One of the major reason Internet users may not be able to access websites is due to incorrect configuration of the internet content filter by their internet service provider. This means that your dial-up, DSL or cable modem company might be routinely blocking off websites because they contain the word “breast”, even though it might be a poultry or medical information website.

This “censorship” intentional or otherwise, results in many medical, relationship and informational websites on topics such as preventing domestic abuse or dealing with sexual problems during marriage, being labeled as “adult” websites.

Due to crude filtering technologies that are used, websites containing words referring to the human anatomy, or terms like “date rape” may be blocked from your browser, because these blocks occur due to a mass blacklist of these sites.

While this practice may not seem harmful, you can find yourself experiencing massive frustration, especially if you happen to need to access such censored sites in the course of conducting research for school or business.

One of the solutions is to use a private proxy.

A proxy is an intermediate website, which lets you access the blocked website.

By accessing the proxy (which is labelled as an acceptable website by your internet service provider), you can go on to access the blocked website in order to obtain the information you need.

The proxy website gets around the problem of a mislabelled website by serving as a “proxy” or intermediate destination.

Proxies are especially popular where information such as medical and health news, political news and even access to social networks like Facebook and MySpace have been blocked off due to incorrect filtering by the internet service provider.

Finding a reliable private proxy will also help you protect your privacy because the proxy serves as a shield. You will look like you are arriving at the destination website from the proxy, rather than your original internet service provider.

In this manner, you can maintain your confidentiality, especially if you do not wish to appear on the website’s visitor logs.

Ultimately, using a proxy can both open up access to incorrectly identified websites and cover your online tracks.