Credit: Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek | Ryan Nash Photography/Shutterstock

Geofencing can affect you in more ways than you realize, so it’s a good idea to learn what you can about it.

Not to sound dramatic, but geofencing is all around us. It’s one of those things you may not even realize, as it has become so integrated into our modern lives that we don’t even think much about it. However, it’s essential to understand geofencing, so you’re aware of how your location data is being used.

So, What Is Geofencing?

Credit: Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek | ultramansk/Shutterstock

Geofencing is when someone (whether it’s you, a company, or something else) uses GPS to establish invisible, virtual boundaries. Then, depending on the service or app for which the geofence is set, you’ll be able to—or even be unable to—access certain features. Essentially, you’re “fenced in” in a digital sense.

It’s a straightforward definition, but it can be hard to visualize how geofences work in the real world.

How is geofencing often used?

If you have a smart home ecosystem set up, there’s a good chance geofencing is helping you use some of its features. For example, if you set up a command that automatically opens the garage door when you’re within a block of the house, that’s using geofencing to make the setting work.

Essentially, geofencing utilizes your location data and applies specific conditions or task-dependent criteria to determine what enters or leaves the designated area. This can be particularly helpful for those with an in-depth smart home setup. Some applications even let you set these geofences yourself, although they’re generally not called that.

But more than anything, geofencing is used by companies to send you targeted ads. The company’s app can detect when you’re physically in a certain area, and when you are there, they can push notifications or texts that are relevant to where you are.

For example, if you use Google Opinion Rewards, most of your surveys will be related to whether you went to a store in a certain area. Google is using geofencing to generate surveys by seeing what businesses are in that specific area and populating a list for you. It’s a step beyond GPS because Opinion Rewards is asking about more than just where you were—it’s asking about places within the geofence that you possibly were.

The last common geofencing use is related to regional restrictions, and it may be the one you’re most familiar with.

Why are some services unavailable in my area?

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Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek | JarTee/Shutterstock

When it comes to geofencing, many people have experienced situations where they are unable to use a particular service in their area. Since geofencing and GPS can track where you are, something that’s only available in another country or region is not likely to be something you can easily access.

However, that sort of region restriction has its own term—geoblocking. Geoblocking, as the name implies, uses your GPS location to determine what internet content you can view. So, if you’re in the United States and want to watch something on a UK-only streaming service, you’ll run into a geoblock and be unable to use the service.

There are a few reasons why companies use geoblocking. The primary reason is to comply with specific rules and regulations that they need to adhere to, particularly those related to licensing agreements or other copyright laws. Since these laws vary significantly from country to country, many companies restrict access to their apps to ensure that laws aren’t unintentionally broken.

It’s a frustrating situation for the consumer, though, when they’re geoblocked by a service they want to use. Thankfully, there is one good way to bypass geoblocks.

How to get past geoblocks

The easiest way to bypass a geoblock is to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network). VPNs have the ability to spoof your location, making it appear as though you’re in another area or country.

If you connect to a UK server, the previously inaccessible streaming service is now available for you to use—though you’ll likely need to switch back to a US server if you want to get back your regular Netflix viewing.

VPNs also have a few other advantages, the most important of them being its ability to keep your data safe and private. So not only can you get past geoblocks, you can stop services from using geofences to try to push ads on you.

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