In Austria, the internet is relatively open and free, with just a few limitations. It’s routine practise in most countries to prohibit websites that carry illicit pornography. Hate speech and pro-Nazi or neo-Nazi content are likewise restricted in Austria.
Popular file-sharing sites like The Pirate Bay and 1337x are blocked by ISPs in several regions. However, given VPNs and other privacy-focused technologies like Tor make overcoming governmental and ISP-imposed blocking relatively easy, this form of restriction is widely deemed useless at best and ethically objectionable at worst.
It’s true that there are not many locations where VPN usage is completely prohibited. There are a few countries, such as China and Russia, where you’re only allowed to use services approved by the government, but in most of the world, using a VPN isn’t restricted in any manner. If you utilize a VPN to do things that are unlawful.
Obviously, if you’re not sure about the law in your current jurisdiction, we strongly advise doing your homework before attempting to use a virtual private network.
There are several benefits to having an Austrian IP address in Australia. For instance, you may access your favorite Austrian services while traveling abroad (such as RaiPlay or Mediaset). This is especially beneficial if you use Netflix since many countries’ libraries are smaller than those in the United States.
Furthermore, if you use an internet bank and your IP address indicates that you are from a foreign region, access to your account may be temporarily denied. The issue is that these automated systems are frequently unable to distinguish between a hacking attempt and a user attempting to log in while on vacation.