List of Blocked Websites in the UK
The UK has never been known as the most open or liberal of countries, and their ongoing war against the free and open Internet is certainly an example of this. The UK has a list of blocked websites which seems to get longer all the time, likely making it so this article needs to be […]
The UK has never been known as the most open or liberal of countries, and their ongoing war against the free and open Internet is certainly an example of this. The UK has a list of blocked websites which seems to get longer all the time, likely making it so this article needs to be updated often.
The list of websites that the UK has blocked includes websites added for a number of different reasons. The four most common are:
Not only do they block their citizens from viewing content available to most of the world, but they also block most of the world from viewing content that they have! This will also be looked below, with solutions offered along the way!
List of blocked websites in the UK: Pirating
Pirating websites are blocked in the UK, and have been since they started blocking The Pirate Bay in 2012. This type of website blocking in the UK is done at the ISP level. There’s a court order out to block them, and these ISPs participate in blocking the sites:
- Sky
- Virgin
- BT
- TalkTalk
- EE
These are the companies enforcing the blocks. Just FYI. Here are all of the sites currently blocked for pirating in the UK:
| Blocked | Websites | For Pirating | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1337x.org | Abmp3.com | BeeMp3s.org | BitSnoop.com |
| BitSoup.me | BitTorrent.am | Bomb-MP3.com | Btdigg.org |
| Btloft.com | BTS.to | Cucirca.eu | Demonoid.ph |
| Download For All.com | EMP3World.cc | ExtraTorrent.cc | EZTV.it |
| Fenopy.eu | FileCrop.com | FilesTube.com | H33t.com |
| Heroturko.me | IceFilms.info | IPTorrents.com | Isohunt.to |
| IWannaWatch.to | IWatchOnline.to | KickAssTorrents.ph | LimeTorrents.com |
| Losmovies.tv | Monova.org | Movie25.cm | Movie2k.to |
| MP3juices.com | MP3lemon.org | MP3raid.com | MP3skull.com |
| NewAlbumReleases.net | NowTorrents.com | PickTorrent.com | RapidLibrary.com |
| RapidMoviez.com | Rarbg.com | SceneSource.me | SeedPeer.me |
| SevenTorrents.re | SumoTorrent.sx | The Pirate Bay.org, se | TorLock.com |
| TorMovies.org | Torrent.cd | TorrentBit.net | TorrentButler.eu |
| TorrentBytes.net | TorrentCrazy.com | TorrentDay.com | TorrentDB.li |
| TorrentDownload.ws | TorrentExpress.net | TorrentFunk.com | TorrentHound.com |
| Torrenting.com | TorrentProject.se | TorrentReactor.net | TorrentRoom.com |
| Torrents.fm | Torrents.net | TorrentsDownload.org | Torrentus.eu |
| Torrentz.cd, eu, pro | Torrentzap.com | TVChaosUK.com | TV-series.me |
| Vertor.eu | Vitorrent.org | Warez-bb.org | WatchSeries.lt, to |
| WatchTVSeries.to | YourBittorrent.com |
Yes, that is a lot of websites. The full list of websites blocked in the UK isn’t even anywhere near being done yet, and it’s already exhausting! There is still this list of blocked pirate websites which are dedicated solely to ebook sharing:
| Blocked | Websites | Ebook Pirating | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| AvaxHome | Bookfi | Bookre | Ebookee |
| Freebookspot | Freshwap | Library Genesis |
What’s worse is that both of these lists are expected to grow over the years as more pirate downloading sites spring up and the UK identifies and blocks them.
Get around the pirate site blocks
A step to take to get around these blocks is to see if there are any which aren’t blocked in the UK yet, and you can click here for the best torrent sites that are still up.
The most important thing to do at all times while torrenting is to use a VPN which allows for torrenting. It won’t matter if the torrent site is blocked or not if your ISP can still see your downloads and you get hit for copyright infringement. Here are the top two torrenting VPNs that we recommend:
Positives Negatives Conclusion CyberGhost VPN are definitely a top 5 VPN provider. Reading their privacy policy, and the fact that they do allow p2p and torrenting traffic on nearly all servers, you may rank them as your top choice for a VPN if you do a lot of downloading.
Their software has features, like their killswitch, that put them on par with the top of the line VPN clients available. For fun, they also have a cute the animation that makes the experience that much more pleasant. They also benefit from being located in Romania as this country is well known for online privacy rights.
