Don’t surf without VPN protection!
In second week of December we have posted article about RedTube and problem that visitors of this site have experienced. If you don’t follow latest news from the internet, let us refresh this story.
Remember! Torrents and P2P only with VPN!
As you know, in most countries it is either to download & upload movies and music from torrents and P2P networks or (if you are bit more lucky with your location) only to upload. In USA, UK or France (HADOPI) if you are caught downloading copyrighted materials you can get warnings or be cut of from the internet by your ISP. If you are truly unlucky, your IP address might end up on the desk in one of many law firms, that are representing copyright owners, film studios, etc. Soon after that you might find nice message in your mailbox asking you, to pay for the damages (and cost of lawyer). We all know that. This is one of the reasons we are suggesting VPN, as a way to hide your IP address. Until recently streaming videos over the internet, like you do from youtube was considered “safe”.
Browsing without VPN – brave… or…?
RedTube is quite similar to youtube. It is site where visitors can watch for free porn clips and movies. You do not have to register, you do not have to pay…you click and got video on your screen. Now, imagine surprise of users in Germany, when they found letters from attorneys, asking to pay for streaming illegal (copyrighted) content. Damages were calculated at approx US $340. And we are not talking here about few letters. Sites that were reporting this story are claiming that “thousands” letters were received. Soon after that users in Germany have panicked courts, citizens advice bureaus, consumer advice centres, telecom companies…. all were stormed by people asking why, do I have to pay, how they got my details, address, etc.
Court ruling in users favour, but no guarantees for future
Now, Regional Court of Hamburg has granted temporary injunction for RedTub against The Archive AG (Swiss company, that protects copyright holders). This means that no law firm, can be sending letters to users. U&C (German based law firm) that represented Archive AG reportedly planned to send over 10.000 !!! letters to users in Germany (and what we read between the lines), Archive AG might have been planning to similar actions against RedTube users in other European countries.
For the time being, until final ruling is given this has all been stopped.
This is why you should protect your IP with VPN
Ok, so how users IP addresses and identities got to U&C and Archive AG? Answers (however surprising) is simple, through court order. They have claimed, that copyrights have been breached, damages made and court in Cologne has decided, that data such as home address and IP address has to be disclosed (right now, it’s comment is that it should have not ruled in copyright firm’s favour).
- Are you sure, that next time, in your country (different company, different claims) court will not grant access to your details? Browse the web without VPN.
- Are you sure, that even if your personal details will be disclosed no other damage will come out of that? (Yes, they don’t have to pay… but now their close family knows what they watch!). Browse the web without VPN.
- If you are not afraid, that such company will sell your details to unknown third party for the future use, browse the web without VPN.
- You don’t mind all the hassle and lost nerves, just because a “copyright troll” wanted to con you out of cash, keep browsing the web without VPN.
If however you think that you don’t like answers to any of questions above – get VPN now. Don’t be brave, be smart! Prevent fire before it happens. Be a good person and tell your Friends about it. No one is safe as you can see. #Privacymatters