are torrents safe?

[Risaru]

i hope i'm alowd to post but yeah recently i heard baytsp are sending out letters whoever is using torrents so i'm wondering if anybody has this problem

[emetic]

I have no problem with this.

[bakam0n]

Known fact: torrents give you AIDS.


Stop downloading immediately. Ask your doctor for more information.

[slove]

are torrent safe?

NO. If you click the PEERS tab on any torrent software you will see a list of all the people who are connected to you with their IP address. Just as you can see those people, they can see you. The Tracker will have a list of all the IPs that requested IP addresses to share in torrents, and will give up lists of them to anyone pretending to request hookups in the swarm. In most major ISP providers (except dial up) your IP address is relatively static (you get/have the same ip) particularly when you have services such as DSL or Cable or FIOS where your internet connection is NEVER signed off. Your ISP in turn is responsible to keep lists of IPs and be able to match them to customers.

There is a myth that using IP block lists will 'protect you' - - this is false as all they do is prevent the listed IP from connecting directly to you as a part of your swarm, it does not prevent the tracker from giving out your IP to anyone (including the media company dogs). However, it could be argued that without the direct connection, the information is 'hearsay' and that the IP that the tracker gives out could be spoofed (fake).

This is how companies such as BayTSP and others contact the ISPs who then contact you. You will be contacted by your ISP first, and in most cases given a phone number to call at their offices. Good ISPs will explain exactly what is happening, not actually question what's the reason, and ask you to search for and delete the offending material on any computers in your home. Tell them that you will do this. This could then be the end of the entire thing, but if you are actively searching out licensed material (and the vast majority of stuff is licensed, including the most awful animes you have ever seen) you could go the proverbial 3 strikes and end up being sued (that is the holder of the ISP contract is sued, which may be your grandmother or parents).

Finally, let me give you a copy of the "letter"

From: Optimum Online Security [mailto:noreply@security.cv.net]
Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 10:24 AM
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: WARNING: Copyright Infringement Notification

Cable Modem Mac:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
REF ID: xxxxxxxxxxx

Dear xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,

We are writing as a courtesy to let you know that we have received
notification from one or more owners of copyrights claiming that their
work has been transmitted over the Internet from your account without
their permission. Copyright owners may include motion picture studios,
the recording industry or others who produce or distribute legally
protected material. (Please see enclosed notice(s)). We are concerned
that either you or a person with access to your account may be unknowingly
participating in certain file sharing or server-related activities that
led to this complaint.

As you may recall, the Optimum Online Terms of Service posted at
http://www.optonline.net require compliance with all applicable laws and
specifically prohibits the use of the Optimum Online system for copyright
infringement.

We consider you a valued customer, so we wanted to let you know that if
the copyright holder pursues this claim, or if there are additional
claims, it could lead to legal action against you. We may be required by
law to release private information about you and to suspend, or even
terminate, your service. We want to help you prevent this from happening.

In order to assist you in your future use of our service, we encourage you
to visit http://www.optonline.net/copyright for tips and guidelines that we hope
will give you all the information you need to avoid further action on this
matter or on other matters.

We regret having to send notices like this, and we do not wish to alarm
you unnecessarily, but we have a responsibility to advise you of any
notices concerning your account.

If you have any questions about our Optimum Online policies, please feel
free to contact us at the Customer Service Center, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. We
appreciate your business, and look forward to providing you with
excellence in broadband service for many years to come.


Regards,
Raymond J. Connolly
Registered Copyright Agent
Cablevision Systems Corporation


[-------Copy of Complaint------]
From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Received: 2009-04-15 17:25:41
Subject: Notice ID: xxxxxxxxxxx First Notice of Unauthorized Use of Media
Factory, Inc. Property



-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Notice ID: xxxxxxxxxxx
Notice Date: 15 Apr 2009 18:36:17 GMT

Optimum Online (Cablevision Systems)

Dear Sir or Madam:

BayTSP, Inc. ("BayTSP") swears under penalty of perjury that Media
Factory, Inc. has authorized BayTSP to act as its non-exclusive agent for
copyright infringement notification. BayTSP's search of the protocol
listed below has detected infringements of Media Factory, Inc.’s
copyright interests on your IP addresses as detailed in the below report.

BayTSP has reasonable good faith belief that use of the material in the
manner complained of in the below report is not authorized by Media
Factory, Inc., its agents, or the law. The information provided herein is
accurate to the best of our knowledge. Therefore, this letter is an
official notification to effect removal of the detected infringement
listed in the below report. The below documentation specifies the exact
location of the infringement.

We hereby request that you immediately remove or block access to the
infringing material, as specified in the copyright laws, and insure the
user refrains from using or sharing with others unauthorized Media
Factory, Inc.'s materials in the future (see, 17 U.S.C. 512).

Further, we believe that the entire Internet community benefits when
these matters are resolved cooperatively. We urge you to take immediate
action to stop this infringing activity and inform us of the results of
your actions. We appreciate your efforts toward this common goal.

Please send us a prompt response indicating the actions you have taken to
resolve this matter, making sure to reference the Notice ID number above
in your response.
mailto:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If you do not wish to reply by email, please use our Web Interface by
clicking on the following link:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Note: If your email program has inserted line breaks into either the
email or web links above, you can copy and paste the entire link into your
email program, or favorite web browser, respectively.

Nothing in this letter shall serve as a waiver of any rights or remedies
of Media Factory, Inc. with respect to the alleged infringement, all of
which are expressly reserved. Should you need to contact me, I may be
reached at the below address.

Regards



Evidentiary Information:
Notice ID: xxxxxxxxx
Initial Infringement Timestamp: 15 Apr 2009 10:37:28 GMT
Recent Infringement Timestamp: 15 Apr 2009 10:37:28 GMT
Infringers IP Address: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
Protocol: BitTorrent
Infringed Work: Queen's Blade
Infringing File Name: [Aasasubs] Queen's Blade ~Rurou no Senshi~ - 02
[1280x720 - H264].mp4
Infringing File Size: 293632204
Bay ID: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Port ID: 18419
Infringer's DNS Name: ool-xxxxxxxx.dyn.optonline.net
Infringer's User Name:

[Reborn83]

yeahi got flaged myself..but whats worse is i love my anime and cause its my mom who pays for the internet i dont wanna risk her going to jail. i was told about Peergaurdian but to be honest as much as i wanna have the anime to watch whenever i dont wanna risk my mother going to jail so guess ill just stream it or ask a friend to burn it for me ether way i win sorta.