Why is there GEO blocking?
GEO Blocking, or regionally blocked content is a restriction that is implemented to only allow access to products, services, or information to people in pre-determined geographical locations.
Popular movie and television streaming services are among the most well-known content providers that implement GEO blocking and are then regionally locked. They are not the only ones to do so.
Although the reasoning behind the decision to restrict access in this way is often unclear, there are several reasons why this is done.
As you will see, sometimes this is done out of necessity and other times it is done purely for financial benefit.
These are the most common reason, in no particular order.
Licensing limitations
Some businesses are only licensed to operate in certain countries, or regions. Reasons for this vary widely, but it is often due to franchise agreements, or trade agreements. Geo-blocking is then implemented in an attempt to ensure that the product, or service is only provided to people within the geographic location permitted by the business license.
Products, or service only available in a specific region
Some products, or services are only available in specific regions for practical and logistical reasons. An example of this is a maintenance service with technicians based in a central location. It would be pointless to have their website flooded with network traffic from other areas that they are not able to service.
To enforce Geographical Pricing
The price of a product or service may vary depending on the geographic location of the buyer. There are generally two reasons for this. It can either be due to one, or both reasons.
- Cost to deliver the product, or service.
Access to products and services may be blocked online to ensure that only buyers from certain regions has access to the products on offer at certain prices. Buyers from other regions are then encouraged to visit alternative sites for prices in their regions. If it is not financially viable to deliver products and services in other regions, it will only be available in the pre-determined regions.
- Targeted audiences.
This is based on the principle of supply and demand, combined with consideration to the wealth of regions. If there is a bigger demand and willingness to pay more in certain regions, people will have access to the website. Areas with lower demand and less wealth are then either regionally locked out or directed to a different website.
Laws vary by countries and regions.
- General Laws
The provider of the product or service may be restricted by laws of the country or region where they are based, or more often of the countries or regions that they block. These laws may impose restrictions, like with pharmaceuticals, tobacco products, type of content etc.
- Data privacy laws
Some countries fall under vey strict data privacy laws. An example of this is the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This is strictly enforced and can lead to substantial penalties if it is found that these laws are not strictly adhered to. Site owners who are not fully compliant may then restrict access to site visitors from those regions to avoid penalties.
To reduce Cyber Risk
Site owners may block traffic from regions that are known to pose relatively higher cyber risks than other regions, to reduce the risk of cyber-attacks.
How does GEO blocked content know my location?
Regionally blocked sites use your IP Address to determine your location.
When you connect to the internet, your connection has an address associated with it, called an IP Address. This is needed for you to be able to send and receive data over the internet. Your approximate location is linked to you IP address. This is how your location can be determined when you are online.
If you would like to know more about this, you can also read our article “What does it mean when your IP Address is exposed”
How do I hide my geographic location?
You can hide your geographical location by using a proxy server or by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The use of VPN is by far the most commonly used way to hide IP addresses and thereby your location. Using a VPN service like NordVPN or ExpressVPN has the added benefit of providing you with additional internet security. This is because it also provides features like an encrypted internet connection.
If you would like to know more about VPN, you can also read our article “How does a VPN Connection work”
Why are Movies, TV Series and Music region locked?
The most common reason why movies, tv series and music are regionally locked are because of regional licensing restrictions. In some cases advertising, sponsorships and royalties can also be factors.
The content itself can also be a factor. The content may infringe on laws or beliefs in certain countries.