What’s holding them back from the top spot is their connections do drop slightly more often than we'd like, otherwise they might be #1. Their VPN Kill Switch does save you from being exposed, but no problems would be better than a solution to a problem. For the price you pay for their VPN service, one of the lowest in the industry, and all the features of their software, you can’t go wrong when you choose CyberGhost as your VPN provider. I have been using it primarily to download stuff online and it works great. It has great speeds and very minimal loss of connection which is usually handled fast enough by their very reliable customer... View More I love the fact that users data is protected and deleted every 24 hours so my privacy is guaranteed. Their speeds are also remarkably fast and am able to stream my favourite shows without any glitches... View More I do a lot of P2P downloading and have tried quite a number of different VPN services. So far this ranks as the best if your main interest is p2p and torrenting. You will get great speeds as well. Positives Negatives Conclusion ExpressVPN is among the best VPN providers with a software package that will satisfy the needs of most VPN users. Use ExpressVPN if you want:
Expree VPN has given me a consistent connection fast speeds with very limited drops. I am able to comfortably download huge files via P2P and torrenting something that i couldn't do before getting express... View More This is my third month using this service. Over this period i have enjoyed a consistent connection with good speeds and very few drops.Their customer support especially via email are great. You get an... View More Its great for p2p downloading. The speeds are pretty good for uploading and downloading heavy files. Their customer support is friendly and conducts itself in a professional manner.
If you’re willing to pay a premium price for the feature-rich software package and the huge VPN server numbers, then ExpressVPN is a good choice for you. Check them out, or other VPN providers that we’ve tested and reviewed, by clicking on the links below.
Any of these will make it so you can not only get past the blocks, but also torrent from these sites in private. You need to do this so you don’t get a DMCA notice.
List of blocked websites in the UK: Live streams
A number of entities have been doing what they can to stop live streaming pirate sites, the most notable of which being the Premier League. Making all of the money in the world appears to not be enough for them as they force the government to add more and more sites to their blocked list:
| Blocked | Websites | Ebook Pirating | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 123Movies | Couchtuner.fr, video | FirstRow1.eu | Fmovies |
| GeekTV | GenVideos | GoWatchSeries | HDMovie14 |
| HDMoviesWatch | Megashare | MerDB | MovieSub |
| MovieTubeNow | MyWatchSeries.ac | PrimeWire | Project Free TV |
| Putlocker | Rainierland | Series-Cravings | SockShare |
| SolarMovie | SpaceMov | StreamAllThis | TheMovie4U |
| Tube + | Vidics | Viooz | Vodly |
| Watch32 | WatchEpisodeSeries.com | WatchFree | WatchFreeMovies |
| WatchMovie | WatchSeries.do | WatchSeries-Online.pl | Xmovies8 |
| YesMovies | Yify-Torrent | Zmovie |
There were also a number of specific servers which were targeted by the Premier League, but these were more dark web-oriented and not published publicly. With the Premier League still working against pirate streams with the shutting down of Reddit’s r/soccerstreams, you know that this list will grow with both direct and indirect shutdowns.
Porn streaming sites could be next
A final point to bring up in streaming, though not live, is the potential for porn streaming sites to be blocked. This coming legislation would see age verification blocks put in place that push you to prove you’re over 18.
How they’ll do this is dicey, with credit cards being a possibility. This, of course, is a terrible idea. The last thing anyone needs is another place to put their credit card to be potentially exploited across however many porn sites one visits.
Get around the live stream site blocks
The list of blocked sites is pretty exhaustive, but there may be one still available to you if you’re interested in Premier League action. If not, you’re left with using a VPN that’s good for streaming. This one is highly recommended for streaming:
Positives Negatives Conclusion VyprVPN does many things very well, and their partnership with SpiderOak for encrypted storage is a real bonus. Use it if you need encrypted storage that is also transported with top-notch encryption.
With 15+ years of experience in the Internet industry, and a strong dedication to privacy from spying, VyprVPN offers you an exceptional Tier-1 network. Everything you do with them, including billing, their server network, and support, is handled by VyprVPN and the Golden Frog Network parent company.
VyprVPN can't be recommended to those who wish to do torrenting or P2P file sharing. This against their Terms of Service. With their logging policy also clearly established, it is not hacker or spammer friendly at all. They will use their logs to work with law enforcement when a subpoena is presented to them.
