Downloading torrent files is a very common practice among users looking to watch movies and television series, download books, music or software programs. Piratebay estimated millionsof monthly users worldwide, to which must be added the users of other popular clients such as uTorrent, which is around 28 million users per month, and many others. In fact, torrent downloads account for 6% of Internet traffic. This is so in part thanks to the increase in bandwidth offered by operators.
Several European production companies are prosecuting users after sharing copyright-protected media files. For the first time, a Spanish court has forced an operator to transfer to producers the data of users whose IPs appeared among those who had downloaded torrents. As a consequence, the production companies are asking these users up to 1,300 euros for having downloaded movie, series or music files.
We do not know how these open cases will be resolved. What we do know is the best way to avoid having any kind of complication: ensure security with one of the best VPNs. But first, we explain how peer to peer networks work in which files are downloaded by torrent and why you can be more unprotected than you think when using them.
What Is And How To Use A Torrent?
A torrent file is a multimedia file (it can be audio, video, games, applications, images, etc.) that is downloaded through a client program such as uTorrent or BitTorrent. To do this, the user must first find a small file in the .torrent format, which contains information on how to find larger files to download. .torrent files can be found on download websites such as pirate bay proxy.
By connecting to a torrent client, the user downloads large files in small packages, which usually come from many different users who have the entire file (seeds) on their computer. This type of network, known as p2p, is more reliable than direct downloading, since the transaction does not depend on a single user and failed transmissions are less common. For this reason, it is usually an option that is highly appreciated by users.
Production Companies And Intellectual Property Rights
Audiovisual production companies have initiated a new strategy to claim their rights over the intellectual property of the works that are shared through torrent networks. This strategy involves identifying the IP addresses from which someone is downloading files that contain movies or series.
These production companies first infiltrate peer-to-peer networks (posing as a normal user) to observe who shares said material and record the data they may know. Later, they file complaints in the commercial courts so that the judges force the operators to reveal the IP address and the personal data of the users who have shared files on p2p networks. Next, these users receive a letter in which the producers demand significant financial amounts (up to 1,300 euros) in exchange for not taking them to court.
Legislative Changes On Online Downloads
In addition, legislative changes are taking place on the Internet and it is feared that sooner or later the download of files via p2p networks will be regulated. And it is not unreasonable to think that this regulation will follow the restrictive line of other countries around us.
If this happens, the information of all our present and past activity can be exposed.
For example, if there is a closure of a download website, the police will be able to see in the logs that we have downloaded a .torrent file. This can affect us even if we use dynamic IP, since the operators also keep records of the times that we connect with one or another IP address.
Who would want to have to go through this, even if they haven’t done anything that could currently be considered illegal? That is why we recommend the use of a VPN service with which to browse encrypted and improve our security when making digital downloads.
In Short: VPN for Torrenting
Pirate proxy networks offer users great possibilities for collaboration and mutual support. However, if you want to download torrents online safely, you will need a quality VPN that protects you and hides your identity. So you can enjoy your favorite content with complete confidence.
