How To: Bypass YouTube Georestrictions using ProxTube
Image Source: ProxTube
Georestrictioning is the term applied when platforms limit access to their services in certain parts of the world, due to licensing, political or other sensitive issues. YouTube has had georestrictioning in place for some time, and refuses to serve videos containing commercial music to users located in certain countries where a licence agreement has not been reached. Users in these countries will be all too familiar with the sad face graphic that appears instead of the requested video content, if it contains commercial music on the audio track.
Using proxy technology, however, it is possible to bypass the georestrictions in place by YouTube, since it is only based on your computer's IP address. ProxTube is an extension for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox that bounces your IP via a different country, giving you a different IP address and enabling you to watch the latest music videos, or any clip that contains commercial music over the soundtrack. Read on to learn more.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
ProxTube is available as an extension for Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. If you are not using either of these browsers then you must download and install either one before you can use ProxTube.
- 2
If you are using Firefox, click the related download link for this article and grab the add-on by clicking the Download Now link. Run the XPI file to add ProxTube to your browser. Google Chrome users can download the ProxTube extension from its official ProxTube Chrome extension homepage. Click Add to Chrome and confirm the action by clicking install.
- 3
Mozilla Firefox users need to close and restart the browser before proceeding (Google Chrome does not need to be closed when a new extension is added). Note the ProxTube button on the browser toolbar. When this is red, ProxTube is running and will intervene whenever YouTube blocks a video from playing due to georestrictioning.
- 4
Access YouTube by entering www.youtube.com into the address bar of your browser.
- 5
Use the search field to locate a video containing commercial music. Click the video in the search results to cue it up. At this point, if you are subject to georestrictions, the default YouTube "Sorry, but this video is not available..." message will appear briefly, before ProxTube kicks in and connects to YouTube via an alternate IP address.
- 6
The video should now start playing normally, with no more annoying messages.
Tips & Advice
- ProxTube currently supports unblocking of georestrictioning for users based in Germany, the Netherlands and Spain.
