It can be quite frustrating when you try watching content on YouTube and only learn that you’re being blocked by a local firewall or geo-restrictions imposed by YouTube. Good news is that, with the right tools, you can bypass these restrictions and unblock YouTube.
You may be unable to access YouTube for many reasons. The network administrator at your school or office may use a firewall to prevent users on the network from accessing the site. Numerous schools and workplaces implement the rules to increase productivity and eliminate distractions. The restrictions are important and should be observed, but we also have faith in in open access to info and freedom online. Your country might have strict online censorship with authorities blocking access to YouTube and other popular sites.
Whatever the case may be, here are three ways to unblock YouTube.
1. Use a VPN
This is the easiest way; it’s also the most secure. Besides offering online privacy and security, VPNs unblock content that is otherwise inaccessible because of geo-blocking technology, censorship, and firewalls. VPNs encrypt your traffic and disguise your IP so that your firewall and YouTube think you’re accessing the internet from a different location.
To unblock YouTube using a VPN, follow these steps:
- Identify a high-quality VPN (Blokt recommends Nordvpn)
- Install the VPN on your device
- Choose a server that can access YouTube content
- To bypass your organization’s firewall, choose a server nearest to your location
- Enjoy YouTube content without restrictions
2. Use A Proxy Site or Extension
A proxy works as a VPN but isn’t as secure and reliable. Proxies bypass geo-blocks and firewalls by routing traffic through its server to make it seem like you’re accessing the internet from the server location.
Unlike VPNs, though, proxies don’t encrypt your traffic so, censorship authorities, ISPs, and network administrators can see which sites you visit. Moreover, your unencrypted data is not safe from attacks by cyber-criminals.
You can connect to a proxy manually, through a website, or using a browser extension. Note that browsing via proxies can be tedious and time-consuming because you may need to refresh the proxy whenever you open a new page. Browser add-ons such as ProxTube and Ultra-surf make it easier to unblock YouTube through a proxy.
3. Use the Tor Browser
The Tor browser hides your IP address and lets you access the internet anonymously. It’s free to download. Note that you may need admin privileges on your device to install the browser. Tor routes your data through several relays on its network before the data exits the network.
That way, hackers, ISPs, and network administrators can’t follow you online. Just keep in mind that Tor doesn’t encrypt your data, meaning your traffic is visible even though you are anonymous.
Tor was created to make information freely accessible, especially in the face of authoritarian governments. The browser’s speed is relatively slow, and its bandwidth is limited. So it’s not ideal for streaming content. The combination of Tor and a high-quality VPN is a formidable tool for privacy, security, and anonymity.
Bottom Line
A VPN is the fastest, easiest, and most secure way to access YouTube when it’s blocked by geo-blocking or firewalls. Moreover, VPNs prevent censorship authorities, ISPs, and network administrators from seeing what you’re doing online.
