, anyone can grab a device and search the internet for anything and endless options will appear, but this does not mean that us as users have complete freedom to access all of these opportunities, primarily due to the content being blocked from us and this can be down to Geolocation blocking.
What is Geolocation Blocking?
Websites can use a specific form of technology that blocks users from accessing their content due to their geographical location. A prime example of this is Netflix, they allow members access to specific shows and films based on the country they are in and block content based on this. Geolocation blocking can be due to copywriting laws and so content is not allowed to be accessed outside of certain countries, but this doesn’t mean there aren’t methods of allowing you online freedom to blocked internet content – proxy providers can make sure of it.
What is a Proxy?
A proxy server lives between your device and the internet, granting or denying your access to content based on these types of blocks. Your location is determined by the server through your personal IP address which can pinpoint the country you are in, as well as being able to be as specific as a street address. But, proxy providers have a server that will determine access based on rotating IP addresses, as opposed to your personal one and so allow you to view any content no matter where you live.
Not to worry, proxy providers are legal and although sites do not approve of them being used by users, they cannot prevent it from happening. Some sites may find ways of blocking your access to their websites if they discover you doing so, possibly by cancelling or blocking your account.
What Else can a Proxy do?
As well as granting you access to restricted content, proxies can help to keep you safe while using the internet. As said before, IP addresses can track your activity to your location and every site you visit online, your IP will be logged and allow websites to gather data online about your search history. Proxies can use a rotating IP address to prevent your activity online being logged together and so appear as multiple, unlinked users. This can prevent targeted marketing and ensure that your private activity stays just that – private.
For those of you that love the endless possibilities of shopping online, proxies can help you get the upper hand with that too. Many of you may know that when high demand goods come on sales, such as newly released shoes or concert tickets, people go crazy and getting your hands on them is virtually impossible, but then people started to use bots to buy online and this enabled them to do so in a fraction of the time and could even get them more than one. Sneaker proxies are available to help you get those newly dropped shoes that everyone is fighting over and is done by allowing you to appear as multiple people in a quew, under different IP addresses, maximising your chances.
