A Chrome VPN is good at a lot of things—security, privacy, and more—but one of the best things it can do is give you internet freedom. Blocked websites are a common roadblock, but here are 6 of the biggest categories of commonly blocked websites you can access with your Chrome VPN.
#1: Streaming Sites
This is one of the most common uses of a Chrome VPN. Picture this: You’re laying on the couch on your laptop and decide to check out a show on Netflix. But, boom—you’re met with no results for the show you were looking for. So, you search Google to see if it’s streaming anywhere else and find that the show isn’t even available in your country. Bummer, right?
The story doesn’t have to end there. If you had a Chrome VPN, you could find out where the show was streaming, then simply connect to a VPN server in that country, change your IP address, and appear in that country. Voila, new streaming options across the globe.
Of course, this story isn’t just limited to Netflix—YouTube, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBOMax, and many more all have catalogs of shows, movies, and videos that are not available in every country. With the right Chrome VPN, you can access it all.
#2: Blocked Sites at Work
So, you were at home, and found out the show you wanted to watch isn’t available in your country. You go to bed grouchy, then get up to go to work the next day. On your lunch break, you decided to check Twitter, but, alas, another block. You ask a coworker why you can’t get on Twitter, and you find out that the organization you work for has blocked not only Twitter, but every other social media and other entertainment sites.
Now how do you enjoy your lunch break? With a Chrome VPN, all you have to do is turn it on, choose a remote server, and the website is no longer blocked. Your coworkers may be jealous, but a VPN is the easiest way to work around these kinds of blocks.
#3: Blocked Sites at School and Beyond
Similar blocks happen in plenty of other places as well. Schools, from elementary to college, can block websites they deem “unsafe” or “unproductive.” While it may be in the name of your best interest, these blocks often boil down to unnecessary control over your online activity.
What about other places? Any public Wi-Fi host can block users from certain sites. A Chrome VPN lets you escape all of them. You never know when you’ll bump into a blocked site, so you might as well be ready for it.
#4: Online Game Stores
Let’s get back to our story. So far, you haven’t been able to watch your show, and you haven’t been able to take a break at work. You’re stressed, so you decide a great way to wind down is with a bit of retail therapy and a new video game. You Google the game you want to buy and find out it’s actually $15 less expensive in another country. What a let down!
Yep, games are priced differently around the world. While a VPN isn’t always a full-proof way to get the lowest price, it’s a great way to see what’s available and test options that are out there. Some sites, like Steam, have stricter rules surrounding VPN use, and require you to have a billing address in the same country your IP address is in. But, many sites, like Eneba, work well with a VPN, and give you a host of options to choose from.
#5: Online Shopping
Maybe gaming isn’t your thing, so you decide to do some online shopping as well. The same principle applies to virtually any online shop as a gaming site—clothes, gifts, specialty items, and more are all over the world, and as long as they ship to you, you can shop from them.
Online retailers will sometimes offer discounts based on location. Changing your IP address with a VPN will give you access to any region-based prices. Even if you are unable to purchase from them, it’s a great way to make comparisons and let you know if you should keep searching for a better price, or if you’ve already found the best one.
#6: Travel Sites
What about travel? This is a big one, and a Chrome VPN can make a huge difference in the price you get on things like hotels, flights, car rentals, etc. Google Flights tracks your search habits, interests, even your income, and more—with your information, they may actually hike up the price of travel amenities.
A VPN keeps you anonymous so you can get the real best price on travel and other geo-based, personal information-based purchases. Changing your IP address with a Chrome VPN can open up regional discounts that would otherwise be locked by your current location, so you can not only travel with freedom, but shop and go online with freedom, too.
And, when you’re on your vacation, don’t forget to “pack” your VPN! If you’re going out of the country, the sites you normally visit may be blocked or limited. With a Chrome VPN, you can still access the content you want.
#7: International News and Blocked Sites
Unfortunately, some blocks aren’t just convenience or interest based. Governments around the world may block vital information from their residents or other people in different countries. World news may not get reported to you if you’re out of that country, and you could not only fall behind current events, but could miss live saving information and ways to help others.
Some governments may block other sites as well. Turkey blocks Wikipedia, Instagram is blocked in Iran, Reddit is blocked in Russia, Vimeo is blocked in Indonesia, pretty much every Western site is blocked in China—the list goes on.
Internet freedom is important. Whether or not you’re concerned about this kind of block, a VPN does important work to keep people’s anonymity safe to stay connected and free online.
