Why the BBC are Blocking VPN connections

So, what’s the problem with using a VPN (Virtual Private Network)? Why are they consistently being blocked by companies, organisations and even Governments.  Well, the reasons vary slightly in each circumstance but basically, it’s because it enables the user to exercise control about their web activity.

What is a VPN Service?

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) service is a subscription-based service that allows users to connect to a secure network over the internet. It encrypts the user’s internet traffic, allowing them to access websites and services that are otherwise blocked or restricted in their location. It also hides the user’s IP address, making it difficult for websites and services to track their online activity.

A VPN firstly provides security, there’s a reason that most international countries install VPN clients on their laptops.  Their employees might be quite happy trusting their credentials and passwords to the bloke who set up the Cafe Nero Wifi, yet understandably the company usually isn’t.  A VPN is a secure, encrypted tunnel which allows an employee to connect back to their home document or email server without risking their details.

What Encryption Do VPNs use?

The specific encryption protocols used by a VPN can vary, but many VPNs use either the OpenVPN protocol or the Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) protocol. OpenVPN is an open-source protocol that utilizes SSL/TLS to provide secure connections, while IPsec is a more secure protocol that uses a suite of protocols to provide encryption.

What Protocols Do VPN Services Use to Connect ?

Most VPN services use either the OpenVPN or Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) protocols to establish secure connections between two or more computers. OpenVPN is an open-source protocol and the most widely used for VPNs. It is the best option for providing a secure connection and is used by many VPN services. IPsec is a standard protocol used by many enterprise networks and is typically used for corporate VPNs.

Why Do Websites Block VPNs?

Websites usually block VPNs because they can be used to circumvent content restrictions, hide malicious activities, or access websites that are blocked in certain countries. Additionally, some websites may not want to provide services to users who are using a VPN, as they can be used to hide a user’s true identity or location.

Many Sites Block VPNs and Proxies

Others have different reasons; the Chinese Government has spent a fortune trying to block people using VPNs to browse the web.  This is simply because they can’t spy on what’s going on within the encrypted tunnel and secondly it allows people to bypass any blocks and filters on undesirable sites (like social networks and unbiased news sources).   Are you getting the picture? A VPN provides control, security and privacy for us the humble user.

Media Sites and Geoblocking

There is another reason that VPNs are being blocked when possible.  This is because it allows the user to hide their real location and therefore bypass region locking.    It’s particularly common with large media sits because they’re restricted to who they can broadcast.  A media site may be licensed to broadcast to North America and so would need to ensure that that stream cannot be accessed in Europe or vice versa.  Copyright restrictions are usually determined on a country by country basis which doesn’t work well with a global medium like the internet.

There’s some information here as the BBC is the latest to enter the war against VPN users –

BBC Blocks VPN and Proxies

You see it appears the BBC want only people who are actually in the United Kingdom to be able to watch the BBC online. VPNs allow people from across the world to access the services and they don’t like that. The reason isn’t some Brexit inspired selfishness, well not quite, it’s about maximizing revenue for the global rights to its programmes. The BBC News and programmes used to reach out to the world, although now it apparently only wants to do it through commercial sales.

So, all over the web, the VPN is under fire as it’s seen as the last barrier to the corporations and establishment completely controlling what we do online.  Fortunately, it’s actually surprisingly difficult to completely block all VPNs simply because there’s no reliable method of detecting the more advanced ones like Identity Cloaker and NordVPN.  So hopefully we’ll be safe for a while…..