Increasing Instances of Cyber ‘Geoblocking’: An Untold Tale
Unprecedented Cyber Restrictions
When users from various locations around the world recently tried to access certain websites, they received an error message, “We’re Sorry! This website is unavailable in your location.” . Along with the error message, there was an error code – Error 451, indicating they were trying to access the content from a country outside of the United States. As such, their access could not be granted.
Surfing the web may seem as normal as breathing air for most of us, but as it turns out, not every nook of the World Wide Web is within everyone’s reach. People across the globe are finding themselves increasingly confronting this internet phenomenon referred to as geoblocking.
A Closer Look at Geoblocking
Geoblocking is the method deployed by website servers to restrict access to their content by users from specific geographical locations. Some websites are unwilling, or legally barred, to provide their content, products or services to users in certain territories and hence deploy geoblocking as a tool to enforce restrictions. It has been observed that various sections of websites – like Video News, Health, National Politics, Business, Technology, and even Weather and Sports updates – are now being limited to exclusive geographical locations, predominantly the United States.
Geoblocking: Legal or a New kind of Discrimination?
While Error 451 may sound unfamiliar to many, it was introduced by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) in 2016 as a clear indication of legal obstacles. Indicatively, the number 451 was inspired by Ray Bradbury’s renowned novel Fahrenheit 451, where books are banned, showing a direct metaphor for information censorship. As such, this question arises: Is geoblocking a new form of legal web-discarding, or is it initiating a new form of digital discrimination?
International Reactions
The international audience, being the receiving end of these website restrictions, are raising their concern. The Europe Union has been one of the first entities to take stringent action against geoblocking. The EU Regulation on Geoblocking was implemented in 2018, ensuring EU-residents avoid discrimination when accessing goods and services in the EU’s internal market online.
Impact on Information Access and Sharing
With expanding spheres of online platforms – including On Air Entertainment, Photos, Web Events, and even News related to Crime, Law, Celebrity, Local Science, World Trending Topics, and Regional and Weird News – being increasingly subjected to geoblocking, the global sharing of information is being threatened. With much of the world’s digital traffic being maneuvered by the US, geoblocking adds a complex layer to the already delicate balance between the availability and restriction of online resources.
Technological Backlashes
On the brighter side, many technologically adept users are finding ways around geoblocking. Utilizing tools such as VPNs, web proxies, and smart DNSs – they are seeking out routes to beat the system and gain access to the otherwise blocked content.
Concluding Thoughts
While geoblocking may offer businesses and organizations improved control over their content, the questions concerning its impact on freedom of information, the feasibility of access, and the broader implications for global digital rights remain unanswered.
What seems clear at this juncture is that the conflict between the preservation of cyber borders and the promise of a boundless World Wide Web is heating up. And its resolution, while uncertain, will undeniably shape the future of our global digital landscape.