I. Introduction
A. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a tool that allows users to access the internet anonymously by encrypting their data and masking their IP address. This allows bypassing of geo-restrictions and bans imposed by websites or internet service providers.
B. Snapchat is known to ban or restrict access to its app and services in certain countries and regions. This is often done to comply with local regulations or due to business decisions. Users in banned regions cannot access Snapchat at all, while those in restricted areas may lose access to certain features.
II. What is a VPN and How it Works
A. A VPN routes the user’s internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server operated by the VPN service. This hides the user’s actual IP address, replacing it with one belonging to the VPN server. The website or service the user is accessing sees the VPN IP address instead of the real one, allowing the bypassing of bans and restrictions tied to particular IP ranges or locations.
B. VPN services maintain servers across different countries and regions around the world. By connecting to a VPN server in an unrestricted location, users can gain access to sites and services that are blocked or limited in their own country or region. This makes VPNs a popular solution for unblocking sites and services like Snapchat.
C. There are several protocols used by VPN services to establish encrypted connections, the most common being OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP/IPSec, WireGuard and SSTP. Protocols differ in aspects like connection speeds, compatibility across devices, ability to bypass firewalls, etc. Many VPN services offer apps across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux platforms that automate much of the connection process for users.
III. Outline VPN
A. Outline VPN is an open-source VPN developed by Jigsaw, which is Google’s technology incubator arm. It is designed keeping privacy and security in mind for users facing censorship and surveillance.
B. Unlike most commercial VPNs focused on entertainment and privacy needs for general users, Outline has been created specifically to help human rights activists, journalists and marginalized groups maintain access to the open internet. It uses technical and legal measures focused on user protection.
C. Outline VPN relies on the Shadowsocks protocol rather than the more common OpenVPN or IPSec protocols used by commercial VPN services. Shadowsocks uses proxies and encryption to route traffic in a manner that avoids many IP address and protocol blocks. This makes it very capable for bypassing firewalls and restrictions.
D. Outline VPN is focused on providing unrestricted and unmonitored access to internet content. It does not collect any user activity logs or personal information. It uses state-of-the-art encryption standards for securing user traffic and connections. Being an open-source project allows transparency regarding its operations and ongoing audits by the global tech community.
IV. Using a VPN to Unblock Snapchat
A. Here is a simple step-by-step process for using a VPN service to unblock access to Snapchat:
- Sign up for a reputed VPN service (e.g. NordVPN, ExpressVPN) that works well with bypassing blocks on sites and apps.
- Download and install the VPN app on your device – desktop or mobile.
- Run the VPN app and connect to a server located in a country/region where Snapchat access is unrestricted (e.g. US, UK).
- Once connected, the VPN will assign you an IP address from their server location.
- Open Snapchat – you should now able to access it normally as if in an unbanned region.
Some VPN services have a ‘Multi-hop’ feature that routes your traffic through two VPN servers instead of one, making blocks even harder to implement.
B. Good VPN services known to work well for unblocking sites and apps like Snapchat are:
- NordVPN: Very fast speeds, ability to bypass advanced firewalls, works consistently across 6000+ servers, allows 6 simultaneous device connections, very user-friendly apps.
- ExpressVPN: Solid speeds across 3000+ servers, reliable for streaming HD video, has specific optimized servers for unblocking sites/apps, allows 5 device connections together.
V. Changing Snapchat Location with a VPN
A. Snapchat relies on your device’s IP address and associated location information to determine and display your location within the app. By routing your internet traffic through a VPN connection to a server in another country, it is possible to “trick” Snapchat to show your location as being where the VPN server is physically hosted.
Some ways to do this:
- Connect to a VPN server in your desired fake location. Open Snapchat – it will now display that location instead of your real one. Share snaps and content while the VPN is connected to maintain the illusion.
- Use a location “spoofing” tool that modifies your device’s GPS coordinates fed to apps. Set the coordinates to match a location you want to fake in Snapchat, together with routing traffic via VPN through that same region for consistent behavior. Share location-tagged snaps to friends with your spoofed coordinates.
B. A few ways to manually change the Snapchat location displayed comprise:
- On iOS, disable Location Services for Snapchat via Settings or only allow it while using the app. Then open VPN Settings and enable Spoof Location – choose region to display in Snapchat.
- On Android, deny Location Permission for Snapchat in App Settings. Connect to VPN, set desired city in Fake GPS app. Location spoofs to apps bypassing system Location settings.
VI. Conclusion
A. Using a reliable virtual private network enables unblocking access to Snapchat in case it gets banned or restricted in your region, letting you stay in touch with friends and family worldwide. A VPN also allows manually overriding your location within Snapchat to select what you share with your connections.
B. For seamlessly accessing Snapchat globally and controlling your location visibility, robust VPN services like NordVPN and ExpressVPN are recommended. They provide fast connections, able to bypass firewalls, have dedicated apps for ease of use and can spoof locations realistically across social media & internet. Stay secure and unlock the full social experience anywhere!