Geo-restrictions refer to preventing users from accessing content based on their geographic locations, such as Australia. An India-based platform like Disney+ Hotstar limits its reach by putting geo-limitations, so people from Australia or elsewhere won’t be granted access.
However, with a good VPN service, bypassing these limitations is child’s play. Once accessed, a virtual private network encrypts all online activities and keeps you anonymous.
The best part is that your IP shifts to the country of the said streaming service. So, if you want to stream Hotstar in Australia, you will be assigned an Indian IP.
Let’s discuss why geo-restrictions are placed and how to power through them:
Reasons For Geo-Restricted Content
Following are a few reasons content is restricted to specific regions:
Copyright Agreements
Typically, a number of content developers publish their works on streaming platforms, and these creators only allow streaming services to air their content in particular areas and not elsewhere.
This is why streaming services have unique libraries for different countries. For instance, even though Disney+ Hotstar is now available in a few countries other than India, the Indian library reigns supreme when it comes to content.
To put it simply, you will be spoilt for choice when you visit Hotstar’s Indian library.
Licensing Rights
Licensing rights are one of the issues that content distributors must deal with. Before making their movies, shows, documentaries, etc., accessible in Australia, they must obtain permission.
Security Concerns
In some circumstances, content restrictions may apply in specific nations. For instance, a governmental organization might restrict access to particular websites or social media channels to stop the dissemination of information or viewpoints that it regards as risky or dangerous.
4 ways for Australia’s Geo-Restriction Bypass:
Nearly every problem that might potentially stand in the way of users has been solved by technology, and geo-restricted material is no exception. That said, here are four ways to address geo-restrictions in Australia:
- VPN (Virtual Private Network)
The most remarkable approach to get around geo-restrictions is through a VPN, as was previously mentioned.
If you want to access Disney Plus Hotstar with a VPN, you can connect to an Indian virtual server and hide your IP address.
One thing to keep in mind is that you should get a premium VPN rather than utilizing a free one because the latter offers more servers and guarantee that IP and DNS leaks won’t occur.
- Proxy Server
The middleman between your device and the website you are visiting is generally thought of as a proxy server.
Proxy servers use a specific IP address to guide you through geo-restrictions. However, due to limited servers, they often get flagged by streaming services.
Thanks to them, users can make tracking their online activity more challenging for websites and other online services.
- Tor Browser
A web browser created for online privacy and anonymity is called the Tor browser. It is based on the Firefox browser and hides the user’s IP address and location by routing internet traffic across several servers using the Tor network.
Routing internet data through numerous nodes located all over the world helps to anonymize internet traffic.
Although it can unblock tor sites, it is typically not secure. If you utilize this browser, third parties may have access to your data.
- Smart DNS
Domain names are converted into IP addresses using DNS (Domain Name System) service. In order to determine the IP address of a website, when you type its address into your browser, your device sends a DNS query. These requests are captured by smart DNS services, which then revert through servers located elsewhere.
By doing this, Smart DNS enables users to access content only available in particular nations or areas. With it, your DNS requests can be sent via an India-based server, giving the impression that you operate from within India and are nowhere near Australia.
Overall, through Smart DNS, you can access an Indian service with ease.
Conclusion
Hopefully, now you are able to stream Hotstar outside India. Even though there are several options to access geo-restricted content – Smart DNA, Proxy, VPN, or Tor Browser – we believe the best solution is a quality VPN service.
It is the fastest, safest, and most effective option to access any geo-restricted content in your area, be it Australia or anywhere else.
Also, good VPN service providers have advanced features, including a Kill-Switch, which ensures that you never get detected by a streaming platform, even if the VPN disconnects.
