When I was traveling through Vietnam I was frustrated that I wasn’t able to update Facebook easily and share photos with friends and family. Vietnam isn’t alone. There are many other countries that block access to Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube around the world.
Countries That Block Facebook
- Iran
- China (widely banned)
- Vietnam (limited)
- North Korea
- Pakistan (ban lifted)
Countries That Block Twitter
- Iran
- China (widely banned)
- North Korea
- Turkey (ban lifted)
Countries That Block YouTube
- Eritrea
- Pakistan
- North Korea
- China (widely banned)
- Turkey (ban lifted)
While you may not be traveling to Iran, Pakistan, or North Korea soon you might be headed to Vietnam or China. It can be frustrating not being able to access your favorite social sites as you please.
Not only are many social media sites blocked but Netflix, Pandora, and Spotify simply don’t work outside of the U.S.
Learn How to Access Netflix, Pandora, and Spotify Outside the U.S.
How to Access Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube When it’s Blocked
There are always workarounds to gain access to your favorite sites. The key to accessing these sites is spoofing your location within the banned country.
For example, if you want to access Facebook in Vietnam you need to make IP address show you are not in Vietnam.
How do you do this?
Simply use a VPN service like Hide My Ass to change your IP location to anywhere in the world. You do not need to have any technical skills to use this app. It does all the work for you and you just need to sign-up and create an account.
Are VPNs Safe and Legal?
Absolutely! VPNs are not only legal but they actually protect you from harmful attackers when connected to public WiFi. This is why I use HMA when I travel abroad to access Facebook, Twitter, Pandora, and Netflix.
How To Use a VPN
Head over to HMA and create an account.
I use HMA and have for years. It is fast and reliable and they make it easy to change my location abroad.
Check out HMA and see if it is right for you.
photo via Mother Jones