The government might want you to believe that torrenting is illegal, but practically it is not. Torrent clients like uTorrent, and BitTorrent are legal. You can use these tools to transfer large files.
These large files might be illegal, downloading/streaming copyrighted content might be illegal, but using a torrent is legal. Sometimes, you might not know if the content is legitimate to download or stream, which can put you on the wrong side of the law.
In this article, you will learn about the legit ways to torrent safely and anonymously.
1) Using a VPN
Even if you can access torrent sites without being caught, using a VPN is still a better option. A VPN allows you to use torrent websites and clients without being tracked. You might need a reliable VPN, torrent websites, and torrent clients.
Express or Nord VPN are my recommendations. Both these VPNs offer thousands of servers from hundreds of countries. They also provide a neat User Interface and better security than other VPNs.
These VPNs also offer a free trial of one month. If you find them suitable, you can buy a monthly or yearly plan. Nord VPN’s two-year subscription will cost you the least.
After installing a VPN, connect to a virtual network with a duplicate IP address and location. Now, you might need a safe torrent site so that you do not end up downloading malware or viruses on your device.
You might want to use some reliable websites for torrenting. You can use these sites with the uTorrent client, to avoid experiencing any issues. This guide contains an updated list of the 25 best torrent sites you can use in 2022. You will also find a list of factors you might want to consider before choosing the best torrenting site.
After using a reliable VPN and torrenting site, it is time to select the best torrent client. BitTorrent and uTorrent are one of the most reliable, used, and popular torrent clients.
Both of them offer a simple UI and decent downloading speeds. Both are legal, but downloading and uploading copyrighted content is not. You might want to avoid other torrenting clients because you might get a low downloading speed. You might also be more vulnerable to malware and viruses.
2) Without using a VPN
You might need to know that your ISP(Internet Service Provider) can see and share your online activity (sites you visit, content you watch). They can share this data with third-party apps or the government (if necessary).
That is why nobody recommends using torrents without a VPN. If you can use torrenting sites and clients without a VPN, you can go for it. However, you might need to be extra cautious because if you download illegal/copyrighted content(intentionally or unintentionally), your IP address will lead the government or Police directly to you.
3) What will happen after you are caught torrenting?
If you use torrents for legal files, there is no reason for you to get afraid. But if you use it for downloading copyrighted content, you will receive two or three letters from your ISP or the owner(s) of the content.
These will be warning letters about legal steps they can take or about you ending up behind bars. There might be fewer chances of going to prison, court or paying a settlement amount. However, penalties might be high if owners decide to visit court.
What are Copyright Trolls?
Today, Copyright Trolls execute the task of going after individual persons streaming or downloading copyrighted content. Original content owners outsource this task to these Copyright trolls(small businesses).
These businesses or companies locate people who download copyrighted content through their real IP addresses. After that, these companies cut a deal with the copyright owners to let them take legal action.
Now, these copyright trolls will contact the people who downloaded copyrighted content and give them settlement letters that will not be legal. They will use people’s shame and fear to make them pay without going to court.
They will tell you that the case will cost $100K-200K in court, but you can settle it for $2k-3K here. If you ever receive this type of letter, do not give them any money.
Conclusion
You might want to use torrent for legal purposes only. Using a VPN is the most effective way to download and use torrents.
