When was the last time you thought about how you protect yourself online? In a world of increasing information on the internet, lawsuits, and data protection, it's hard to know where you stand.

Thankfully there are some basic steps you can take to ensure that you are safe online and your browsing and viewing history is protected. One of the best ways of doing this is by using a bit torrent to download content.

Here's how to safely torrent. 

What Is a Bit Torrent?

A bit torrent is a way of downloading content from the internet. Most content you can download using a bit torrent is free.

The best bit torrent for Mac OS Catalina can be downloaded from this site:


Downloading free content such as films, books and TV shows using the normal download method is problematic. Often such shows are copyrighted. Most sites that offer downloads get taken down.

Big Companies

But it's also easier to trace internet users who download straight from the internet and in some extreme cases, this can lead to lawsuits for illegally downloading material by the big entertainment giants like Sony.

A person being sued by one of these big companies can usually not afford the legal costs nor could they hope to hire a lawyer to match those hired by the company. Instead, they usually have to settle outside of court and pay a large fine.

A bit torrent can help you get around this by making it harder to trace who is downloading what. However, there are several precautions you can take to make downloading with a bit torrent safe.

Is Downloading Online Legal?

Whether downloading material online is legal depends on the circumstances and several other factors.

Firstly, it depends on what country you live in. The copyright laws are different in the United States to what they are in, for example, Cambodia or Nigeria. VPNs can make this matter complicated and so can extradition laws. 

The likelihood of being prosecuted for downloading the material is also quite rare because many people engage in it as an activity.

It will become harder to trace people with the onset of 5G in the new iPhone 12 which will allow people to download fast on the go.

There are certainly many people who would argue that regardless of the legality it's wrong to watch content for free that other people pay for. Over time, it could also have a determinantal effect on the film, television and music industries as revenues and profits decrease.

Using a VPN

If you're thinking about how to safely download torrents then one way is to use a VPN or virtual private network. This disguises your internet protocol (IP) address when you browse the web. 

Your IP address is unique to your internet box and can be used to trace you and your browsing history. Your browsing history can also be sold on by companies to advertisers for a profit.

This is why you often see the same adverts no matter what you are searching on Google or Facebook.

A VPN can mask your IP address, giving you a new one. You can trick the system into thinking you are in a different country. They are great if a video or film is available in one region - e.g America - but not in another.

A VPN can give you added protection on top of using a bit torrent to ensure that your internet browsing and downloading remain secure.

Protecting Yourself From Viruses

On top of a VPN, you also need to make sure you have a good virus checker installed on your computer when using a bit torrent or downloading one.

Bit torrents are notorious for having viruses included in them. Hackers know that bit torrents are popular because everyone wants the latest movies and television shows for free.

You don't want a nasty surprise such as malware installed on your computer. If you are using a Mac then this shouldn't be a problem as Macs are designed so that they get fewer viruses or at least not in the same way as Windows machines.

Simply use precautions when downloading software and do your research first.

If you are using a Windows computer then be sure to use a good virus protection program.

How to Safely Torrent: Take Extra Precautions

If you are interested in safely torrenting then the key thing you need to know is that the more precautions, the better. Much of the world's business is done on the internet. You wouldn't leave your windows open at night or your front door unlocked, so why take the same risks online?

Torrenting can prevent you from exposing yourself to lawsuits from big companies when downloading content. It's also the case that most sites with traditional downloading capabilities get taken down if they are an infringement of copyright and don't show up in Google searches.

One of the precautions you should take for safe torrenting is using a VPN. Such a virtual private network will prevent your IP address from being exposed because the sites will be tricked into thinking you are downloading from another country. This can reduce the risk of lawsuits from big entertainment companies.

Getting virus protection is also great for ensuring you don't fall victim to any malware or other malicious software when you download torrents from the internet.

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