Thread: Changing what country the internet thinks you're from?

Is it legal to find a way of changing your country of origin in order to access websites and services that are region-locked?

For example, there's a website I'm unable to register with because it can detect I'm not located in the UK. Is it legal to trick the website into thinking I am in the UK in order to register on there?

I honestly have no idea if it's actually a crime, or if it's simply like a case of region-unlocking your DVD player.

(If it is a crime then this thread probably shouldn't stay open...)

The Onion Router TOR

https://www.torproject.org/

I suspect that the legality varies from country to country and may also be influenced by the context and purpose of the work-around.

Originally Posted by dan hunter

The Onion Router TOR

https://www.torproject.org/

That's good, or maybe this website, or Google 'proxy server':

Hide My Ass! Free Proxy and Privacy Tools - Surf The Web Anonymously

Originally Posted by Daecon

or if it's simply like a case of region-unlocking your DVD player.

That is probably a criminal act in some places. I wouldn't be too surprised if the DMCA made it illegal in the USA. Although there are protections for reverse engineering (which, in turn, is illegal in some jurisdictions).

Is it legal to find a way of changing your country of origin in order to access websites and services that are region-locked?

Er, in other words: I don't know. But I assume a proxy server is the only way to do it. And in some countries, using a proxy server would be illegal!

I have similar problems at work, where all connections go through a server in another country. I am forever having to tell websites what country I am in. Some let you do that and some don't. I complained to one web service I use a lot and they seem to have fixed it.

I don't know that the proxy services mentioned would let you look like you are in the UK.

Originally Posted by Mayflow

I don't know that the proxy services mentioned would let you look like you are in the UK.

Using Tor to Watch BBC iPlayer | Teaching Tech

The BBC looks at the ip address of the visitor to determine the user’s location. In order to view the content you must have a UK based ip address. How do you get one if you live in the US? I use TOR – The Onion Router.

Oh, that is cool. I will play around with this, this week end. Thanks Strange!