How to Unblock U.S. Only Videos (YouTube, Hulu, Max, etc.)

Being denied access to a video due to living outside the U.S. may be one the most annoying problems to plague the web.

Popular streaming apps like Hulu, Max, Netflix, and ESPN Sports all offer brilliant content that’s only available to Americans due to distribution rights and copyright restrictions.

Luckily, there are a variety of browser plugins, software, and services you can use to overcome this barrier.

These days, virtual private networks (VPNs) are the standard when it comes to removing geo-restrictions placed on video content. Proxies and plugins that unblock content on YouTube are free alternatives. However, they aren’t always quick enough to stream high-quality video without hiccups.

VPNs ensure flawless video playback and are affordable though. A VPN service may be worth it if you crave plenty of U.S.-only content.

Why are Some Shows Only Available in the US?

To many fans of high-quality TV shows it’s puzzling why some of the best shows can only be enjoyed in the US. For example, Netflix subscribers in Canada looking to revisit their favorites may be surprised to learn ‘Friends,’ ‘The Office US,’ and ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ aren’t in their library.

Streaming services display content according to your location. The country that your IP address is associated with determines which content is shown and which content is excluded. Thus, Netflix US and Netflix Canada have different libraries with plenty of overlap but also in-demand exclusives.

Some TV executives make strict licensing agreements with streaming platforms so they can control where a given TV show can be screened. Apps also have exclusives that are intended to gain subscribers by offering content that isn’t available anywhere else. In other cases, shows aren’t available simply because no company is selling the show in that region.

Plugins

If you plan to watch the occasional U.S.-only video on YouTube and aren’t picky about performance, start with a browser plugin. This will allow you to watch YouTube videos that are normally restricted in your country

There are two popular Chrome plugins to consider: Youtube Unblocked and Unblocker for YouTube. These plugins work by hiding your true IP and replacing it with an IP associated with the country the video is allowed in.

This approach is hit or miss since the developers of the plugin need to keep it up to date for it to continue working. Additionally, you could be required to enter captcha codes on YouTube to prove you’re human, which gets tiresome. This happens because the proxy server IPs tend to be overused.

VPNs

If you’re planning on watching a fair bit of video on YouTube or Hulu and want the best user experience, free of technical hiccups and slow download speeds, VPNs are the way to go.

VPNs add a secure layer between your device and the internet so you have enhanced online privacy. Your real IP address is replaced with an IP associated with any country of your choosing.

With a VPN you download desktop software or an app, which manages connecting to available servers. It allows you to select a country that has access to the videos you want to watch. Thus, restrictions are removed.

I recommend these VPN services for unrestricted video streaming:

High download speeds are necessary for HD video streaming so it’s vital to choose a VPN that doesn’t hinder performance when it’s enabled.

Closing Remarks

Hopefully, content providers will get laxer about restricting videos from being viewed outside the U.S. as time moves ahead. Some of these copyright laws strike many as antiquated and arbitrary.

Until then, enjoy all the videos you can handle with a handy plugin for YouTube or a VPN.

How to Stop Throttling by Your ISP (Verizon, Comcast, AT&T, Spectrum, etc.)

If you’ve ever had videos on YouTube or Netflix stutter or even stop, there’s a chance that it wasn’t a technical snag. Rather, your ISP could be throttling your download speeds.

Even as Wi-Fi and broadband technology advances, it’s not uncommon to see reports that video streaming performance has been dropping dramatically for months on end on carriers like Verizon and Comcast.

Since Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu are notorious for sucking up bandwidth, ISPs are getting aggressive with throttling video streaming. Actions that were taken to slow down peer-to-peer file sharing via BitTorrent are now being taken on video sites and services.

During these periods of less than adequate streaming performance, there’s usually an ISP that bucks the trend. In one case, the only ISP that had improved video streaming speeds while others throttled was Google Fiber. The other major ISPs had revealed their lacking infrastructure and stingy nature once again, and the trend didn’t reverse itself anytime soon.

Why ISPs Throttle

So, why do ISPs throttle in the first place? The best analogy is that of a traffic jam. Too many users want high-quality video in the same locations, causing congestion and therefore slower speeds.

