Using torrents is a popular way to access a wide range of files online. However, you will need to be careful about the way that you are doing this.
Because of this, it’s common to turn to a VPN. Keep reading to learn some of the biggest reasons why you should always use a VPN when torrenting files online.
1. Protect Your Identity
One of the biggest benefits of using a VPN is protecting your identity. When you use a VPN, it will re-route your signal to a server. You will be able to browse the internet through this new server. By doing this, you will be able to keep your true identity masked.
The information that you will be accessing will be encrypted. It will also make it difficult to find your true IP address. Using a VPN will make your downloads private.
2. Most VPNs Have Kill Switches
VPNs are prepared for a wide range of situations. For example, what happens if the connection is disrupted during the download? In this case, your real IP address might become exposed, which can be used to find your real identity.
To prevent this, many VPNs come equipped with kill switches. This means that the VPN will turn off your internet. Once a secure connection is re-established, the internet can be turned back on. You’ll then be able to go back to downloading your content through the torrent.
3. Getting Around Geo-Blocking
Sometimes, you will find that content is only available to those in certain countries. This can be a source of major frustration. However, VPNs allow you to get around this problem. All you need to do is change servers. It will then appear to the content provider that you are a user from that country.
4. Upload Information Securely
If you want to upload files, it’s a good idea to use a VPN. This will ensure that it will be hard to identify who published the information. If you don’t take these steps, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) will be able to see your activities.
There are a few reasons why you should take more protection when uploading. These include:
- Harsh penalties. Usually, uploading materials will be viewed more harshly than downloading them. You can face large fines if you shared a wrong media file, even if it was unknownigly.
- Easier to identify. On a popular torrent site, there will be hundreds of users downloading files. Trying to identify them all can be a nightmare. But there will be fewer people uploading, which makes them easier to identify.
- More aggressive cases. As sharing media files becomes more widespread, companies want to send a strong message to those who are doing it questionably in their view. Because of this, they are getting more aggressive in hunting down those who are sharing materials. If you don’t take precautions, like using a VPN, there is a chance that you will get a warning letter, even so you didn’t upload anything copyrigthed.
5. Viewing Blocked Content
Your ISP can control what sites you can view. Because of this, some people might not even be able to access popular torrent sites. Though they can type in the URL, the site won’t load. Though, doing this has been enough to trigger the ISP interest in your online activities.
The best way to get around this is by using a VPN. Once you do this, your browsing activities can’t be monitored by the ISP. Because of this, they won’t be able to block your access to these sites.
6. Protection From Viruses and Hackers
One of the biggest risks with visiting some torrent sites is that they can form a haven for criminals. If they can find your IP address, there is a risk that they can hack your computer and infect your network. From there, they can blackmail you with a ransomware attack. Or they can try to steal your identity.
There are a few other ways that a VPN can protect you. Some services will alert you to sites or ads that are known to contain malware. This is a good way to stop you from clicking on suspicious links. Even if you do accidentally download malware, a VPN can make it harder for a hacker to take advantage of you.
While this is a plus, a VPN isn’t complete protection. If you download a file that has a virus, there isn’t a lot that a VPN can do. It can still affect your systems. Though some VPNs will come with a blacklist of known IP addresses for hackers. They might be able to stop you from transferring data to these sites. But it’s still best to opt for a strong firewall, for additional protection.
7. Companies are Aggressive at Monitoring Media Files Sharing
One of the most common reasons why people might not use a VPN is because they don’t know the risks, even if they don’t do anything wrong. For a while, you might be able to torrent without attracting any attention. But the more often you do it, the more likely it is that you will get detected.
Production companies have become much more aggressive at monitoring file sharing. Because of this, it won’t be long before you start to rack up notices. How this occurs will depend on the country you live in. In some cases, you get a warning. In other places, though, you will end up finding yourself involved in a civil suit.
8. VPNs Aren’t Just for Torrents
So far, we’ve spent much of our time focusing on why you should use a VPN if you want to torrent materials. But this isn’t the only circumstance in which using a VPN can come in handy. Some of the other benefits include:
- Boosting streaming speeds. It’s common for ISPs to restrict your internet speed when you are using certain services. This reduces the amount of pressure that is being placed on their systems. This is most common for streaming services. This could be the reason why your streams are buffering even though you have a strong internet connection. A VPN bypasses these restrictions.
- Using public Wi-Fi with confidence. When you are using public systems, you will be at a high risk of getting hacked. Thankfully, a VPN will encrypt your information, forming a secure connection.
- Shop online safely. The biggest risk you will face online is when you are doing online shopping. You’ll be required to enter your payment details on the credit card. If someone accesses your data at this time, they will know your financial details. This can allow them to impersonate your identity.
- Stopping price discrimination. Sometimes, a website might use your location or shopping history to change the price. For example, if you are a more frequent customer, you might be more willing to swallow an inflated price. VPNs ensure that you are getting the best deal every time.
Final Thoughts
Technically, you don’t need to use a VPN to start torrenting. But it’s not a good idea to visit many of these sites without some kind of protection. There are plenty of hackers who will target users. Production companies will also be actively trying to target and charge those who are involved in all kinds of file sharing. Because of these factors, it’s a good idea to seek the safety that a VPN can provide.
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