This guide helps you understand and manage instances where your customers encounter country restriction errors that prevent them from accessing content. It clarifies how geo-blocking is implemented within the Cleeng platform, provides guidance on communicating content availability, and outlines how to solve common issues, including those related to VPN usage.
Understanding Geo-Blocking within Cleeng
Geo-blocking in Cleeng is a powerful mechanism you use to restrict access to your digital content based on a customer's geographical location. This is crucial for complying with content licensing agreements, distribution rights, and regional business strategies. When a customer reports a country restriction error, it means their IP address, as detected by Cleeng, falls outside the permitted regions for the specific content or offer they are trying to access.
Why is my customer seeing a country restriction error?
The most common causes for this error are:
| Cause | Description |
| Unsupported Region | The customer's actual location is in a territory where the content is not licensed or configured for access within your Cleeng offer settings. |
| VPN/Proxy Usage | The customer is using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or proxy service that either masks their actual location or routes their traffic through a server in an unauthorized region, bypassing your intended geo-restrictions. |
| Cleeng Offer Misconfiguration | The geo-blocking settings for the specific offer in your Cleeng Dashboard might be incorrectly configured (e.g., an offer intended for "All Countries" mistakenly set to "Selected Countries Only"). |
| IP Geolocation Inaccuracy | In rare cases, IP geolocation databases used by Cleeng's systems (or third-party services) might inaccurately identify a user's location. |
How to guide my customers through geo-restriction issues
When a customer reports a country restriction error, advise them on the following:
- Verify Their Current Location: Ask them to confirm their actual physical location (city, state/province, country).
- Disable VPN/Proxy (if applicable): If they are using a VPN or proxy, instruct them to disable it and try accessing the content again. Clearly communicate your policy on VPN usage (see below).
- Check Content Availability: Direct them to a clear statement on your website or FAQ that lists the countries where the content is available. This information should align with your Cleeng offer geo-settings.
Your Policy on VPN Usage
It is important to clearly communicate your stance on VPN usage. Most content providers prohibit the use of VPNs to bypass geo-restrictions, as this violates licensing agreements. Your policy should state:
- Whether the use of VPNs or proxies to circumvent geographical restrictions is permitted.
- The consequences of using VPNs (e.g., access denied, no refund for unsuccessful access attempts).
- A recommendation for users to disable their VPN if they are encountering geo-blocking messages.
How can I check my geo-blocking settings for an offer in Cleeng Dashboard?
You can directly verify and manage your geo-blocking settings for any offer within your Cleeng Dashboard:
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Navigate to Offers
- Log in to your Cleeng Dashboard.
- Go to Offers & Coupons and select Offers.
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Select the Relevant Offer
- Click on the specific offer that the customer is trying to access and which is generating the error.
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Review Geo-Blocking Settings
- Within the offer's configuration, locate the "Geo restrictions" section.
- Confirm whether the offer is set to be available in "All Countries," "Selected Countries Only," or "Excluded Countries."
- Carefully review the list of included/excluded countries to ensure it precisely matches your licensing agreements and content distribution plan.
By cross-referencing the customer's reported location with these settings, you can quickly determine if the geo-restriction is intended or due to a misconfiguration.
What information should I collect before contacting Cleeng support?
If a customer continues to face issues after trying the above steps, and you cannot identify a problem through your dashboard, gather the following information before escalating to Cleeng B2B support.
- Customer's Email Address: The email linked to their Cleeng account.
- Their Current Physical Location: (City, State/Province, Country).
- Their Public IP Address: You can ask them to visit a site like "What is my IP address?" to provide this.
- Confirmation of VPN/Proxy Usage: Ask if they are using one.
- The specific content or Cleeng offer they are trying to access (e.g., "Annual Pass," "Live Event Access").
- Any error message displayed (screenshot if possible).
This information will help us investigate and resolve the issue more quickly.