Quiz Entry - updated: 2026.07.14
What are the three main technical methods a state uses to censor at the network level?
DNS blocks/rewrites, IP blocks, and traffic-shaping (throttling) — each interferes with network connections at a different layer.
| Method | How it works | Catch |
|---|---|---|
| DNS blocks & rewrites | ISP refuses to resolve certain domains or returns false IPs | e.g. Germany/Italy maintain DNS block lists for copyright-infringing content |
| IP blocks | Specific IPs or whole ranges are blocked outright | Collateral damage — shared hosting means many sites on one IP go down too |
| Traffic-shaping (QoS) | Bandwidth is throttled to make a resource unusable | 2024: Russia throttled YouTube to near-unusability without officially blocking it, dodging criticism |
The focus is on censorship by state actors via influence over network connections.
Tip: IP blocking is a blunt instrument — block one IP and you may take down dozens of unrelated sites sharing it. That collateral damage is sometimes a deterrent, sometimes a feature.
Go deeper:
Internet censorship (Wikipedia) — surveys DNS, IP and traffic-shaping methods with examples.