Researchers Create Self-Replicating Seedbox in Quest for Decentralized Democracy
Most torrent sites that were active in 2005 are long gone and the same applies to the software project from that era. The academic torrent client Tribler is a notable exception and if it’s up to the people running it, it will go on indefinitely. Tribler is part of a research project at Delft University of Technology, headed by associate professor Johan Pouwelse. Over the years, Tribler found itself to be a safe haven for pirate site...
French Police Dismantle Operation Behind the Already Defunct YggTorrent
YggTorrent was France’s largest torrent community, with more than 10 million registered members when it shut down in March following a major hack. The hacker, known as Gr0lum, breached the site’s infrastructure, exfiltrated 19 GB of data, drained its crypto wallets, and wiped its servers. That proved to be too much to come back from and YggTorrent decided to throw in the towel instead. In many cases, that would be the end of the...
EU Report Distills AI-Training Lessons from Napster Piracy Era: Don’t Sue, License
When Napster found its way to millions of desktop computers 25 years ago, the music industry was terrified by this apparent existential threat. Determined to make the problem disappear, the legal response was swift. Within a year, the RIAA sued Napster, and artists such as Metallica and Dr. Dre soon followed. This strategy seemed to work, as the RIAA lawsuit effectively shut down Napster two years after it launched. However, the genie...
Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week – 12/08/2025
The data for our weekly download chart is estimated by TorrentFreak, and is for informational and educational reference only. Downloading content without permission is copyright infringement. These torrent download statistics are only meant to provide further insight into piracy trends. All data are gathered from public resources. This week we have two newcomers on the list. “Predator: Badlands” is the most shared title. The most...
Bypass Amazon Fire TV Stick Piracy Ban and See What Happens Next
Generally speaking, pirates tend to dislike restrictions, because more often than not, restrictions mean either less piracy or less convenient piracy. News from Amazon last month indicated that apps linked to piracy would start to face new restrictions when sideloaded to Fire TV devices, although exactly how that would manifest itself was still unknown. The ‘announcement’ was ‘quietly’ delivered via the media and spread quickly. That...
Lithuanian Watchdog Fines Torrent Tracker Users for Pirating Local Blockbuster
In 2023, Lithuania amended its Code of Administrative Offenses, allowing media watchdog LRTK to fine pirates, without going to court. This legislative change was specifically designed to deter piracy in the European country. With potential fines on the line, pirates would reconsider their habits, the idea was. Tracking Torrent Tracker Pirates Over the past two years, dozens of fines were handed out. The targets were mostly first-time...
