Thread: Are private trackers safer then public ones

I feel they are but i dont know for sure, i know when i TPB for a while i got 2 copy infringement emails from my ISP but since ive been using private nuthing like that has happended again.

They are much safer:)

Can someone explain how they are safer? A private tracker has your info, public doesn't.

I'm not saying I know, cos I don't.

You are very much correct marcus79 and it's a good question. Many people assume they're safer, but your thinking is right. A public tracker keeps your stuff in memory (think like um. instead of writing people's phone number's down you have to remember all of them. there's no record).

A private tracker will keep your information in usually a *SQL database often including IP (for example, to catch cheaters, etc.) also they obviously keep your username and password (although any tracker worth its salt will keep a password encrypted with at least md5 so they don't even know it).

All of this means more data about you *IF* the servers are seized. I know there is at least one private tracker (I forget which one) that keeps this info in dynamic memory that would instantly disappear if a server was unplugged by the authorities for example, hower most do not.

In a public tracker, they don't need this info they have your IP in RAM while you're downloading a file, maybe some other minor data but if a server is unplugged (which it has to be to get seized obviously) it will just clear the RAM and the database will only have a list of torrents and no user data whatsoever.

Edit: on the other hand, it's harder and more annoying to get into a private tracker. Imagine having to infiltrate STC or SCC say. It's easier to obtain information about users from private trackers but it's much easier to go after public trackers instead. Those are the ones the public knows about anyway. Besides, you heard news stories everywhere of TPB getting their servers seized. Who would report that HDBits.org was taken down?

Hope that helps clear things up.

I dont think we are safe anywhere, If the government really wants to start cracking down on this, theyh will be able to get us no moatter where we are on..

Originally Posted by vafangool

I dont think we are safe anywhere, If the government really wants to start cracking down on this, theyh will be able to get us no moatter where we are on..

Now that is true. The gov't gives no shit though, really. I think the studios will just adapt and start releasing their movies earlier after cinemas, releasing them on torrents for low fees, etc.

Admit it you'd pay a few bucks for a torrent DL of a DVDR that was just in cinemas. If anything the past few years has proven that restricting DVDSCRs by tracking or trying to use DRM neither works and it usually pisses people off.

Yea, We will have to see where it ever gets to a point where they really start cracking down on this stuff. Like napster in the beginning they really didnt do anything, till it got to out of hand, For a long time, i was on forums that had to do with steroids, and they were really easy to get online, Than it got to out of hand and the government started crackign down on that...But hopefully it wont ever get to that point here, I mean alot of torrents are files that arent movies, its a much more broad scope ...

i believe that private trackers are safer.

I believe that it might just be the opposite. Of course I guess it really depends on the contents of the tracker.