VyprVPN is recommended for those who want to do general browsing, video streaming, and to unlock geo-blocked content. It is also great on public Wi-Fi for anti-hacker defense. They have above-average pricing, but their extra features and Tier-1 network do make them a good deal if you are looking for exactly what they offer. I came across a feature about Vyprvpn Chameleon encryption. With this technology am able to bypass restrictive networks put in place by governments, corporations and ISPs to achieve an open internet experience... View More This is my third month using vyprvpn and so far everything has been as i had anticipated. The speeds are great and i am able to stream stuff that i previously couldn't from this region due to geo blocking... View More VyprVPN has been my VPN service provider for the last 2 years working in the horn of Africa. I am able to access most sites that some of the states in this region have blocked. These guys offer a reliable... View More
These will hide your live streaming activities so that the ISPs can’t block you, and they have the bandwidth to make sure you’re seeing everything as it happens with minimal buffering issues.
List of blocked websites in the UK: Counterfeit merchandise
Stopping counterfeit merchandise has been an issue for decades, and the Internet has only made it worse. As more companies seek to stop counterfeiters from profiting off their designs, pressure is being put on legislators to stop access to these sites as a way of cutting off their sales.
The list of blocked counterfeit websites includes:
| Blocked | Websites | Counterfeit | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1iwc.com | CartierLoveOnline | hotcartierwatch | IwcTatchTop |
| MontBlancPensOnlineUK | ReplicaWatchesiwc | UKMontBlancOutlet |
It is a short list, but it is a big win for manufacturers as they have been pushing for years to take these sites down as a way of prosecuting them without being able to arrest them. These blocks were actually pushed for by Cartier International, Montblanc, and Richemont.
Getting around this block should not be a priority for anyone. The merchandise is low-quality, and you’ll likely look for a refund you’ll never get. Buy locally! Can’t afford Rolex? Bulova still makes great watches!
List of blocked websites outside the UK
The UK is also notorious for blocking websites to those who are outside of the UK. Those travelling or living away from the UK can find themselves blocked from accessing these sites, even if they pay for a subscription!
| Blocked | Websites | Outside | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBC iPlayer | Channel4 - All | Channel5 - All | FILMON |
| iBox | iTV Hub | London Live | Now TV |
| Rakuten TV | Sky - All | STV Player | TalkTalk TV Store |
| TVCatchup | TVGuide | TVPlayer | UKTVPlay |
| Vidzone |
If you are from the UK and away on vacation, you’re going to be blocked. Those are the main channels serving the UK, but there are also specialty sports and music channels being blocked:
| Blocked | Sports Sites | Outside | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| BT Sport | Eurosport Player | Premier Player | Absolute Radio |
| Now 80s | TuneIn |
This is done for a number of reasons, but it usually comes down to money and copyrights via territory. Sorting out distribution rights is going to be the last hurdle the Internet faces, but for now you can use a VPN to get around it. Here is an Australian talking about geoblocking in his home country:
Get around the blocks on foreigners
The only way to really get around these types of blocks is to trick the sites into thinking that you are actually in the UK. This is done by changing your IP address to one that matches a computer that would be in the UK.
This is easier to do than you may believe as VPNs are designed to exchange your IP address for one in the UK if you choose a UK server. Here is one VPN provider which is great for geo-blocking issues like this:
Positives Negatives Conclusion Apart from the obvious reasons like high-speed performance and impressive customer protection, there are several other elements that have made IPVanish a one-of-a-kind VPN provider:
Put together, all these factors make IPVanish one hell of a VPN provider. To summarize IPVanish in one sentence: It does everything a VPN provider should, and it does many things better than anyone else. Once you’ve tried out its services, you will understand why we rank IPVanish as the number 1 VPN service provider in our overall review, and in several sub-categories.
These VPNs will give you many UK server choices so that you can unblock this content from outside the UK. Whether you’re from the UK or not, this is a great thing as you’ll have access to the best of Britain!
Dealing with blocked websites in general
Blocked websites are a reality faced by many people all over the world, not just those in the UK. The surest way to deal with these blocks is by some way changing your IP address, or masking your activity with encryption.
A VPN is the easiest way to do this in all instances. Whether you’re in the UK, or trying to access websites in the UK from outside of the UK, it is highly advisable that you invest in one of the top-quality VPNs we recommend.