Is Sharing Illegal ?

[OrGoN3]

Yes, sharing copyrighted material that you are not the copyright holder of is indeed illegal.

 

[goldensun87]

The companies don't monitor torrent sites, they monitor the torrent trackers (which is what connects people together to share the files you're downloading). Basically they connect to the torrent trackers, search for copyrighted content, and then collect the IP addresses who are uploading that content. Then they attempt to download a piece of the copyrighted content to compare it to their own piece to confirm it is indeed copyrighted content. If it is, they note the IP address, the content that's being downloaded, and the time it's downloaded. Then they identify the ISP from the IP, and send the ISP the notification that you're downloading illegal content.

There are a few ways to sort of block them from doing that, but they're not 100% foolproof.

One way is to block all the known IP addresses the companies use to track the content so they aren't able to download anything from you. This doesn't work 100% because IPs can always change.

Another is to use private torrent trackers, as you have to be registered to a site with it's own tracker that generally allows users to only sign up via an invite from another member. Since no one is likely to invite a torrent tracking company, it's "safer" than public torrents. But sometimes they'll get in from open registrations, or someone will give them their user account for whatever reason etc etc and you'll still get a notice.

You can also use a VPN, which is the most effective way to avoid being caught for multiple reasons. One, the VPN uses a different IP address than you so the IP they collect can't necessarily be traced back to you. Two, VPNs encrypt your traffic (unlike proxies) so you ISP itself wouldn't be able to confirm you're actually torrenting instead of, say, downloading a game on Steam or something. But despite being the most effective, you can still get caught if the VPN your using doesn't allow torrent and they receive a notice but they'll usually use cancel your account and that's it. There are torrent-friendly VPNs out there, though.

As to why you've never been "caught", there are a lot of reasons. As I mentioned, some ISPs don't bother with notifications at all and just ignore them, sometimes the tracking software can't verify the piece they're downloading from you is copyrighted, you might have your upload rate set to really low so on one is able to download as much from you etc etc. They also can't monitor the activity of the millions upon millions upon millions of people torrenting stuff, either, they usually prioritize the original uploader first (even though that's difficult to find).

The best way to not get caught is to simply not torrent and use other methods if you absolutely have to.

Yeah, I torrented from 2007-2011, but mostly TV shows, and since then, I have been using filehosting sites for 99% of the things I download, I only torrent when I absolutely have to.

 

[MasterJ360]

Kat.cr was shut down in the last 4 years... it was pretty much the size of megupload

I believe they shutdown temporarily during the SOPA period Piratebay did the same thing. They weren't forcefully taken down like Megaupload was by the FBI

 

[AI-BOT-T1000-and-1]

If you have to question yourself if something is illegal, it MOST LIKELY IS

This is a ridiculous thing to say, civil matters are nothing like criminal matters. and this is but a civil matter and is not as clear cut as you seem to think. hence the OP.
a chinese proverb comes to mind
"He who asks questions is a fool for 5 minutes he who does not remains a fool forever"

it's like saying, if water is blue then the sky must be water. Now we know the sky is not water, because we posses knowledge about the sky.
Most people don't posses knowledge about the law especially civil and therefore get tricked by it when a police or bailiff or even private security man comes knocking at their door. They use their clever legalise language which can often enter you into a contract unknowingly, or implicate you. (as mentioned in previous posts)
It's not as obvious as you think and therefore worth knowing a little about these laws. Most people break laws on a daily basis without knowing, because those laws are so old that they are not enforced anymore or because its a civil law being broken therefore a dispute between 2 parties. Which go's unreported. does that make it okay?

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

I believe they shutdown temporarily during the SOPA period Piratebay did the same thing. They weren't forcefully taken down like Megaupload was by the FBI

Nooooooooo, KAT got taken down in July. https://torrentfreak.com/feds-seize-kickasstorrents-domains-charge-owner-160720/

They came back in December though.

 

[dAVID_]

The Biggest Dillema Since The DMCA Was Created™

 

[jimbo13]

The laws depending on where you live vary greatly but any traditional reading of the fair use doctrine gives the thumbs up to file sharing.

Ethically there is nothing objectionable about file sharing imo, legally speaking it is generally more of a civil issue unlikely to find it's way to you unless you're uploading a lot.

I refuse to be inconvenienced because dinosaur media has refused to adapt to the technological realities and expect everyone to jump through hoops while they cling to ancient business models.

Copyright, patent, IP this is all antiquated bullshit when a primary commodity of society can be replicated out of thin air and I consider every download my way of telling them to grow up and adjust to the times because I am sick of them stifling innovation.

Imagine farmers suing Picard for using a food replicator on Startrek, or being a food pirate.

 

[AI-BOT-T1000-and-1]

The laws depending on where you live vary greatly but any traditional reading of the fair use doctrine gives the thumbs up to file sharing.

Ethically there is nothing objectionable about file sharing imo, legally speaking it is generally more of a civil issue unlikely to find it's way to you unless you're uploading a lot.

I refuse to be inconvenienced because dinosaur media has refused to adapt to the technological realities and expect everyone to jump through groups while they cling to ancient business models.

Copyright, patent, IP this is all antiquated bullshit when a primary commodity of society can be replicated out of thin air and I consider every download my way of telling them to grow up and adjust to the times because I am sick of them stifling innovation.

Imagine farmers suing Picard for using a food replicator on Startrek, or being a food pirate.

Amen to that bro (love the avatar