Proxies for Access to Restricted Content

Licensing is the most common reason companies turn to geo-blocking. A content provider needs licensing rights for every country where their content is present. This often costs a lot of money. In some cases, geo-restrictions are tied to specific legal situations in a country. For example, a public broadcast service is funded by taxpayers, so it wants to ensure only they have access to the content.

Retailers can offer the same products at different prices based on the user's geographical location. Airline tickets are an excellent example of this, but it doesn't stop there. The cost of services, goods, and subscriptions often varies per country. By charging visitors from developed countries more, companies can make extra profit.

From democratic nations to totalitarian regimes, countries around the world also use extensive blocking regulations with different transparency levels. Internet censorship is as old as the internet itself and has been on the rise in recent years. Certain governments block specific news portals, while others prevent access to social media networks.