With the advent of streaming services, the need for torrenting is not as significant as it once was. In the past, if you wanted to see certain series or movies, you would have to pay for expensive cable channels. If you lived in a country which didn’t show that series, you would have to find another way. Torrents helped people watch shows they otherwise would not get to see.
Nowadays, anyone can sign up for cheap streaming video accounts, along with music streaming platforms. We all have better access than ever. Nonetheless, you will still struggle to get certain content, including the sorts of content you will see on HBO.
But torrenting in 2020 is more of a minefield than it once was. There are the potential viruses and malware you can download onto your own computer (by bypassing Apple’s checks) and you can be surveilled by your government agencies.
There are ways to download torrents safely in 2020. Follow these steps.
Visit reliable databases
Torrent search engines are constantly being shut down, and sometimes the most reliable ones disappear all of a sudden. However, that does not mean you should run to any old site you find on Google. The best databases are fairly resilient.
The Pirate Bay and Limetorrents might occasionally change URL, but they have been around for ages and provide good access to content without too many popups and deceptive links.
Download from accounts you can trust
When you are actually choosing a torrent to download, you should check who uploaded it. There are some mainstays, such as EZTV and ETTV, along with rarbg among others. Choose a torrent with lots of seeds, not just because it will download more quickly, but because it indicates that many other visitors have had success with it.
Check if there are any comments on the download page. Occasionally, other downloaders will call out bad torrents. However, be careful not to follow any links they post. Some spammers leave negative comments on torrents in order to get you to follow them to a different, malignant option.
Always use a VPN
When downloading torrents, your IP address is easily tracked. This makes it simple for law enforcement agencies to find you. It also makes it easy for hackers and scammers to get access to your data and infiltrate your system. To remedy this, check out how to hide your torrent activity with VPNs.
A virtual private network (VPN) routes your connection through an external server, hiding your IP address and location, and encrypting your data. You should always use a VPN for security purposes, but it is that much more important when downloading torrents.
Good VPNs cost around $10 a month and are well worth it. Aside from the security they provide, you can use them to get around geo-restrictions used by streaming services and certain websites. You can also get around government censorship and see the news they want to keep from you, if you are in a country that condones these measures.
Downloading torrents in 2020 is not as straightforward as it once was, and it is imperative you keep yourself safe.