{"id":538269,"date":"2023-01-09T19:00:34","date_gmt":"2023-01-09T16:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/torrenting-heres-how-a-vpn-can-protect-you\/"},"modified":"2023-01-09T19:00:34","modified_gmt":"2023-01-09T16:00:34","slug":"torrenting-heres-how-a-vpn-can-protect-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/torrenting-heres-how-a-vpn-can-protect-you\/","title":{"rendered":"#Torrenting? Here\u2019s How a VPN Can Protect You"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3a020a4d103\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3a020a4d103\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/torrenting-heres-how-a-vpn-can-protect-you\/#%E2%80%9CTorrenting_Heres_How_a_VPN_Can_Protect_You%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Torrenting? Here\u2019s How a VPN Can Protect You&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/torrenting-heres-how-a-vpn-can-protect-you\/#Torrenting_Invites_Surveillance\" >Torrenting Invites Surveillance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/torrenting-heres-how-a-vpn-can-protect-you\/#How_Youre_Tracked_or_Blocked\" >How You\u2019re Tracked or Blocked<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/torrenting-heres-how-a-vpn-can-protect-you\/#A_VPN_Lets_You_Avoid_Scrutiny\" >A VPN Lets You Avoid Scrutiny<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/torrenting-heres-how-a-vpn-can-protect-you\/#Can_You_Use_Anything_Besides_a_VPN_for_Torrenting\" >Can You Use Anything Besides a VPN for Torrenting?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/torrenting-heres-how-a-vpn-can-protect-you\/#Torrenting_with_Tor\" >Torrenting with Tor<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CTorrenting_Heres_How_a_VPN_Can_Protect_You%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Torrenting? Here\u2019s How a VPN Can Protect You&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<!-- UNCACHED CONTENT --><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-832819\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/vpn.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A VPN logo.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-illustration\/vpn-network-security-internet-privacy-encryption-1935153176\">BERK CAN\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VPNs are the only dependable way to protect yourself from tracking by copyright watchdogs. This is thanks to VPNs\u2019 IP spoofing <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a> as well as advanced encryption.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever heard of torrenting, using the BitTorrent protocol to <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">download<\/a> files from the internet, you probably also know that a VPN is the best way to protect yourself from the attention of copyright watchdogs. Why is that, though?<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Torrenting_Invites_Surveillance\"><\/span>Torrenting Invites Surveillance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Though torrenting itself is a perfectly legitimate way to download files\u2014it\u2019s recommended by <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\">Internet Archive<\/a> for their larger collections, for example\u2014the fact is that a good chunk of BitTorrent traffic is used to pirate copyrighted material. As a result, even people using sites like The Pirate Bay to find files that were put there by their copyright holders face issues when torrenting.<\/p>\n<p>In some cases, torrent sites are blocked off completely, like in <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archynewsy.com\/dutch-providers-must-block-popular-illegal-torrent-sites\/\">the Netherlands<\/a>, while in others copyright watchdogs like the DMCA will put trackers on files and then sniff out who downloaded them. The result in the first case is a simple 502 HTML code, while in the second it\u2019ll be a stern warning, followed by fines if you do it again. You could even <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/legalbeagle.com\/6873496-penalty-downloading-movies.html\">go to jail<\/a> for digital piracy.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Youre_Tracked_or_Blocked\"><\/span>How You\u2019re Tracked or Blocked<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To block a site is fundamentally quite simple: you find out the IP address associated with a site\u2014though for big sites it\u2019s usually a range of addresses, confusingly known as a \u201cblock\u201d\u2014and then tell internet service providers that they can\u2019t route internet traffic there. It works for China\u2019s Great Firewall as well as for your employer\u2019s network admin who wants to make sure you don\u2019t watch <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a> on company time.<\/p>\n<p>In the case of torrenting sites, these blocks don\u2019t really work, though. Sites will either just migrate or set up mirrors. The only thing that works is to go after the people behind a site, and even that doesn\u2019t always work: the granddaddy of pirate sites, The Pirate Bay, is still around despite its founders <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2014\/nov\/05\/sp-pirate-bay-cofounder-peter-sunde-in-prison\">having been locked up<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, there seems to have been a push to go after torrenters as much as the people hosting pirate sites. This is usually done through tracking your traffic back to your IP address and then sending you a notice of some kind. In some countries you\u2019ll get a notice or two to knock it off before getting fined. In <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/Piracy\/comments\/b6rpzx\/here_are_some_of_the_main_countries_where_its\/\">other countries<\/a> nobody seems to care much, though.