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I am grateful that “the tech diary” has given me the opportunity to publish this article on their blogsite. I’ve found their page to be a great resource for information related to a wide variety of topics including technology related tips and reviews.
After you’re done reading, I suggest you take a look at their post on how to block Ads in Apps and make games full Offline version in Android, as it comes handy for handling newer free apps that are saturated with annoying ads, videos and paid banners.
Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
To those traveling outside of the United States, internet censorship can sometimes come as a shock. If you weren’t already aware that internet censorship occurs, usually based on your geographical location, encountering it for the first time on your travels can really put a damper on your plans. Besides being outright annoying, it can sometimes cause an issue when you’re attempting to access a website that is necessary for your career or schooling.
Another issue with internet censorship is that sometimes you are actually paying for services that you can’t utilize outside of your home country. That means that unless you’ve made prior payment arrangements with the service provider, you’re going to end up paying for something you won’t even be able to use overseas.
Luckily, there’s actually a simple way that you can avoid internet censorship, so whether you’re on the go or just hanging out at home, you’ll be able to bypass regional restrictions on websites, making it possible for you to view whatever site you’d like. Here are some recommendations as to how you can do this on your Android device.
There’s Really Only Two Ways
When attempting to avoid internet censorship, there’s really only two options that are both easy and pretty secure. One of these options is known as a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN is a service that allows you to route your internet connection through a remote server.
By doing so, your connection becomes encrypted (secure) and your IP address masked, which will prevent websites from picking up on your actual location. For example, you could be physically located in Spain, but websites might perceive that you are located in the United States because of the location of the VPN’s remote server that you’re connected to. Since many websites are blocked just because of your location, using a VPN should unblock the majority of sites so you can enjoy them from any location.
VPN service typically costs under $15 a month, and you can use it on more than just your Android device. It’s also compatible with PCs and iOS. Though there are many different services to choose from, I personally recommend ExpressVPN because it’s available for every operating system, has unlimited bandwidth and speed, and doesn’t log your activities.
An added bonus to ExpressVPN is that they offer a 30-day, money-back guarantee and exceptional customer service that is even available over live chat, so you can quickly and easily contact them through their website when needed. Since a VPN encrypts your connection, you’ll be securing your device at the same time as you’re able to unblock websites, which is particularly important when you’re using public WiFi or any other unsecured networks.
For more information about VPNs, including ExpressVPN, I recommend that you take a look at the collection of reviews at securethoughts.com/vpn-review/
The Next Best Option
Other than a VPN, you can use software known as Tor. Similar to a VPN in some ways, Tor allows you to remain anonymous online and protects your privacy. Like a VPN, it also prevents websites from picking up on your actual location.
Preventing sites from obtaining information about the location of your device is what unblocks websites, so just as a VPN will work to do this, Tor will as well. The thing that makes Tor particularly appealing to some is that it’s free. The problem is that it’s not quite as simple to use as a VPN is, and of course, you won’t be receiving any quick responses from them if you need help with anything.
If you’d still like to give it a try, consider downloading their Android app, Orbot.
Internet Censorship
Whether on your mobile device or PC, these two options will work to unblock websites and can be an easy solution to a somewhat complicated problem. Internet censorship is quickly becoming a larger issue since governments have begun censoring the net more so than ever before. This is done mainly in an attempt to prevent the torrenting of copyrighted films and music, but also sometimes comes at the cost of the consumers.