Ways to access popular sites in China and India from the US

“How to access website from different country?”

If you are an international student in the US, you are probably thinking of how to get to popular sites in your home country. 

After all, the University of Texas at Austin has blocked Tik Tok, a viral short video app owned by China’s ByteDance, from the school’s network, CNN reports. 

Students will not be able to use Tik Tok — even on personal devices — if they connect to the school’s wired or wireless network, according to a message posted on the uni’s website. 

With the US government clamping down on the use of Tik Tok due to cybersecurity concerns, many visitors and international students are trying Googling “how to access website from different country.” Source: Loic Venance/AFP.

The message follows a directive from Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who ordered all state agencies to bar their officers and employees from downloading or using TikTok on government-issued devices due to the large amount of user data it collects. 

More than half of US states have also banned TikTok, according to a CNN analysis.

The University of Oklahoma and Auburn University in Alabama are some other institutions taking steps to clamp down on the social media app following the governor’s orders in their respective states. 

This shows that other popular sites and social media apps will be or have beem banned when the government feels there is a notable cybersecurity concern.

In this, the question “How to access website from different country?” is a perfectly understandable concern — making finding a solution to address this fatigue all the more pressing. 

First, let’s take a look at some popular sites in India and China:

Taobao is a popular online e-commerce platform to satisfy all your shopping needs. Source: Yuri Kadobnov/AFP

Popular websites in China and India

Taobao

Picture the Chinese version of eBay. This e-commerce platform is a popular online shopping destination for Chinese consumers looking for a wide variety of selections, value and convenience.

For example, you can get a phone holder for less than US$1.

Small businesses and individuals can set up stores on the platform. Product or service sellers can display their items for sale or resale on Taobao.

YouKu

Youku — like YouTube in the US — is the top site for videos in China. Ranked #79 globally and sixth in China for traffic, the website is a great place to search for Chinese TV shows, movies and music. 

FlipKart

Flipkart is India’s second largest e-commerce site, with more than 210 million monthly visitors. 

Both co-founders — Sachin and Binny Bansal — were co-workers at Amazon. Like Amazon, they started as a small online bookstore. 

According to the website, the platform houses “everything you can possibly imagine.” This includes trending electronics like laptops, tablets, smartphones, and mobile accessories to fashion staples like shoes, clothing and lifestyle accessories. 

As US unis start banning popular sites due to privacy concerns, the query “how to access website from different country” is on every international student’s mind. Source: Fred Dufour/AFP

How to access website from different country while studying in the US

Try accessing the website on your personal device

Try logging into these websites normally when you are on campus. If you can do so, this means that the uni has not blocked you from accessing these sites.

Do remember the risk of using a public Wi-Fi hotspot. Your personal information may get leaked since your data is not protected.

We recommend avoiding essential tasks like shopping online or paying bills while connecting with free Wi-Fi in public spaces. Remember to use multiple passwords and different usernames.

Use a virtual private network

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are a great way to stay safe online, make your browsing more anonymous and even view content from other regions. 

While you can use a free VPN, we recommend investing in a good one. 

That’s because free VPN providers may bombard you with invasive advertising or sell your browsing data to a third party. 

Consider Surfshark if you are looking for a paid VPN. It has unlimited bandwidth, allowing you to connect to multiple devices. They also have a seven days free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

The best part? Their 24-month subscription costs US$2.49. 

Log into these websites outside of campus

Abbott’s directive only bans the use of TikTok on campus. There’s nothing to prevent students from using the app when they are not connected to the school’s network.