Research by the European Commission has revealed that geo-blocking is a common problem in Europe.
Geo-blocking is where a website stops internet users from certain countries from accessing or fully using the website.
The study found that 68% of retailers selling digital content, and 38% of retailers selling physical goods, engaged in some form of geo-blocking on their websites.
Looking a bit deeper into the specific tactics used, it found that 27% refused to deliver items to other countries, 22% refused to accept payments from foreign customers, 10% would re-direct an internet user to another micro-site, and 5% would refuse access to the website altogether.
To fight back against geo-blocking, which it considers unfair, the European Commission hopes to pass a “portability regulation” in 2016, which would mean that all digital service providers would be required to stop geo-blocking in 2017.Â
