Technology
Can you bypass VPN blocks, protect your online privacy?
In today’s digital age, the significance of virtual private networks (VPNs) cannot be overstated. These powerful tools are essential for safeguarding your online activities and maintaining privacy against ever-evolving cyberthreats. Despite widespread recognition of their benefits, many users, like Beth, who recently contacted us, encounter challenges in effectively leveraging VPNs.
“Hi. I recently had some jerk hack my Amazon account and cause all sorts of problems and I believe they also hacked my Etsy account. … Anyway, I wanted to start using a VPN since 99% of my time both for work and at home is spent online and the same for my son and my husband. However, we noticed that a HUGE number of sites want to block people who are using VPNs. Do you have a suggestion for a VPN that is less likely to be blocked or noticed or however that works?” — Beth, Verbena, Alabama
Hey Beth, I’m sorry to hear that you had to go through such an ordeal. It’s understandable that you want to protect your online privacy and security by using a VPN. However, it’s true that some websites block VPN connections to prevent fraudulent activities and protect their own security. Below are the reasons why VPN connections are blocked and how to circumvent that.
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A woman working on her laptop and holding her phone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Tips for choosing a reliable VPN
Use a reputable VPN provider
Major paid VPN services invest significant resources into evading VPN blocking by websites and services. Their server networks are large and constantly rotating IP addresses, making it harder to blacklist.
Avoid free VPNs
Free VPN services tend to have smaller server networks and get their IP address ranges blacklisted more easily by anti-VPN measures. Paid providers are generally better at bypassing blocks.
Enable VPN obfuscation
Many VPNs offer an obfuscation or camouflage mode that disguises VPN traffic as regular internet traffic, helping evade deep packet inspection used to identify VPNs.
Use a browser plugin
Some VPN providers offer browser extensions that can sometimes bypass VPN blocks when the desktop app fails. The extensions route only the browser traffic through the VPN.
No VPN is 100% unblockable, but following these tips can help find a service that minimizes the chances of being blocked when trying to access restricted websites and services.
VPN on a woman’s smartphone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
MORE: HOW TO USE VPNs WITHOUT COMPROMISING YOUR BANKING APPS
Reasons why VPN connections are blocked
Regarding your online privacy, it’s true that companies like Google have been caught taking information they were not given permission to access. However, it’s important to note that websites have the right to block VPN connections if they suspect fraudulent activities. This is because VPNs can be used to mask the identity of the user and bypass geographical restrictions, which can be used for illegal activities. Below are the top four reasons VPN connections are blocked.
1) Transparency: Financial institutions, in particular, often block VPNs because they want to preserve the transparency of transactions. In short, these institutions have a vested interest in seeing where and who the funds are coming and going. PayPal actually will go as far as to ban VPN users for life as it violates their Terms of Service agreements.
2) Limiting services: Streaming services do not want users to use VPN because it bypasses specific region-based restrictions. Certain content is only available to specific regions of the world, and VPN would mask the user’s location. Streaming services actively block VPN IP addresses, and if it is discovered you managed to bypass their IP blacklists with a regular VPN or VPN obfuscation, you can come under “fire” from the streaming services.
3) Preventing illegal activities: Some governments and companies utilize VPN blocking to ensure that they are protected against misuse, fraud, and other illegal activities.
4) Control: Some governments and companies use VPN blocking to monitor and trace back activities by individuals online. For instance, some companies ban VPN use, limiting nonwork access online, etc.
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A woman on her computer (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
MORE: HOW TO SECURE YOUR HOT SPOT PRIVACY, SECURITY WITH VPN
Changing the VPN server location
One effective way to bypass VPN blocking is to connect to a different VPN server location or city. Many websites and services that attempt to block VPNs do so by blacklisting known VPN IP address ranges. By switching to a VPN server in a different city or country, you can obtain a new IP address that may not be blocked.
Most reputable VPN providers have a large global server network spanning hundreds or thousands of servers across dozens of countries. This gives you many options to try different server locations until you find one that is not blocked by the website or service you’re trying to access.
The steps are usually:
- Disconnect from your current VPN server
- In your VPN app, browse the server list and select a new city or country
- Connect to the new VPN server location
By changing your virtual location frequently, you make it much harder for anti-VPN measures to keep up with blacklisting all the IP addresses associated with a particular VPN service.
How to choose a VPN that keeps you connected
Consider using a VPN to protect against being tracked and to identify your potential location on websites that you visit. Many sites can read your IP address and, depending on their privacy settings, may display the city from which you are corresponding. A VPN will disguise your IP address to show an alternate location. See my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices.
MORE: WILL A VPN PREVENT APPS FROM TRACKING ME?
Kurt’s key takeaways
Given the tremendous amounts of personal data gleaned through daily online use, it is understandable why you might want to utilize a VPN service. Unfortunately, some companies and government agencies block VPN users, which is completely legal. While it is not foolproof and can slow down your connection speed, VPN obfuscation might help you continue to use VPN without getting blocked.
Do you think the benefits of using a VPN outweigh the inconvenience of potentially being blocked by some websites? Why or why not? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.
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Technology
Use this map to find the data centers in your backyard
When Oregon resident Isabelle Reksopuro heard Google was gobbling up public land to fuel its data centers in her home state, she didn’t initially know what to believe. “There’s a lot of misinformation about data centers,” she said. “Google has denied taking that land.”
Technically, she explains, The Dalles, a city near the Washington state border, sought to reclaim that land, “and Google is just a big, unnamed power user.” The city had in fact asked for ownership of a 150-acre portion of Mount Hood National Forest, claiming it needs access to Mount Hood’s watershed to meet municipal needs as its population — 16,010 as of the 2020 census — grows. But critics, including environmentalists, say the city is trying to secure more water for Google, which has a sprawling data center campus in The Dalles that already consumes about one-third of the city’s water supply.
