403 forbidden

EverDecreasingCircles

I have a new PC and when I try to visit certain websites I get a 403 Forbidden (or 403 The Forbidden) message. This is happening on Topcashback and magazine pages I visit so far. Also, Instagram won't work - I get the sign in page, sign in then get a blank page.
I'm not terribly tech minded so please use simple terms    All help gratefully appreciated.

Thanks in advance
EDC

El_Torro

If certain pages are blocked this sounds like an issue with your Internet Service Provider (BT, or Talk Talk, or whoever it is you are with). Have you changed your provider recently? Either that or it's an issue with the firewall settings. 

I assume you are accessing the internet from a personal network, not a work network?

If Instagram isn't loading you might be using an out of date browser, updating it should solve the issue.

Ayr_Rage

Make sure you know your passwords then clear your cookies and browser cache.

If you can access the log in page then the above may well solve your problem.

EverDecreasingCircles

Thank you for your answers. It turned out to be the VPN which I had turned on. Once I turned it off everything was ok again.

Newcad

VPNs can be a problem.

I had a query the other day on an energy suppliers forum where they couldn't log into their energy (billing, etc.) account but could log into the forum.

Simple solution, they were using a VPN which said they were in a different country - and for security the UK energy account would not allow access from a non-UK IP address.

(The security is more sophisticated than just that of course, hackers use VPNs too).

deskhelp

Is it a home connection or office PC? can be due to firewall restrictions as well.

onomatopoeia99

EverDecreasingCircles said:

Thank you for your answers. It turned out to be the VPN which I had turned on. Once I turned it off everything was ok again.

Any particular reason why you need a VPN for topcashback or instagram?  Are you concerned your ISP might see you visiting one of the most popular social media sites in the world, and if so, why?