So, if you want video streaming without pauses and munching on popcorn while waiting for the buffer bar to grow at a snail’s pace, you’ll need to think differently than your neighbors.

ISPs target specific websites and apps when setting the peak download speeds for users. A study found that YouTube is generally throttled the most, and Vimeo is throttled the least.

The speed you get can also depend on the relationship the ISP has with the website or app you’re using. Another study found that AT&T targeted Netflix and YouTube for throttling but Amazon’s Prime Video ran at the best possible speeds.

How to Run Tests and Troubleshoot

Researchers have used an app called Wehe to collect data for their studies and so can you.

Wehe measures the speed of apps of your choice such as YouTube and Netflix and compares them with other apps on your phone. After tests are complete with a particular app, Wehe displays the “app throughput” and “non-app throughput.” If the download speed is notably faster when you use other apps it indicates that your ISP has targeted the app for throttling.

Popular apps to run tests on include YouTube, Vimeo, Amazon Video, Netflix, and Spotify. Since short-form video is so popular on social media you may also want to test Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and others.

It’s important to keep in mind that just because an app is underperforming doesn’t mean it’s entirely due to throttling. A CNET article provided insight from the ISPs’ perspective:

“We offer customers choice, including speeds and features to manage their data,” AT&T spokesman Jim Greer said in an emailed statement. “This [Wehe] app fails to account for a user’s choice of settings or plan that may affect speeds. We’ve previously been in contact with the app developers to discuss how they can improve their app’s performance.”

VPNs to the Rescue

Luckily there is a way around throttling by using a virtual private network (VPN). Since congestion is usually a local phenomenon, replacing your IP address with one associated with a different location is an effective fix.

Ars Technica did a piece explaining how VPNs allow savvy users to find better roads to travel on:

[…] a VPN may route your traffic away from congested servers and links that would normally serve up video to your home. Netflix and YouTube store video caches in many locations, and data can take multiple paths to its final destination.

“Imagine you’re in the US and that you are on a carrier that existed in multiple states and time zones, you can VPN to the West Coast from the East Coast and end up getting the idle servers that are there, just sitting and waiting for people to get out of school and off work and so on,” Bowman said.

Choosing the Right VPN

So now you know why a VPN works, let’s look at what you’ll need to look at when choosing a VPN, shall we?

Using a VPN for this purpose is like taking a toll road. It’s the best route, free of annoying congestion, but you also need to pay to play.

Due to the demanding requirements of video streaming not just any VPN will do, or more specifically any free solution will inevitably lead to frustrating, slow performance, defeating the purpose of using a VPN in the first place.

Currently, my three favorite high-performance VPNs for video streaming are the following:

A VPN is well worth it if you rely on Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and other streaming services as your main sources of entertainment. It beats paying for a premium internet package that goes beyond what you need.

Conclusion

Despite the long-standing net neutrality movement, the reality is that throttling is here to stay. Your favorite app might perform worse simply because the company that owns it is viewed as a competitor by the ISP.

Popular apps that use up the most bandwidth such as YouTube are commonly targeted by ISPs in an attempt to give the best experience to the most users during peak hours. Ideally, that is how throttling should be used but in practice, ISPs do what gives them a business advantage as well.

The good news is you can use a VPN to bypass throttling if subscribers in a specific location are being targeted. You can change your IP address, test, and see if this change brings better results.

 

Photo: Rovanato

ChatGPT vs. Deepseek: Which is Better for Privacy?

There’s no doubt that AI-powered tools have revolutionized how we work.

It’s even changed how we see the world. With the release of ChatGPT, AI became a subject that was discussed at the dinner table.

Business leaders and individuals alike are experimenting with AI apps and rushing to determine how they can integrate them into their organizations and their workflows. Nevertheless, in this rush to keep up with the times, we mustn’t let online privacy become an afterthought.

Competition Leads to Better Privacy

ChatGPT may have set the bar, but contenders like Deepseek have proven that anything can happen in the AI space, and it can happen fast.