This controversy made Reksopuro curious about the backlash to data centers being built in other communities. So Reksopuro, a student at the University of Washington who studies the connections between tech and public policy, decided to map it out. Using information collected by Epoch AI and data scraped from legislation on data centers, she built an interactive map tracking AI policy around the world. She designed it to be simple enough for anyone to use. “I wanted it to be something that my younger sisters could play through and explore to understand what are the data centers in the area and what’s actually being done about it,” Reksopuro said. She hoped to shift their opinions that way, “instead of like, through TikTok.”
Four times a day, the map searches for new sources and checks them against the existing database Reksopuro built out. “Once it does that, it will write a new summary, add it to the news feed, and populate it on the sidebar,” she said. “I wanted it to be self-updating, since I’m also a student.”
Reksopuro isn’t against data centers, but she thinks tech giants benefit from a lack of transparency around data center policies. “Right now, it’s this really opaque thing — and all of a sudden, there’s a facility,” she said. “I think that if people knew about data centers beforehand, it would give them leverage. They would be able to negotiate: ask for job training programs, tax revenue, environmental monitoring, things to improve their community.”
Technology
Fox News AI Newsletter: Graduation speaker praises AI, gets instantly booed
UCF commencement speaker Gloria Caulfield (University of Central Florida via Storyful)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.
IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
– UCF graduates clobber commencement speaker with boos after she says AI is the ‘next Industrial Revolution’
– OPINION: DIRECTOR KASH PATEL: We brought the FBI out of the past and into the AI age
– OpenAI backs creation of global AI governance body led by the U.S. that would include China as a member
TOUGH CROWD: During a recent commencement ceremony at the University of Central Florida, a speaker was met with loud boos from the graduating class after declaring that artificial intelligence represents the next industrial revolution. Fox News Digital reporting captures this tense cultural moment, illustrating the mixed public sentiment and skepticism surrounding AI’s growing footprint in daily life.
A statue on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. (iStock)
BADGE MEETS BYTE: Reflecting on the modernization of national security in a Fox News op-ed, FBI Director Kash Patel explores how the bureau must adapt its strategies to address modern threats and advance beyond the artificial intelligence age.
TECH DIPLOMACY: OpenAI is throwing its support behind the establishment of a new global artificial intelligence governance organization that would be led by the United States while notably including China as a member. Fox News Digital reporting examines the geopolitical dynamics and regulatory implications of this proposed framework as global powers race to set the standards for AI development.
EQUITY ELEVATION: The massive wave of wealth generated by the explosive growth of ChatGPT and the broader AI industry is driving a sudden surge in the San Francisco Bay Area’s luxury real estate market. Fox News Digital reporting breaks down how the influx of new tech capital is reshaping local housing dynamics and fueling a high-end property frenzy.
FBI Director Kash Patel listened as Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference at the Department of Justice on April 28, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
STRATEGY RESET: Tech giant Cisco is planning to eliminate thousands of jobs as the company shifts its primary focus to accelerate its artificial intelligence initiatives, a move that comes despite the company beating earnings expectations. Fox News Digital reporting details the corporate restructuring and broader economic trends pushing legacy tech firms to aggressively pivot toward AI.
ROAD HAZARD: Waymo is issuing a sweeping recall of its autonomous vehicle fleet following a concerning incident that highlighted significant safety issues with the self-driving technology. Fox News Digital reporting outlines the specifics of the recall, the nature of the safety flaw, and what this setback means for the future of fully autonomous transportation on public roads.
BOTS IN THE BAY: A newly developed, artificial intelligence-powered robot has been engineered to seamlessly change and balance vehicle tires without human intervention. Fox News Digital reporting showcases this latest innovation, exploring how automation and AI mechanics could soon revolutionize the automotive service and repair industry.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the 2026 Infrastructure Summit in Washington, D.C., on March 11, 2026. (Kylie Cooper/Reuters)
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Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here.
Technology
Microsoft’s Edge Copilot update uses AI to pull information from across your tabs
Microsoft Edge is adding a new feature that will allow its Copilot AI chatbot to gather information from all of your open tabs. When you start a conversation with Copilot, you can ask the chatbot questions about what’s in your tabs, compare the products you’re looking at, summarize your open articles, and more.
In its announcement, Microsoft says you can “select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don’t.” The company is retiring Copilot Mode as well, which could similarly draw information from your tabs but offered some agentic features, like the ability to book a reservation on your behalf. Microsoft has since folded these agentic capabilities into its “Browse with Copilot” tool.
Several other AI features are coming to Edge, including an AI-powered “Study and Learn” mode that can turn the article you’re looking at into a study session or interactive quiz. There’s a new tool that turns your tabs into AI-powered podcasts as well, similar to what you’d find on NotebookLM, and an AI writing assistant that will pop up when you start entering text on a webpage.
You can also give Copilot permission to access your browsing history to provide more “relevant, high-quality answers,” according to Microsoft. Copilot in Edge on desktop and mobile will come with “long-term memory” as well, which can tailor its responses based on your previous conversations. And, when you open up a new tab, you’ll see a redesigned page that combines chat, search, and web navigation, along with the Journeys feature, which uses AI to organize your browsing history into categories that you can revisit.
Meanwhile, an update to Edge’s mobile app will allow you to share your screen with Copilot and talk through the questions about what you’re seeing. Microsoft says you’ll see “clear visual cues” when Copilot is active, “so you know when it’s taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing.”
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