BitTorrent tracker blocks Windows 10 users
BitTorrent tracker blocks Windows 10 users
Summary: If you use BitTorrent a lot, you may want to re-think moving
to Windows 10.
BitTorrent sites are starting to block Windows 10 users.Windows
10 is quickly gaining fans. Some of them, however, are growing distrustful of
Windows 10's privacy settings. Some BitTorrent sites don't trust Windows 10 at
all. So, at least one BitTorrent tracker, iTS, has blocked Windows 10 users
from accessing torrents from their site. Others are considering banning Windows
10 users.
In a YouTube video, iTS proclaimed that "Windows 10 is nothing more than a spy tool that will keep track of every action, email, conversation, video, picture, or anything else that you do on your computer."
iTS based its position largely on Microsoft's new unified services and privacy agreements, specifically the clause which states that, "We may automatically check your version of the software and download software updates or configuration changes, including those that prevent you from accessing the Services, playing counterfeit games, or using unauthorized hardware peripheral devices."
iTS might have been able to live with that, but it's who Microsoft shares your data with that brought it to the end of its rope. In a Reddit post, iTS states: "Microsoft decided to revoke any kind of data protection and submit whatever they can gather to not only themselves but also others. One of those is one of the largest anti-piracy company [sic] called MarkMonitor. Amongst other things Windows 10 sends the contents of your local disks directly to one of their servers. Obviously this goes way too far and is a serious threat to sites like ours which is why we had to take measures."
Like other BitTorrent sites such as Pirate Bay, iTS often offers access to torrents of copyright materials such as music, TV shows, and movies. The argument over whether indexing such torrent files, which is what torrent trackers do, is in and of itself illegal has yet to be resolved.
Other BitTorrent trackers, such as FSC and BB, are discouraging their users from accessing their sites from Windows 10, but they haven't blocked it yet. Pirate Bay, still the world's biggest BitTorrent site, has yet to address the issue.
iTS based its position largely on Microsoft's new unified services and privacy agreements, specifically the clause which states that, "We may automatically check your version of the software and download software updates or configuration changes, including those that prevent you from accessing the Services, playing counterfeit games, or using unauthorized hardware peripheral devices."
Windows 10 Privacy: Step by step
In addition, the BitTorrent sites administrators are concerned that even if you do lock Windows 10's privacy settings down, Windows 10 will still transmit some data to Microsoft.iTS might have been able to live with that, but it's who Microsoft shares your data with that brought it to the end of its rope. In a Reddit post, iTS states: "Microsoft decided to revoke any kind of data protection and submit whatever they can gather to not only themselves but also others. One of those is one of the largest anti-piracy company [sic] called MarkMonitor. Amongst other things Windows 10 sends the contents of your local disks directly to one of their servers. Obviously this goes way too far and is a serious threat to sites like ours which is why we had to take measures."
Like other BitTorrent sites such as Pirate Bay, iTS often offers access to torrents of copyright materials such as music, TV shows, and movies. The argument over whether indexing such torrent files, which is what torrent trackers do, is in and of itself illegal has yet to be resolved.
Other BitTorrent trackers, such as FSC and BB, are discouraging their users from accessing their sites from Windows 10, but they haven't blocked it yet. Pirate Bay, still the world's biggest BitTorrent site, has yet to address the issue.
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