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_VPN_Lets_You_Avoid_Scrutiny\"><\/span>A VPN Lets You Avoid Scrutiny<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Since both blocks and trackers rely on your IP address, simply changing it is enough to avoid them both. This is where VPNs come in. Virtual private networks reroute your connection, masking your IP address in the process and substituting it for one supplied by the VPN provider.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you were in Holland now and a torrenting site was blocked off, you could change your IP address to that of another country that does allow access. That is, if for some reason the torrent site didn\u2019t change IP addresses itself.<\/p>\n<p>More importantly, though, a VPN also makes it so that trackers are thrown off your digital scent. With a VPN engaged, you can appear like you\u2019re anywhere in the world. Without your real IP address, copyright watch dogs won\u2019t have anywhere to send their notices, meaning you can torrent to your heart\u2019s content without worrying about warnings or fines.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_You_Use_Anything_Besides_a_VPN_for_Torrenting\"><\/span>Can You Use Anything Besides a VPN for Torrenting?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re a bit more familiar with this kind of tech, you probably know that VPNs aren\u2019t the only way to change, or \u201cspoof,\u201d your IP. However, none of them should be used for torrenting due to the security risks.<\/p>\n<p>For example, one of the simplest ways to change your IP is to use what\u2019s called a proxy, a simple program that runs in your browser and reroutes your traffic through one of their servers. Proxies are fine for unblocking YouTube, say, but it won\u2019t work for torrenters because of a special trick VPNs have up their sleeve, namely the fact that they encrypt your connection as well as reroute it.<\/p>\n<p>When you make a connection with a VPN server, you create a so-called VPN tunnel, an encrypted connection. All your traffic is routed through this tunnel, making it impossible for anybody snooping\u2014like a tracker\u2014to see what you were doing while online, as well as hiding the origin of your connection, your real IP address.<\/p>\n<p>Proxies don\u2019t have this protection, and as a result it\u2019s much easier for trackers and blockers to figure out where your connection point of origin lies. Though there is a chance you can get away with torrenting using a proxy, the risk is bigger than you probably want to deal with.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Torrenting_with_Tor\"><\/span>Torrenting with Tor<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For similar reasons, we also don\u2019t recommend using Tor for torrenting. Because of the way the Tor network is set up, there is a chance that the people whose nodes you\u2019re using can see what you\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n<p>The short version is that when you use Tor, you\u2019re jumping between connection points within the network\u2014called nodes\u2014in an effort to deter trackers. However, the weakness in this system is that not all your information is shielded, and there is a chance that a more serious effort could be used to uncover your tracks. The <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.torproject.org\/bittorrent-over-tor-isnt-good-idea\/\">Tor Project<\/a> goes into more detail.<\/p>\n<p>The upshot is that, when it comes to torrenting, VPNs are the only way you have any guarantee of anonymity. Currently, they\u2019re the only solution that both spoofs your IP address and secures the connection to deter tracking. Thankfully, there are plenty of great VPNs to choose from all of which will let you torrent to your heart\u2019s content. For our favorite for torrenting, check out our review of IVPN.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/857069\/torrenting-heres-how-a-vpn-can-protect-you\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Torrenting? Here\u2019s How a VPN Can Protect You&#8221; BERK CAN\/Shutterstock.com VPNs are the only dependable way to protect yourself from tracking by copyright watchdogs. This is thanks to VPNs\u2019 IP spoofing technology as well as advanced encryption. If you\u2019ve ever heard of torrenting, using the BitTorrent protocol to download files from the internet, you probably&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":538270,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/vpn.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-538269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/538269","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=538269"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/538269\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/538270"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=538269"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=538269"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=538269"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}