Deepseek astonished the tech giants with its latest large language models (LLL). AI models such as DeepSeek R1 are comparable with Open Ai’s flagship ChatGPT-4o and Claude Sonnet 3.5.

This competition is not only a pivotal part of the story that will lead to better and better AI, it means more choice for users. Now, privacy-focused individuals can compare the privacy policies of AI apps and make informed decisions about how they use them.

In terms of privacy, ChatGPT and Deepseek have many similarities on the surface. However, as you dig deeper it becomes clear that ChatGPT has put more effort into creating policies and features that give users some level of control over their data.

How ChatGPT and Deepseek are Alike

Before getting into how ChatGPT and Deepseek stack up against each other, it makes sense to start with their similarities.

Both apps are chatbots. It’s a lot like messaging friends with Meta’s Messenger. Only in this case, you’re chatting with AI. Once users type in their questions or explain what they’re looking for, chatbots generate incredibly polished and detailed answers.

Like any apps that require sign-up, both apps collect personal data such as name, email, and phone number. Additionally, technical data such as your IP address as well as usage data such as feature usage are stored.

ChatGPT collects data from user prompts, uploaded files, and conversations. Deepseek collects all the same data in addition to user feedback.

Thus, in terms of input, ChatGPT and Deepseek are identical. The same chat data goes in, but the first crucial factor is to determine how that input is stored, and how it’s potentially used.

Where Your Data Goes

Deepseek’s privacy policy reveals that all user data is stored on secure servers in China. As ChatGPT is a US-based company, it stores user data on US servers.

This means that Deepseek and ChatGPT follow vastly different laws set by the countries they operate in.

Deepseek is subject to the Cybersecurity Law of China (2017) and the Data Security Law (2021). These laws grant the Chinese government access to a wide array of user data.

Data that can be requested and sent to Chinese authorities include sensitive user inputs, conversations, and even login credentials.

For US citizens and other people who live outside of China, this might be concerning because they could be subjected to the surveillance laws of a foreign country.

Controlling Your Data

Deepseek collects more user data than ChatGPT overall.

Any chats you have in Deepseek can be used to train its AI. The app also includes third-party tracking. It collects behavioral analytics, even outside of Deepseek.

To top it off, Deepseek shares data with advertisers, corporate affiliates, and legal entities and there’s no way to opt out as a user.

The data ChatGPT collects isn’t as extensive. Most importantly, it allows people to have control over their data. Functionality is provided so all user data that was collected can be deleted. Additionally, it’s possible to opt out of sharing data to train its AI.

Compliance with the Laws of Foreign Countries

ChatGPT has greater transparency in terms of which laws it is compliant with that originate outside of the US. It explicitly states that it is GDPR and CCPA compliant. GDPR is the EU data protection law and CCPA is the California Consumer Privacy Act.

Deepseek lacks transparency about compliance. Certainly, it follows China’s privacy laws but it can’t be assumed that laws in the US and Europe are followed to the same extent.

Conclusion

By default, AI apps collect user data fairly aggressively. However, Deepseek’s privacy policy reveals that it’s even more hungry for your data than ChatGPT. Deepseek is a ground-breaking AI app, but it has a long way to go in terms of considering the online privacy of its users.

Two notable differences between Deepseek and ChatGPT are the level of control the user has over their data as well as transparency.

ChatGPT offers opportunities to opt out of data collection. Plus, it provides options for removing your data. With Deepseek, the user isn’t’ given tools to manage their data. It isn’t clear whether it’s compliant with laws such as GDPR and CCPA or not.

Is Your Data Safe with AI App Deepseek?

TikTok is the popular app that’s often been cited as a potential threat to the online privacy of Americans. However, there’s a new kid on the block that privacy-focused people should be even more careful with.

It’s a new AI app called Deepseek.

Deepseek is breaking new ground in AI. People are rushing to try it due to the hype on social media and in the headlines. However, privacy experts advise that people should exercise caution when chatting with Deepseek’s AI.

How Deepseek Made Waves

Recently, Deepseek has exploded in popularity. It’s right up there at the very top of the Google Play store at the time of this writing, right along with rival ChatGPT.

