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Thread: Why are direct downloads considered safer than torrents?

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    Default Why are direct downloads considered safer than torrents?

    Why is it that direct downloads are considered safer than torrents (anti-piracy wise). I know some torrents can be tracked and your ip can be logged if a ISP or watchdog group like the ESA is monitoring the torrent.

    But why isn't that so for direct download sites like megaupload what has to happen in order for your ISP to monitor those sites and is it even possible for a 3rd party watchdog group to do so? Because it feels like a direct download site would be x100 times safer than torrenting because from what I see most copyright infringement letters come from watchdog groups that your isp forwards to you.

    I am just wondering this out of curiosity, if you have any knowledge as to why or just some crack pot theory please feel free to add.

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    You're connected to the download server, and that's it? Hosting sites probably don't log traffic.

    Getting around to it... | Available via Retroshare 16/7.

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    I would assume you are right in both points, from what I have read direct download sites can go down badly if they are taken over by a government source for the purpose of sting operations, but since most sites like megaupload don't purposely put illegal things on it, it would be hard to take over the site for that reason.

    Has there been any cases of someone getting in trouble for downloading games, music or movies? because I have looked around and haven't seen anything downloading wise, I am sure there must be something for the uploaders.

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    torrents can be perfectly safe if you know how to set your computer up correctly.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DoomKefka View Post
    torrents can be perfectly safe if you know how to set your computer up correctly.
    I know they can be considered safe when you setup with peer guardian and such, but still wouldn't direct download still be consider safer in general?

    And still considered safer even with problems like peer guardian (anti-piracy wise, because safety wise with viruses I would consider a torrent more safe).

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    Peer Guardian just prevents you from connecting to known "dangerous" IPs. It's not hard for a government agency to get their IP changed. And there are plenty of members, even on trusted trackers, that are simply accounts for governments or private companies that wish to log the list of IPs attached to a torrent. Even if you're doing something like using a proxy so your real IP won't be listed on torrents, nothing is 100% secure.

    Furthermore, the peer-dependent speeds from torrents can increase the amount of time you're required to be connected, increasing the chances of someone catching the transfer-in-progress.

    The biggest reason that torrents are technically more dangerous than direct downloads is the fact that you are almost always forced to seed to some extent. By seeding, you are distributing copyrighted works, and therefore are committing criminal copyright infringement, rather than civil copyright infringement (downloading for personal use).

    But really, it's all irrelevant. Your main concern should be your ISP. If your ISP outs you, you're screwed no matter what method you use.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Colamisu View Post
    Peer Guardian just prevents you from connecting to known "dangerous" IPs. It's not hard for a government agency to get their IP changed. And there are plenty of members, even on trusted trackers, that are simply accounts for governments or private companies that wish to log the list of IPs attached to a torrent. Even if you're doing something like using a proxy so your real IP won't be listed on torrents, nothing is 100% secure.

    Furthermore, the peer-dependent speeds from torrents can increase the amount of time you're required to be connected, increasing the chances of someone catching the transfer-in-progress.

    The biggest reason that torrents are technically more dangerous than direct downloads is the fact that you are almost always forced to seed to some extent. By seeding, you are distributing copyrighted works, and therefore are committing criminal copyright infringement, rather than civil copyright infringement (downloading for personal use).

    But really, it's all irrelevant. Your main concern should be your ISP. If your ISP outs you, you're screwed no matter what method you use.
    I see what you mean, but I don't see why a ISP would rat you out unless you were downloading things that were something along the lines of children being exploited or something of that matter because they would lose you as a customer thus losing money which is something a business never really wants to do.

    I also don't see the government searching for someone just downloading either I would assume they have better things to do like to stop the uploaders and to deal with more violent crimes.

    I know my ISP does a 3 strikes your out kind of policy, I don't know if they enforce it, but it seems like that is the standard for most ISPs because I would assume they firstly care about money then about upholding copyright laws.

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    all I know is stay away from anything 'Dangerous' im pretty sure you can guess what those are classified as.

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    I just plain out stay away from torrents, I've heard only bad things.
    All in 1

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    Torrents are nice, I used to badmouth them all the time too, until i tried um when they had seeders, MAX SPEED downloading just yeah, I wish there was a way somewtimes to stop seeding period.

    but I only use places like UG and HDDX .

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    Get Usenet, security, maximum speed, no ratios, what more do you want?

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    torrents are awesome, if you dont knwo what your doing then dont mess with them...and if your paranoid dont touchem...otherwise its the best thing to do and stop being so worried about gettin caught...too bad your missing out on alot of good stuff d/l torrents for years no issues no virsues just read comments description and dont beilve what your virus scanner says because all torrenst are illegal and deemed not ok by most protectors but you just gotta have common sense and be a lil computer saavy. dont be a uber noober and expand your knowledge!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Supreme Warrior View Post
    Torrents are nice, I used to badmouth them all the time too, until i tried um when they had seeders, MAX SPEED downloading just yeah, I wish there was a way somewtimes to stop seeding period.

    but I only use places like UG and HDDX .
    As opposed to direct downloads and max speed all the time .

    Getting around to it... | Available via Retroshare 16/7.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Shardnax View Post
    As opposed to direct downloads and max speed all the time .
    nope, torrents with a good amount of seeders goes around 1.5 MB a sec, rarely does that happen when DDLing from a file host.

    I know there must be away to torrent and block seeding entirely.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Supreme Warrior View Post
    nope, torrents with a good amount of seeders goes around 1.5 MB a sec, rarely does that happen when DDLing from a file host.

    I know there must be away to torrent and block seeding entirely.
    Every torrent program I know of forces seeding on you. They would have you believe some BS about it being necessary to get better speeds.

    Getting around to it... | Available via Retroshare 16/7.

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