Denied access to Hulu due to anonymous proxy tool

Posted by Matt Thommes on October 6, 2009 | Post type: Pain | Status: Unresolved

I'm currently denied access to viewing content on Hulu. When I try to load any movie or show, I'm presented with this message:

"Based on your IP address, we noticed you are trying to access Hulu through an anonymous proxy tool. Hulu is not currently available outside the U.S. If you're in the U.S., you'll need to disable your anonymizer to access videos on Hulu."

Screenshot of Hulu.com

As if that makes perfect sense.

For one thing, the last time I checked, I believe I still reside in the U.S. Unless, the city I work in is some strange foreign country cloned after Chicago's loop, which I've been transported to one night while I slept. I guess it's entirely possible.

Secondly, telling an average Hulu viewer that they need to "disable their anonymizer," is pretty much speaking a foreign language.

I'm left with no other option than to submit the form linked to in the message, which I'm sure I won't hear back from any time soon.

I'm using Mac OS X, with Firefox, and Comcast is my ISP. If anyone else is also experiencing this "pain in the tech," please let me know if you have an easy resolution.

About the author(s)

Matt Thommes is an independent publishing enthusiast, mobile blogger, content creator, informative writer, web developer from a suburb of Chicago. Never one to conform, Matt intends to promote the effect the web has on our lives, in an effort to intensify, instruct, and clarify all that is happening around us.

Comments

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# comcasthater at 12/8/2009 6:10 am cst

No solution here either, but San Francisco has also been cloned overnight, I guess. I have also submitted the form to Hulu recently.

It is very odd that last week, San Francisco was in the U.S.A. and Hulu was happy to show me Glee and such. However, this week, San Francisco has seceded from the union. Or maybe a quake has pulled us into Japan and I failed to notice?

I blame Comcast, since I am unwilling to blame Mac OS and/or Safari or Firefox. Besides, Comcast wants me to watch Fancast instead. (That's not working so well either.)

If you ever find out what country we are now members of, please let me know. Perhaps we can watch Canada's streaming programming now! Or the BBC! Whee!

Quick Link to this comment: http://TTIP.me/c5434

# stephanie at 2/3/2010 5:58 pm cst
Hey, I landed on this blog because I just googled "hulu macbook anonymous proxy tool" because I, too, am having this problem. A LOT!! I live in Chicago as well and frankly, I have no idea why it's doing this. Sometimes I can use hulu, sometimes it thinks I have an anonymous proxy tool enabled. I'm not a computer idiot, but I have no clue what an anonymous proxy tool even is! Did you ever get a resolution to this? I keep filling out The Form to report the problem, but I never hear anything back.

Quick Link to this comment: http://TTIP.me/c5526

# stephanie at 2/3/2010 5:59 pm cst
Oh, and by the way, I'm not using Comcast as my ISP... I'm using an AT&T DSL line... sooooo?

Quick Link to this comment: http://TTIP.me/c5527

# Matt at 2/3/2010 6:36 pm cst
Hey Steph, it suddenly started working for me a short while back. I'm not sure what was changed. Sorry that doesn't help your case.

Quick Link to this comment: http://TTIP.me/c5528

# James at 3/4/2010 6:31 pm cst

I'm using comcast and I also learned that many people using comcast are having the same problem..

Quick Link to this comment: http://TTIP.me/c5562

# ellen at 3/12/2010 4:55 pm cst

Earthlink (which is really good ol' Time Warner) here in the borough of Queens, New York city-- same damn problem.

Quick Link to this comment: http://TTIP.me/c5566