Deepseek’s rise was so dramatic that Donald Trump called it a “wake-up call” for US companies that have invested heavily in AI, such as Microsoft, OpenAI, and Nvidia. It sent Nvidia’s stock price plummeting nearly 17% in late January, setting a record for the largest single-day loss in stock market history.

The message the market sent was clear. China is a force to be reckoned with in AI. And moving forward US competitors won’t underestimate companies like Deepseek and Alibaba again.

Investors and businesspeople alike are astonished that Deepseek achieved performance comparable with ChatGPT with only $5.6M in development costs. It took OpenAI over $3B to develop GPT-4.

Diving into Deepseek: How it Works

Deepseek was founded in May 2023, and in 2025 it reached the limelight. This surge in popularity was largely due to Its newest large language models. DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek-R1 are revolutionary in their efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

DeepSeek-V3 is a general-purpose model that’s trained to answer the user’s questions. DeepSeek-R1 can question itself. It’s geared towards advanced reasoning tasks and deep thinking.

If you’ve ever used ChatGPT you know what to expect in terms of how you interact with Deepseek’s AI. It’s essentially a chat interface not much different from Meta’s Messenger, only with AI on the other end generating detailed and polished replies. Simply type in your question or specify what information you’re looking for.

The Data Deepseek Collects About You

So, what exactly does Deepseek collect about its users?

The personal data you share during sign-up as well as “text or audio input, prompt, uploaded files, feedback, chat history,” may be collected and stored by the company.

Additionally, when you contact Deepseek it can “collect the information you send us, such as proof of identity or age, feedback or inquiries about your use of the Service or information about possible violations of our Terms of Service (our “Terms”) or other policies.”

Certain data is collected automatically. Technical information such as your IP address and operating system are stored. Deepseek maintains a list of devices that you use to access the app so that all of them are associated with your account. This is common as it allows tech companies to deal with people who abuse their services.

The next part is a little strange at first glance. The app automatically gathers “keystroke patterns or rhythms.” This could be a way to identify bots so they can potentially be blocked from using Deepseek’s services.

To China or Not to China

Some people don’t see a big difference between Deepseek and other AI apps like ChatGPT in terms of privacy. Both Deepseek and ChatGPT may store what’s said during chat sessions.

The key difference to consider is ChatGPT is operated by a US company while Deepseek is based in China. So, the data that’s collected about you by Deepseek is stored on secure servers in China.

Even if one concludes that ChatGPT and Deepseek operate similarly as a company, it isn’t the company itself that’s in question. The political landscape is vastly different in China. And the governments in the US and China have values that couldn’t be more distinct.

As an American, when you use ChatGPT your data remains in America. When you use Deepseek your data is collected by a foreign company that must abide by laws of the land. Unlikely or not, many Americans aren’t comfortable with the idea of a foreign government probing companies like Deepseek for information about US citizens.

Information to Avoid Sharing with Deepseek

If you decide to try out Deepseek, proceed with caution. Avoid sharing information about yourself or about your loved ones that you consider private. Think twice about sharing media such as audio or images that reveal information that you wouldn’t be comfortable with distributing online.

A good rule of thumb is if you wouldn’t post it on Facebook or Instagram you shouldn’t share it with Deepseek. Keep in mind that anything you type in the app could theoretically be stored on servers in China for years.

Conclusion

Hot apps like Deepseek often incite a feeling of missing out. When it seems like everybody knows all about it and you haven’t even created an account, it’s normal to want to catch up to the crowd.

All popular AI apps have privacy implications to be aware of, but since Deepseek is based outside the US, there’s a whole other layer to consider.

Top VPN-Ready Routers for Your Home Network

Once the domain of networking specialists in a business setting, routers with VPN capabilities built-in are now accessible to everyone. It’s become one of the top features people look for when choosing a new router for their home network.

It’s true, there’s another way to enable a VPN at the router level.

You can get a router from FlashRouters with business-class DD-WRT firmware installed for you or install it yourself. However, going in this direction isn’t recommended unless you’re comfortable with the complexity it will add to running your network. Simply put, it isn’t as elegant a solution for the average user or small business.

