It’s becoming increasingly common for companies to block certain websites to anyone on their network. This means there are several websites employees won’t be able to access while at work. However, sometimes you just need that mental break to kickstart your brain again, and people have become used to using social media and other platforms as a way to switch off.
You can use proxies, like an Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube proxy, to bypass restrictions placed on social media. However, before we delve into the ways to bypass restrictions, let’s first look at why and how these restrictions are imposed.
Why Companies Block Websites
There are various reasons a company can decide to block a website. Many social media channels are blocked by companies as these channels can provide a distraction to their employees. It lowers work ethic and diverts the employees’ attention to matters that are not part of their work.
More serious website blocking generally pertains to inappropriate websites. Using an ISP (Internet Service Provider) network means your activity is logged on that network. That alone should act as a deterrent, as often your activity can be seen. However, companies block such websites to avoid that happening.
Restricting Access with Firewalls
Companies often use firewall technologies to filter the type of websites that can be accessed using their ISP. A firewall is a monitoring system that can track activity, block incoming or outgoing activity and access, and manage your online access rights. It validates access to specific sites, which is why you won’t be able to access any sites your company deems restricted.
Types of Websites Blocked
Most often, social media channels like Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok end up being blocked by companies. That’s because these sites tend to drag a person’s attention for hours on end. You can simply intend to check a quick update, and the next thing you know, you’ve been on the app for more than an hour.
Other websites that are often blocked are online retail websites like Amazon. Online retailers have perfected their marketing strategy, which means you access their website to buy one thing, and a moment later, you’ve seen five other items you’re interested in purchasing. This can take a lot of time away from your work.
Bypassing Blocked Websites
While we understand why companies block websites, sometimes you also need a slight mental break. Whether you want to relax during your lunch and scroll through Instagram or learn more about a topic using YouTube, there’s a variety of good reasons you might need access to blocked websites. We look at two of the best ways to ensure you can access any website while remaining safe.
Proxies
Proxies can be considered an intermediary server that handles the browsing for you. Proxy servers access the websites on your behalf and display the information for you while not exposing your information or IP address to the website or ISP. Further, there are different types of proxies, like Datacenter and Residential. Depending on the type you choose, it’ll use different techniques to disguise your IP address.
Residential proxies are often the best for social media, like a YouTube proxy. These proxies link to an existing ISP network and residential device, making you look like a real person. It’s also clean proxies, with no previous history attached or shared with other users. Different proxies are also available depending on which type of social media you want to access or more general residential proxies to be used for all browsing.
VPNs
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is similar to a proxy in that it’s an intermediary, but the way it cloaks your internet traffic is different. VPNs work by encrypting all outgoing information and routing it through the VPN’s server. The server then allows you to access the site you want while ensuring your IP address is encrypted and protected.
Often, you can use one VPN for all your online activity, whether it’s various social media apps or web browsing. However, VPNs are also well-known, and there are several measures a company can take to block VPN access to sites, especially if you’re using a well-known or free VPN.
Access Social Media Safely at Work
Using VPNs and proxies means you can safely access the blocked websites at work, allowing you that small mental break you need during your lunch period. However, you don’t want to damage your company or its ISP network, so ensure you use premium proxies and VPNs.
While there are many free proxies and VPN tools you can access, it’s not worth doing so. Not only are these tools more dangerous to you, but they can also allow a virus or hacker to access the company’s network or systems. If you stick to a reliable proxy provider or VPN, then you cover not only your own back but also your company’s security.
It should be noted that using a proxy or VPN to access blocked websites at work, no matter your intention behind it, can lead to disciplinary action. Using a reliable proxy provider or VPN minimizes the chances of danger and your online activity being detected by the company. Ensure you remain safe at all times and are fully aware of the risks.
