What are the limitations and considerations when using a personal VPN server to bypass geographic restrictions and access blocked content?

While personal VPN servers can effectively protect privacy and overcome throttling or basic region blocks, they have significant limitations when dealing with sophisticated content restrictions. Some services like TikTok use multiple location detection methods beyond IP addresses, including App Store regions, GPS data, and billing information, which may still prevent access even with a VPN. For streaming services like Netflix, the situation is more challenging as they actively block IP addresses from hosting providers and data centers where personal VPN servers are typically hosted. This means your personal VPN server likely won't grant access to different regional Netflix libraries, unlike the basic privacy and throttling benefits it provides for general web browsing.