For most people, it makes sense to choose a wireless router with simple, intuitive firmware that’s VPN-ready out of the box. There are more choices than ever that do just that.

VPN-Friendly Brands

Many of the top router brands have followed the lead of Asus and Synology by including VPN features. Nevertheless, the fact remains that both of these names remain the top choices. They are consistently releasing feature-rich routers that allow you to easily connect to a VPN service.

This guide focuses on the brands that offer VPN features across their product line. This empowers you to choose a specific router based on your needs. And to make things easy, a top pick was chosen from both the Asus and Synology camps.

Router You Need vs. One You Want

Accessing the Internet through a VPN uses up more of the router’s resources than a regular connection. Consequently, pay special attention to the CPU specs. A dual-core processor running at 1.0 GHz or greater is recommended. This is to ensure the router CPU doesn’t bottleneck the performance of web browsing, torrents, and downloads.

You need a capable router if you plan to use a VPN, but if taken too far you’ll overpay for a router with horsepower you’ll never tap into. If you live in a very large house, have a big family and/or ISP offering a bleeding-edge connection speed, going high-end may be worth it. However, you don’t need one of the beefiest models just to connect to a VPN.

Asus Wi-Fi Routers

With competitive prices, a wide selection of routers, and deep VPN capabilities across the board, Asus is a good place to start your search.

AsusWRT is the stock firmware preinstalled on Asus routers. It supports OpenVPN, L2TP, and PPTP encryption protocols.

Although not as cutting-edge on the software side as Synology, Asus knows hardware. They’ve been a major player in computer hardware since 1989.

ASUS RT-AC86U (AC2900) (1.8 GHz – dual-core) [Amazon]

ASUS RT-AX3000 (1.5 GHz – tri-core) [Amazon]

ASUS RT-AX88U PRO (2.0 GHz – quad-core) [Amazon]

Top Pick: Asus RT-AC86U [Amazon]

Despite its playful exterior meant to appeal to gamers, this is a serious router. It’s powerful enough to cover very large homes and brings cutting-edge tech to the masses.

Asus boasts blistering data transfer speeds of up to 2900 Mbps. The Wi-Fi signal is transmitted dual-band (2.4 + 5 GHz) via the latest 802.11ac MU-MIMO technology. That’s an impressive feat considering the reasonable price point.

Inside there’s a 1.8 GHz dual-core processor, 512 MB of RAM, plus 256 MB of flash storage.

Synology Wi-Fi Routers

Synology is primarily known for its excellent NAS solutions. Nevertheless, the company managed to impress tech enthusiasts with their first router, the RT1900AC, and they’ve built upon that foundation by adding the powerhouse RT2600AC and then the mesh-friendly MR2200AC.

The easy-to-navigate Synology Control Panel allows you to painlessly set up and connect to a VPN service. There is comprehensive protocol support, which includes OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP/IPSec.

This interface is like a sleek mini-OS dedicated to your router. And it’s a fresh yet familiar approach.

Synology MR2200AC (717 MHz – quad-core) [Amazon]

Synology RT2600AC (1.7 GHz – dual-core) [Amazon]

Synology RT6600ax (1.8 GHz – quad-core) [Amazon]

Top Pick: Synology RT2600AC [Amazon]

The RT2600AC is Synology’s former flagship, and it’s now its mid-range offering. This model improves on their first router the RT1900AC in every way. As a formidable unit with four antennas, the gargantuan appearance is matched by solid performance.

Although those who crave AX Wi-Fi speeds should opt for the Synology RT6600ax, most households will be well served by the RT2600AC.

MU-MIMO and the latest 802.11ac Wave 2 standard is supported, giving the router a top speed of 800Mbps and 1733Mbps on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz radios respectively.

It’s powered by a dual-core 1.7 GHz CPU and has 512 MB of DDR3 memory.

Wrapping It Up

Home users are ready for routers with VPN features, but open-source firmware solutions like DD-WRT may not be ready for them. That’s because technical know-how is still needed to gain the rich feature set.

Asus and Synology have managed to balance ease of use with advanced features. So while many are focused on router hardware specs, the importance of superior firmware can’t be ignored.