If you’ve accessed the internet at any point in the last 20 years, you probably know that not all websites are equally accessible. Some sites are only available to people with certain privileges – usually, people who are a lot richer or have a lot more power than average Internet users. However, there are also sites that aren’t available to everyone because they have been blocked by governments or ISPs for one reason or another. That’s why virtual private networks (VPNs) were invented – to give users access to websites that would normally be blocked from their location. Unfortunately, not every country is as open-minded as one might hope, and some governments see VPNs as a threat to their authority and control over the internet. There are countries where simply accessing a VPN can get you thrown in jail and convicted of cybercrime, which – let’s face it – is kind of ridiculous if you think about it for more than half a second. But unfortunately, we don’t really live in a world where common sense rules the day. So if you’re reading this article because you want to check out what these restricted websites have on offer without risking your freedom and possibly your life… well, keep reading!
Can You Go To Jail For Looking At A Website?
No, you cannot go to jail for looking at a website. However, if the website is illegal, such as a child pornography website, you could be charged with a crime for viewing the site. Additionally, if you download illegal content from a website, you could be charged with a crime.
Why Are Some Websites Blocked?
1. To Protect Children
One of the most common reasons that websites are blocked is because they contain child pornography. Child pornography is illegal under the Child Protection Act 1990 and can carry a sentence of up to 14 years in prison. It should be noted that if the website in question is hosted outside the jurisdiction of Australia, it is unlikely that you will be charged with viewing child pornography in Australia. However, if you access a website from within Australia and download illegal content from it, you could still be charged with a crime for doing so.
2. To Protect National Security
Another reason why certain websites are blocked is that they contain information about national security or military secrets, such as information about weapons systems or nuclear facilities. This can include sites containing information about sensitive intelligence operations – such as those involving spy satellites – or information that could put people at risk if it were to fall into enemy hands (the latter being more likely). There are also some websites containing information that may hurt people’s religious beliefs or incite hate against certain groups of people (for example, those who practice Islam). These sites are often blocked because they can cause harm to national security – particularly when they contain violent or racist material.
3. To Protect Privacy
The third common reason why certain websites are blocked is that they violate privacy laws by exposing personal data belonging to private individuals – such as their financial records or medical records – without their permission. This includes sites containing personal details about government employees, including details on tax records and voters’ details. Another reason why certain websites are blocked is that they contain information that may be used to commit fraud, such as information about bank accounts or credit cards.
4. To Protect Intellectual Property
The fourth common reason why certain websites are blocked is that they contain intellectual property content – such as movies, music, books, and software which the rightful owners of the content have not given permission for other people to view. This includes sites containing material that has been illegally copied from other websites or has been “pirated” (i.e., downloaded without permission).
Which Countries Block Websites And Why?
1. The United States
The United States has been blocking websites since the late 1990s. It initially blocked websites that contained child pornography and other illegal content, but it has blocked more and more websites over the years. The US government uses a number of different methods to block certain websites from being viewed in the country.
2. China
The Chinese government has blocked websites that contain information about certain political leaders and the Chinese military, as well as websites containing information about the Falun Gong, a spiritual and political movement that is banned in China. They also block websites that contain information about Tibet and Xinjiang.
3. Egypt
The Egyptian government blocks websites that contain “sensitive” or “inappropriate” material such as pornography, gambling sites, and sites containing anti-religious content. The latter are usually blocked because they may cause social unrest or incite violence against a particular group of people. The Egyptian government also blocks websites that contain pornographic images of children.
4. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has a list of banned websites that it regularly updates to include new sites that are being used to distribute pornography and religious materials against the Saudi Arabian government’s laws (such as those designed to prevent religious dissent). It also blocks any website which contains information about its foreign relations with other countries (particularly those that are not friendly with it). In addition, it blocks any website which contains content from Bahrain, Yemen, or Qatar – countries that have been at loggerheads with Saudi Arabia in recent years over issues such as religion and politics.
5. Iran
Iran uses a number of different methods to block certain websites from being viewed inside its borders – including filtering the internet traffic at internet service providers (ISPs) and blocking certain IP addresses at national borders (for example, by making them unreachable from inside Iran). It also regularly updates the list of banned websites that it uses to block internet traffic at ISPs and national borders.
6. Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Arabian government regularly updates the list of banned websites that it uses to block internet traffic at ISPs and national borders. It also blocks any website which contains information about its foreign relations with other countries (particularly those that are not friendly with it). In addition, it blocks any website which contains content from Bahrain, Yemen, or Qatar countries that have been at loggerheads with Saudi Arabia in recent years over issues such as religion and politics.
How Can You Access Blocked Websites?
1. Proxy Sites
Proxy sites are websites that are designed to bypass the internet censorship that other countries apply. In most cases, these proxy sites will allow you to view blocked websites (so long as you have access to one of the proxy servers used to access them). The following are some of the most popular proxy sites:
2. VPN (Virtual Private Network) Sites
VPN sites provide an encrypted connection between your computer and a VPN server in another country, thereby allowing you to bypass internet censorship and unblock any site that is blocked in your country. However, this method is only available if the VPN server is located in a country where it is legal for you to use it (and not blocked by your government). This means that if you want to use a VPN service from Iran or Saudi Arabia, then you will need an Iranian or Saudi Arabian IP address which can be obtained by changing your IP address using a proxy site (see above).
3. TOR (The Onion Router) Site
Tor is an anonymity network that allows users around the world to connect with each other across borders without being identified. This means that if a website such as Facebook or YouTube were blocked inside Iran or Saudi Arabia, then users would be able to access them through Tor and log in anonymously enabling them to view content without being detected by the government’s internet filtering system. However, this method of unblocking websites cannot be used on all websites only those which prohibit their users from accessing them through Tor.
Conclusion
The Internet was created as a decentralized and open system that connects the world and keeps people connected. Sadly, not every government sees it like that. Some governments will block websites to control their citizens and keep them from accessing information and ideas that could be damaging to their rule. However, there are ways to get around these blocks – such as using a VPN. Unfortunately, some countries take Internet censorship to the extreme and will jail people for using a VPN. If you’re in a country where certain websites are blocked, you can use a VPN to get around these blocks and access the content you want. Just make sure you use a reliable VPN provider and that you’re getting a service that isn’t being blocked or banned in your country.