Stuck behind a VPN wall? Let’s find a way around it

A virtual private network (VPN) is a useful tool that allows you to mask your IP and create a secure, encrypted connection between your device and the internet. This means you can browse the web more privately, especially when connected to a public Wi-Fi network. Another use case for VPNs is accessing sites that are blocked in your region. For example, you could be sitting in New York and accessing content on Chinese social media platforms (though I wouldn’t recommend doing that). However, a VPN can sometimes have the opposite effect, blocking you from accessing content that you were otherwise able to view.

I recently received an email from Carol in Douglasville, Georgia, who asked:

"Why am I blocked from seeing a site when I use a VPN? I am being blocked from answering emails I receive from the VA, Social Security and government sites that I need to connect to concerning...