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The three best VPNs for watching the Oscars live in Hong Kong, where no TV station is broadcasting the awards ceremony
- With TVB deciding not to air the Oscars for the first time in 52 years, a VPN is the only way viewers in Hong Kong can catch the action live
- ExpressVPN, Surfshark VPN and ProtonVPN are our top choices – read why below
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For more than half a century, watching the Academy Awards telecast in Hong Kong was as simple as turning on the TV. But a decision by TVB to not air the ceremony this year has left this city baffled and frustrated, especially for those who want to find out, in real-time, if local director Derek Tsang Kwok-cheung will pick up a statuette for his Better Days, which is nominated for best international feature film.
The good news is that with some help from a trusty VPN (virtual private network), Hongkongers can stream the Oscars directly from US broadcaster ABC’s website.
But first, what is a VPN, and how does it work?
A VPN is software that intercepts the internet connection that flows between your computing device and your internet service provider. Once the data is intercepted, a VPN server is supposed to obfuscate your IP address (the unique identifier of your computing device) and reroute the passage of data through another location (usually of your choice).
In other words, a VPN tricks your computer into thinking it’s connected to an internet connection located somewhere else in the world. It is this method that will allow Hongkongers to access ABC’s US-only stream.
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