Is Torrent Illegal? How to download Pirated movies free in 2022

There is a burning debate going on about – ‘Is torrenting illegal?” Let us put it in simple words. “Is downloading a torrent file illegal?” Got it? Not yet? Let us put it in more simple terms. “Is downloading a file via torrent websites illegal?”

What is a torrent?

Well, millions of users tend to use torrents to download their favorite movies, songs, ebooks, and software applications, and they do not know what torrent actually is. It needs to be understood that torrent is essentially not a software program, but it’s a protocol that helps users share their files with other people.

Now, back to the question. It is fair to note that torrent websites are being banned the world over.

Also Read: Watch Snyder’s Cut online FREE

Torrent safety and legality: Explained

What is the legality of torrenting? The act of Torrenting itself is not illegal, but the download of copyright content is not allowed.

Your ISP or government agencies monitoring the torrent networks can take action against you for torrenting illegally.

Therefore, the most straightforward answer to this question is that it all depends on which type of file you want to download. Many authors are out there who consensually upload their work and make it available for everyone to download. Still, then there is a lot of copyrighted stuff available that is not safe to download.

What is the problem then? Well, the problem is not about downloading or sharing a torrent file. It is all about the copyrighted material. This is where the copyright owners are entitled to sue a user for copyright infringement.

Copyright infringement is an outright offense. That is why it is illegal. Therefore, downloading copyrighted material via torrent clients is illegal. Let me explain in simpler words.

The Identity Copyright Relationship

Here is a question for you. What is your most sacred possession? Any guesses? You are right. Your identity is the most sacred thing that you – and every one of us – possess. Now, think for a moment that your identity is stolen or is being misused by any other person. It will surely hurt you, and you would want to take legal action against that person. And you will sue that person to get your name and identity cleared.

The same goes true for all the publications, e-books, songs, movies, games, software applications, etc., that are available online. All the authors, the production companies, the software development companies want their products to be protected against illegal use. That’s why they tend to get their products protected via intellectual property rights laws. Copyright or copyright infringement is an important constituent of the intellectual property laws that are accepted globally.

Hence, if any user, who is found guilty of downloading, sharing any copyrighted material via a torrent client, that user is not permissible to use or make alterations in any case, without any prior permission of the owner of that particular product, or without paying a royalty to the original owner, is liable to be sued for copyright infringement, under the law. And this is why illegal torrenting activities are strictly prohibited over the internet.

Torrenting Safely: Ivacy VPN To The Rescue

You can keep your torrenting activity private by hiding it with the help of a VPN.

Here is how you can torrent safely:

• Download and Install Ivacy VPN
• Turn the VPN’s kill switch ‘On.’
• Connect automatically to one of the servers
• Once the connection is established, your online activity will become encrypted by Ivacy VPN.

Using a reliable VPN service will guarantee your complete safety and anonymity online. It really serves your purpose. Ivacy VPN essentially cloaks your IP address and encrypts your data, providing it with a safe passage to pass through a secured tunnel with breathtaking speed without compromising on your security. It’s the best VPN service available in town.

What are you waiting for?

Torrenting In The Absence Of A VPN

Torrenting without using a VPN lets your ISP monitor all your online activity and share this information with third parties that could act against you.

Are Torrent clients such as BitTorrent & uTorrent safe?

The torrent clients are just the means to share and download different types of files. However, popular trackers, including 1337x and Torlock, exist in a legal gray area concerning the download of copyrighted content, which is forbidden in many countries worldwide.

Also Read: 10 Best Torrent Sites in 2022

Legal Jurisdictions

With the booming digital age, there is the danger of people misusing online freedom. To combat this danger, the international community has come up with several laws to safeguard copyright owners’ rights.

Every country has its own legal framework concerning the implementation of copyright laws. Australia (the Data Retention Law), the United Kingdom (New Net Neutrality Laws), the United States (CISPA Law) are planning to have a codified legal mechanism to counter the threat posed by online pirates. Meanwhile, Scandinavian countries, including Sweden, Luxembourg, Norway, etc., have strict anti-piracy laws. It may be the case that torrenting is deemed illegal in a country, while in another country, that particular torrent client is deemed absolutely legal. Hence, the legality of a torrent client also depends on the jurisdiction of a particular country.

One thing more! Not every torrent is illegal. Only those that come with copyright certificates are deemed unlawful for downloading and sharing. And there are a large number of legal torrents available.

What if you get caught torrenting?

Torrents do not go to jail, but they can face high penalties in the form of hefty fines if caught.

Copyright trolls

Copyright trolls are private businesses that track torrents illegally downloading copyrighted content by using their IP addresses. Further, these trolls initiate legal action on behalf of the copyright owners.

ISP penalties

ISPs themselves can initiate action against you, which means either throttling your internet connection or handing over your details to a copyright troll.

What to do if torrent clients are restricted?

By now, you should have cleared your mind about the legality of torrents. It’s time to discuss what you ought to do when torrent clients are restricted or banned within your home country.

Well, you don’t have to worry about the issue any further. There exist valid possibilities that provide you an opportunity to bypass the so-called geographical restrictions, enabling you to use your preferred torrent client without any fuss.

To bypass the torrent blockage, you can use an HTTP proxy. You can also use a reliable VPN service. One of the best ways to beat torrent blocking is to encrypt your data traffic. Switching to port 80 will give the edge as the ISPs cannot decypher the port. Using magnet links is also a viable option.

How to protect yourself

Here are a few steps you can take to safeguard yourself online when torrenting:

Turn a VPN on when torrenting.

Using a VPN presents the best way of torrenting safely. It re-routes all your traffic through servers worldwide, giving you an IP that is being used by thousands at any given time. This method adds a major layer of anonymity to you and makes it incredibly difficult for you to be tracked.

VPN Alternatives

You can consider Tor if you do not want to pay for a VPN. It also routes your traffic while encrypting it, but it is prolonged, which means you can’t download larger torrent files while keeping Tor on.

Streaming vs. torrenting

Most people have transitioned from downloading huge files through BitTorrent to instead stream on their browsers. So, what is the difference between both?

Legally, you could still break the law since you are streaming copyrighted content without paying for it. However, risks are smaller than torrenting, and your IP could even be reported to the authorities. But these risks can be mitigated with a reliable VPN.

Also read: Best streaming channels unblocked with vpn in 2022

Final Thoughts

We are going to end this blog here. Hopefully, we are leaving you with some food for thought. We have tried to be precise and to the point. If you feel that we have missed out on any important issues, do not hesitate to share your opinions and ideas in the comments section below. Your contribution will be highly appreciated.