Even if you can have access to everything thanks to the Internet, censorship still remains a problem for those who want more. Indeed, if you live in the United States and that you want to go on Argentinian websites, it will be impossible for you, in so far as those websites will be locked in your country. A message like this can then be displayed:
We call it a geographical restriction (more information here). To avoid this restriction, you will need what we call a VPN.
What is the VPN used for?
You have probably wondered about it while you were reading the previous paragraph. But before explaining you what it is, I’m going first to define what an IP address is.
An IP address is, indeed, what identifies your computer when you are connected to any Internet network. It changes according to the country where you are. For example, if you are in the United States, you will have an American IP; if you are in Argentina, you will have an Argentinian IP.
To come back to what a VPN is, it allows you:
- To change your IP address: you want to access an Argentinian website’s locked contents? You only have to choose an Argentinian IP address among those suggested, and there we are! This is valid for any other foreign website: you have to take an IP that corresponds to the website’s nationality in which you want to go.
- To secure your connection: when you go online, you often cope with many threats, such as hacking. A VPN protects you from those threats and also protects your personal data (bank account numbers, passwords…).
- To remain anonymous: usually, when you are surfing the web, a lot of information that concerns you leaks out (your Internet access provider, the web browser you use, your passwords, the list of links on which you went…). On the contrary, with a VPN, only your new IP address leaks out. It allows you then to remain anonymous and to prevent the other users from seeing what you are doing online.
Besides, the VPN is aimed at Argentinian expatriates and at foreigners who want to unlock local websites. If it concerns you, you can then look at the following list:
The best VPN services to get an Argentinian IP
Server locations: Argentina + 52 countries
Price: $11.52
Server locations: Argentina + 61 countries
Price: $9.95
To conclude, the VPN is a good way to avoid the Internet censorship.
