What Is IP Blocking and Why Does It Exist? | The Social Proxy

What is IP blocking? At some point, you must have attempted to access a website or some content and discovered that it was impossible. This is due to a website security feature called IP blocking, and while it may be highly inconvenient for you, it is critical for the internet’s security.

Your IP address is blocked most likely due to something you did that violated the website’s policies or a factor beyond your control, such as your location. However, what is IP blocking, and how can you use a proxy to unblock your IP?

Why Do IP Addresses Get Blocked?

IP blocking is critical for the Internet to function properly. It can be thought of as an additional layer of security for websites, allowing them to grant access to users based on pre-established criteria selectively.

Due to many people on the internet with varying intentions, IP blocking is beneficial for containing excesses such as suspected malicious activity. There are a variety of reasons why a website might block your IP, including the following:

• Control online traffic: when an excessive number of users attempt to access a website at the same time, the site may crash. Such a spike could occur if bots are used and real customers are blocked as a result.
• Protect data and information: certain institutions and workplaces maintain data intended solely for the use of those who work or study there. IP blocking is required in this scenario to prevent outsiders from gaining access to such data, which may be sensitive and unsightly if compromised.
• To prevent bot activity and spam: most websites have been impacted by bot activity. Numerous bots, for example, are attempting to make bulk purchases for resale at a much higher price on eCommerce sites. Additionally, bots are used to extract data from websites. Spam is another unappealing aspect of websites, particularly in the comment sections. All of these actions have the potential to crash a website or significantly slow its services to real and potential customers.
• Avoid fraudulent transactions: fraudulent transactions are rampant, particularly on eCommerce sites. To avoid such transactions, online merchants can employ IP blocking to deny transactions from countries or regions with a high fraud rate.
• Localizing content: when you access the internet, you are shown only the content that is appropriate for your location. Each large company has a distinct category of content tailored to its various customers’ needs and locations. As a result, certain video content may be blocked for someone in another location; for instance, a Dutch video may be blocked for someone in the United States.
• Social and political status: countries that restrict freedom of expressions, such as China, Russia, and Belarus, have implemented IP blocks. These block citizens of such countries from accessing online content.

Unblocking Your IP

As previously stated, IP blocking is necessary; however, there are some circumstances in which such blocks must be bypassed. For instance, suppose you require a video online but are unable to stream it because it is not available in your country. In this case, you can easily circumvent the restriction by changing your IP address.

Proxies and VPNs will be required to accomplish this. Both of these tools alter your IP address, making it appear as though you are connecting to the internet from a different location. While a VPN is preferable for static connections, proxies are excellent for using bots, accessing eCommerce sites, and gaining access to otherwise blocked content due to geo-blocking.