Using a torrent allows you to freely download content to your heart’s content. But there’s one caveat- it’s not always legal in the UK. Follow this guide to learn how to access torrent files while being safe on the internet.
What is a torrent?
Torrents are small bits of data that usually don’t mean anything spread out over a peer-to-peer network. Individually, these files are completely useless but combined they make up a whole file of content such as movies, music and more. So when you download a .torrent file from a website like 1337x or RARBG you are connected to a vast file-sharing network. However, browsing these sites can be potentially dangerous, as malware is common in duplicate or mirror websites. Downloading a dedicated torrenting software like Bittorrent or Utorrent will allow you to torrent files from websites. A reliable anti-malware program like Norton and a virtual private network like SurfShark VPN will let you browse torrent websites without worry. Downloading torrents in the UK can be safe as long as you are using a tool that will keep your identity anonymous. There are various tools that you can use to keep internet connections secure from spying practices but if we consider the most efficient of them all, it’s got to be VPN.
VPN works by masking the user’s IP address with a fake IP. This will allow VPN users to securely browse the internet away from prying eyes that are basically everywhere these days. And even if hackers get their hands on your IP address, it would be impossible to hack through your system since they would be misled by the fake IP address.
VPN has superior features over any other tool that offers online anonymity. Other tools like proxy servers, a Smart DNS Service and browser extensions lack certain features that the VPN provides. Which is why users prefer a VPN for unblocking the internet. A VPN comes with an encryption system that adds security when browsing open cyberspace.
How to start downloading torrents
Now that you’re armed with all the necessary tools, it’s time to delve into trusted torrent websites to browse and find your favourite content. A list of popular user-friendly torrent websites are given below:
1. 1337x
This website has a rich varied library with few intrusive ads. You can browse this site for new releases of movies, music and tv shows.
2. RARBG
This website has a frequently updated torrent library with an active community. So, you can know which torrent is the best and has no viruses.
3. The Pirate Bay
The OG website is blocked by the government for copyright infringement lawsuits. But if you really want to learn how to access The Pirate Bay, there is a way – two ways, actually – to overcome the geo-restrictions. The first is by using a proxy, but we recommend using a Pirate Bay VPN instead. A Piratebay UK proxy will allow you to download torrent files, but it won’t protect you from copyright trackers. A TPB VPN however, will encrypt your data and hide your online activity. VPNs are built to hide your IP address so that you can search the web safely and anonymously. This also means you can torrent anonymously.
4. Zooqle
Gaming aficionados revel at Zooqle, that both PC and console games are available with old and new game titles abound. 5 million users visit this site every month.
5. Bibliotik
Thousands of e-books are released on this site every month. Most popular e-books are updated weekly. Obscure titles are also available.
6. EZTV
Focused on TV shows and the like, all new releases from the streaming platforms are found here.
7. ETTV
Same as above.
8. iDope
Mac users can use iDope to download Apple software. This has video games, music and other things from the Apple store.
9. Torlock
This website hosts a multitude of torrents of all varieties.
10. Monova
A torrent search engine, this tracks torrent websites for fake and real torrents and suggests the best one with multiple seeders.
To explain torrent terminologies a bit better, we have broken them down into segments that we are going to discuss individually in our torrent guide.
Peers: To put it in the simplest terms, peers are users or clients that are sharing files through Bittorrent peer-to-peer file sharing protocol.
Swarming: It is the process of breaking down a large file in much smaller bits and then sharing them with multiple users in a swarm. Swarm members are called peers, these peers can download and upload files using a special computer software called a “torrent client”.
Tracking: This is a process of routing data packets and finding other peers that are part of a specific swarm, making the file-sharing process smooth.
Index: The term index is self-explanatory, like the term suggests, it is basically a searchable index of all the torrent listed for download on a particular torrent site.
Share ratio: Share ratio means the amount of data a peer has uploaded against the data he downloaded. The formula is pretty straightforward (UL ÷ DL). The share ratio of peers should be greater than one and anything less than 1 is considered to affect the torrent community in a negative way.
BitTorrent client: These programs help in the downloading and recompilation of file chunks collected from various sources so that they can be made available. A special file with the extension.torrents is required by the client, which is simply a reference to the file you want to use.
Peer-to-peer file sharing is just a more efficient form of file sharing that is also completely legal. Unless and until…
However, not all countries consider this practice to be illegal, and you can download torrents for personal use. It is illegal to transmit copyrighted digital material in any form. Many torrent indexing websites have been taken down by regulatory authorities for this purpose.
Your IP address, which your internet service provider assigns to you, will be used to identify you individually.
Readers should be aware that a website that hosts BitTorrent trackers, as well as users who download them on their devices, have faced legal action in a number of jurisdictions.
In a nutshell, uploading copyrighted files exposes you to criminal charges, which can be both emotionally and financially draining.
Since a copyright plaintiff can claim all of your downloaded files, using a VPN service when browsing torrent websites is a must.
Remember that not all VPNs are created equal; downloading torrents when using a VPN service located in the United States, the United Kingdom, or Australia is not a good idea. You can only use VPNs that are located in secure jurisdictions and have strong encryption.
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