Watchman Privacy 14 - How and Why to Torrent
Sep 17, 2021
Explore the fascinating world of torrenting and why it's essential for privacy enthusiasts. Learn how files are shared through a network of seeders, enabling faster downloads while bypassing censorship. Discover practical safety measures, like using a no-log VPN and Linux for secure torrenting. Uncover the legal distinctions between copyrighted and non-copyrighted materials, and hear arguments on the moral legitimacy of torrenting. Gabriel Custodiet sheds light on the global significance of torrents in ensuring access to information.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
How Torrenting Works
- Torrenting is a decentralized method that breaks files into pieces and shares them peer-to-peer for efficient distribution.
- This design reduces bottlenecks and can sustain files without any central server if enough peers seed them.
Use Torrents For Speed
- Use torrenting when downloads are slow or central servers bottleneck, especially in regions with weak internet.
- Torrenting can be much faster because parts come from many peers instead of one origin server.
Resilience Against Censorship
- Torrents are nearly censor-proof because files transfer directly between people instead of through a controlled central server.
- The main weak point is torrent index sites, but workarounds and decentralized discovery methods reduce that vulnerability.
