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Trying to visit Library Genesis or Sci-Hub throws me a 451 error ("File unavailable For Legal Reasons"), for instance. Monoskop.org couldn't be loaded either so

by Funes- 3y ago

Trying to visit Library Genesis or Sci-Hub throws me a 451 error ("File unavailable For Legal Reasons"), for instance. Monoskop.org couldn't be loaded either some months ago and I had to go through the Tor browser to visit it, as well. These aren't violating any law in the European country in which I reside.

JumpCrisscross 3y ago
> Library Genesis or Sci-Hub throws me a 451 error libgen.li and sci-hub.se loaded for me fine. > aren't violating any law in the European country in which I reside No clue. These labels are for the United States. Our government can’t tell ISPs to block a site.
kbolino 3y ago
That's (very likely) server-side blocking based on IP geolocation, not ISP blocking.
- Funes- 3y ago
  Absolutely not. There are some ISPs left in the country that aren't blocking access to those very sites. I mean, I was accessing them no problem until I switched providers. That's precisely how I found out they were blocking them.
  - kbolino 3y ago
    Changing ISPs will change your IP address, and IP geolocation databases are not always accurate. Unless the ISP in question also controls a certificate authority, it is not possible for it to block an individual website served over HTTPS by altering the status code. The fact that you get a 451 indicates that the server is blocking you. [edit: DNS over HTTPS and other secure-by-default policies in most modern browsers also frustrate ISP blocking/hijacking of individual sites]
    - Funes- 3y ago
      >it is not possible for it to block an individual website served over HTTPS by altering the status code. The fact that you get a 451 indicates that the server is blocking you. I think I just realized what they're doing. Here's what I think is happening: my current ISP just downright blocks the HTTPS site, but when you try to access it through HTTP, you get a blank page with text in bold type that says "HTTP 451 – File unavailable For Legal Reasons". However, other ISPs show you a different page: a blank page all the same, but with a different message ("For reasons beyond [ISP]'s control, this webpage is blocked"). It could be that they are injecting these pages to the visitors and that my current provider just copied and pasted the status error's default text, instead of posting a custom message, like the other company. If it was the page who's blocking me, based on my geolocation, the 451 error should come up both over HTTP and HTTPS, but it doesn't. It's either that, or my ISP is altering the status code only for the HTTP site, and blocking access to the HTTPS one.
itishappy 3y ago
Not sure why you'd assume the US is responsible for blocking sites for you in Europe. All three sites work fine here. https://libgen.li/ https://libgen.li/ https://sci-hub.se/ https://sci-hub.se/ https://monoskop.org/Monoskop https://monoskop.org/Monoskop
- Funes- 3y ago
  >Not sure why you'd assume the US is responsible for blocking sites for you in Europe I never said that. I said that ISPs in my country (Europe) are blocking these sites, and I (wrongly) thought that ISPs in the US would be doing the same, generally.
rsynnott 3y ago
Not sure what’s going on in your country, but in Ireland, 451 is, pretty universally, a sign that the site operator has just blocked Europe rather than complying with the GDPR.
- Funes- 3y ago
  No. Just accessed it through Norway, Luxembourg, Germany, Finland, and Romania. Not a single problem arose. This is more probably what happened: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40004163 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40004163.

by Funes- 3y ago

JumpCrisscross 3y ago

> Library Genesis or Sci-Hub throws me a 451 error libgen.li and sci-hub.se loaded for me fine. > aren't violating any law in the European country in which I reside No clue. These labels are for the United States. Our government can’t tell ISPs to block a site.

kbolino 3y ago

That's (very likely) server-side blocking based on IP geolocation, not ISP blocking.

Funes- 3y ago
Absolutely not. There are some ISPs left in the country that aren't blocking access to those very sites. I mean, I was accessing them no problem until I switched providers. That's precisely how I found out they were blocking them.
- kbolino 3y ago
  Changing ISPs will change your IP address, and IP geolocation databases are not always accurate. Unless the ISP in question also controls a certificate authority, it is not possible for it to block an individual website served over HTTPS by altering the status code. The fact that you get a 451 indicates that the server is blocking you. [edit: DNS over HTTPS and other secure-by-default policies in most modern browsers also frustrate ISP blocking/hijacking of individual sites]
  - Funes- 3y ago
    >it is not possible for it to block an individual website served over HTTPS by altering the status code. The fact that you get a 451 indicates that the server is blocking you. I think I just realized what they're doing. Here's what I think is happening: my current ISP just downright blocks the HTTPS site, but when you try to access it through HTTP, you get a blank page with text in bold type that says "HTTP 451 – File unavailable For Legal Reasons". However, other ISPs show you a different page: a blank page all the same, but with a different message ("For reasons beyond [ISP]'s control, this webpage is blocked"). It could be that they are injecting these pages to the visitors and that my current provider just copied and pasted the status error's default text, instead of posting a custom message, like the other company. If it was the page who's blocking me, based on my geolocation, the 451 error should come up both over HTTP and HTTPS, but it doesn't. It's either that, or my ISP is altering the status code only for the HTTP site, and blocking access to the HTTPS one.

itishappy 3y ago

Not sure why you'd assume the US is responsible for blocking sites for you in Europe. All three sites work fine here. https://libgen.li/ https://libgen.li/ https://sci-hub.se/ https://sci-hub.se/ https://monoskop.org/Monoskop https://monoskop.org/Monoskop

Funes- 3y ago
>Not sure why you'd assume the US is responsible for blocking sites for you in Europe I never said that. I said that ISPs in my country (Europe) are blocking these sites, and I (wrongly) thought that ISPs in the US would be doing the same, generally.

rsynnott 3y ago

Not sure what’s going on in your country, but in Ireland, 451 is, pretty universally, a sign that the site operator has just blocked Europe rather than complying with the GDPR.

Funes- 3y ago
No. Just accessed it through Norway, Luxembourg, Germany, Finland, and Romania. Not a single problem arose. This is more probably what happened: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40004163 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40004163.