Downloading torrents can be fun, but how much do you know about it? Do you use torrent platforms safely? Do you have any questions in mind? Then you are in the right place! This guide contains all the torrent basics and more! Let us begin!
Torrents were and still are one of the preferred methods of downloading and watching movies. However, most torrent users are aware of the risk behind it. For those of you who are completely new to the world of torrenting and would like to know if it is safe to use, if it is illegal in most of the world or if you can be caught spreading pirated content on torrent platforms, then this is the guide. for you.
Table of Contents
What is torrenting?
In simpler terms, Torrenting is the downloading and uploading of files, be it music, movies, games, or even software over the BitTorrent network. Users can download or upload these files from each other’s devices over the network. In short, there are seeders, who download content and then upload it for other users, and then leechers download that content.
Torrenting is an offshoot of P2P, short for Peer to Peer file sharing, and it is one of the most popular ways. In order for it to work, you need torrent management software and through it you will be able to connect to the BitTorrent network. You can even download the same software for free on a couple of devices.
To explain the process a little more, all those who download and upload the same content in the BitTorrent client are the same. All colleagues can download a file from multiple colleagues or users, even at once. On the other hand, they can also upload a file simultaneously to many other users. Users can even distribute the load among several other hosts.
Laws on torrenting vary from country to country. However, because laws and torrents are the downloading or seeding of copyrighted and pirated material, it is important that you understand everything about it in depth.
On the other hand, torrents do indeed come from some trusted sources, but you have to be careful about the sources that you get your content from. Kickass Torrents used to be one of the most popular websites to begin with, but since the US government took down the owner for particular reasons, users searched for other trustworthy sites. Kickass Torrent alternatives.
It is illegal
You really can’t consider torrents illegal as there are quite a few legitimate uses out there. As mentioned above, torrenting means downloading or uploading pirated content, however you cannot label it as “illegal” mainly because laws vary from state to state. For starters, there are countries like Switzerland, Spain and Poland where torrents are allowed as long as it is for personal and non-profit use. Then you have countries like the Netherlands, Mexico, India, Greece, Brazil, Canada or the Philippines, where torrents are completely overlooked. There are countries like Germany, the UK, France or the UAE that allow torrenting, but you will receive severe penalties for downloading copyrighted or illegal content. Other than that,
So is it legal or illegal?
Judging from the full scenario, the results simply boil down to the fact that torrenting itself is not illegal, but approval of the download of over-the-counter copyrighted content is.
The sad reality is, even if you’re not really aware of which torrents are legal or illegal to download, you may find yourself on the hot end of the rod to go ahead with downloads. But again, this largely depends on the country you reside in. However, there is a workaround for that, which we’ll get into in a moment.
The illegalities of torrenting are unclear, but is it safe? That is the question!
Now we know that torrents are illegal in most countries, while the laws that govern in other countries don’t really pay attention to downloading copyrighted content. That being said, most users may not know what torrenting they are doing. So is it safe to continue?
Keeping the government and other state watchdog agents out of this for just a moment, have you ever wondered what the full role of your ISP is? In addition to recording your online traffic and search history, your ISP can inspect the BitTorrent network and catch you on it, halfway there.
They are obliged to take immediate action against you, in accordance with government rules in countries where torrenting is prohibited. The outcome or punishment ranges from heavy fines paid to the primary owner of the material, slowing down their speed, or legal action.
The quick solution to keeping your digital life private and secure is using a VPN . It may not be 100% reliable, as no software usually is, but it is one of the safest methods to download torrents safely. Here are some reasons why using a VPN is the best option for safe torrenting:
It can help protect your activities and your physical IP address from your ISP. The ISP will only know that a VPN is being used, and that’s it.
There are torrent websites that are completely blocked in most countries, and that said, a VPN will allow you to change your virtual IP address to access these services.
ISP bandwidth and speed limitation can be bypassed.
Choose a VPN that doesn’t log user data, which is necessary especially when engaging in torrenting activities.
There may be other software that is equally safe to use while torrenting, but there is no guarantee how reliable they will be.
To conclude, can you get caught torrenting? What are the consequences?
Again, it all depends on the country you are in. If you are in some country that obstructs access to torrent platforms, then yes, there is a great chance that you will get caught. The governing bodies of these countries always put surveillance agents or copyright trolls in their place, waiting to locate all infringers. The punishment is sometimes just a couple of warning letters, reduced internet speed, and heavy fines. The most severe is jail time, but it is quite scarce.
This is why you should always do a little research on the laws in your country and find ways to safely access torrent sites. Even if you use a VPN, make sure you use it wisely and not precariously.
