There has been a lot of talk about legal torrents recently with some of the biggest torrent websites forcibly or voluntarily shutting down. Creators are outraged at how much torrent websites get away with encroaching on their copyrights indirectly. It’s important to note that many torrent websites do encourage owners to file complaints with them. They do comply with the owners’ wishes and remove the offending torrents if creators come forward with such requests.

Is Downloading Torrented Movies Illegal?

The problem is that torrent websites are accused of enabling others to steal property by being a middleman. If torrent websites didn’t exist, it would be much easier to track down similar cybercrime and take legal action. Before torrenting, users would just upload copyrighted content on the internet and the creator could pinpoint them easily. The amount of speculation surrounding legal torrents may lead to wonder if torrenting is illegal in the US.

How do Torrents Work?

You need to understand the mechanism of torrenting to answer questions such as, whether or not downloading movies is illegal for personal use? Basically, it’s a form of networking constructed on the idea of peer-to-peer file sharing. It’s been around for more than ten years and remains the best way to find content for free even if it has been copyrighted. The torrent websites don’t take the responsibility for any copyright violations but do accept requests for removing torrents from affected owners.

Also Read: How to Check Your Torrent IP Address

Instead of collecting data from a single source, each file is constructed by gathering pieces from several different online sources. This act is performed simultaneously and the end result is perfectly organized, giving you a complete file that is free of corruption. You simply visit a torrent website and search for what you want. There are filters and categories to help you out. Once your download has ended, you may allow ‘seeding’ which means that the distribution of the full file has happened. So, a ‘seeder’ both downloads and uploads data. A ‘leech’, on the other hand, is a user who doesn’t allow seeding after downloading, so they have a negative effect on the system. Hence, being a ‘leech’ is not something to be proud of. Users may find all kinds of files including software, music, videos, games, and applications. It’s totally free of cost which is great for users but terrible for creators who don’t receive a royalty for their work.

Is Torrenting Illegal in the US?

Stealing copyrighted content and distributing it for free is certainly illegal in several countries including the US. This means that you should steer clear of torrents that infringe upon the rights of owners. It’s not that hard to check whether a file is copyrighted. If it is available for download at a price on its official website, it’s surely copyrighted. Owners always mention if a file is available for free, so it is better looking out for that. You might also see older versions of a book or the final version sent for review among torrents before its actual release. Uploading and downloading this kind of content is illegal.

There are times when the copyright has expired or the uploader has discovered some sort of loophole to use as an excuse. Torrents are not illegal as a whole, but when they don’t respect copyrights, they become a target for the federal US government. The authorities have taken strict actions against torrent websites in the past and continue to monitor them closely. You should try not to risk yourself over an illegal torrent download, especially when you can purchase that file through proper channels.

Also Read: Best Torrent Sites in 2018

What are Legal Torrents?

It is solely dependent upon the copyright laws of your country telling you whether or not torrenting is legal. This means you need to look them up in advance. The US is quite strict about protecting the rights of owners, therefore, you’ve got to read up on these laws in detail. There’s little chance of you finding ways around making it legal if you reside in the US. Copyrights are set in place for decades or a lifetime. The question still arises if downloading movies is illegal for personal use? Yes! It’s not that difficult to rent a DVD or subscribe to a streaming service like Netflix. You don’t want to face warnings or legal action in the worst case scenario just for a movie. There are some great apps to buy music legally and support your favorite artists. Many software products are available free of viruses on their official websites. Books could be borrowed from fellow bookworms or libraries if you don’t want to visit a bookstore.

There are authors that offer their books for free sometimes for a limited time, so take advantage of that. You could also sign up to become a reviewer. Musicians upload their music for free streaming on SoundCloud which is a great place to discover new artists. Mobile applications with in-app purchases may be downloaded and run for free as well. There are plenty of ways to find free content and legal torrents too.

How to Torrent Safely?

There’s always the danger of viruses corrupting your system, so a good anti-virus is necessary before you start torrenting. You’ll learn to recognize high-quality torrents from the feedback of other users. If you’re unsure about illegal torrents, you can take an extra step to shield yourself from the wrath of the authorities. A VPN is a virtual private network that protects you from hackers and organizations seeking to collect sensitive data while you’re online.

Here’s How You Can Best Use Torrent

Try to choose a VPN that is not based in a country with unfavorable user privacy laws. The US is notorious for snooping around gathering data you’d rather keep confidential. Pick a Torrent VPN that is located in a country where they are not obligated to hand over customer data. It would be perfect if that VPN company does not keep any logs of their users. VPNs slow down internet speed which is a turnoff for torrent users. So look for a VPN that is popular for its high speed, especially made stronger to withstand heavy tasks over the internet like torrenting.

It would be incorrect to say that torrenting in general is illegal in every country. You’ll just have to pick smart ways to avoid yourself being caught torrenting.

If you are living in places where torrenting is illegal such as the United States of America, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, etc., our suggestion would be to connect yourself from locations such as India, Pakistan, Switzerland, Bangladesh etc. This will let you avoid any restrictions when using Torrent and enjoy a free experience.