Is Torrenting Allowed?
If you’re asking this question, you already presume you’re doing something wrong when you download copyrighted files off the internet. Torrenting is actually legal if you’re sharing non-copyrighted content, but let’s face it, we’re here for the good stuff.
Downloading copyrighted content has been deemed illegal in most countries, and classified as a civil offense. Although it is not a criminal offense, you can still get in trouble with the government or your ISP. Not only that, you can strike out even worse, as the company that owns the copyrighted content can also come after you. They could take you to court and sue you for the loss of income your actions caused them. That’s why you need a VPN to cover your back.
How Can a VPN Protect You
A VPN protects you in multiple different ways. First and foremost, it hides your online activity from your ISP. This means that anyone who monitors torrents will see your VPN connected IP, instead of your real one. This will not only keep you safe but can also speed up your downloads, as most ISP try to discourage torrenting by throttling traffic. The same goes if you’re planning on uploading large files. Masking your IP also protects you from hackers who would use your connection as a backdoor to your system and infect it with viruses and malware. Without a VPN, your real IP can be identified in a matter of seconds.
What Torrent VPN Features to Look Out For
Not all VPN services are suitable for torrenting. Some don’t allow it, while others just don’t have the technical and security specs needed to ensure your privacy and safety. That’s why all torrenting and P2P sharing suitable VPN’s should meet the following criteria:
- No Logging Policy – An ideal torrenting VPN should not record any of the data you give out while using their service. It should have a clearly laid out Privacy Policy that addresses every aspect of your privacy. It should not log your activity, nor collect any information that could potentially jeopardize you.
- High-Quality Security – VPN’s use encryption to mask all of your online activity. The encryption protocol they use should be at least at a 256-bit SSL encryption level, to ensure no hackers and third-parties can snoop through your online activity. It should also have a built-in kill switch and DNS leak security, to make sure that in the case of a breach, no data is transmitted from your device.
- High Internet Speeds – Since you’ll be downloading large files, you would need an above-average internet connection while using a VPN. The services featured on our list are al among the top-tier when it comes to connection speeds.
- (No) Bandwidth Limits – Torrents require a lot of data. That’s why a good VPN for torrenting should have a no bandwidth limit policy.
