shamu726 Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 After banning several of the largest file-hosting sites and Usenet providers, PayPal is now taking aim at a VPN/proxy service. The payment processor has just cut off the BitTorrent proxy provider GT Guard and frozen the company’s funds. In an email PayPal’s Brand Risk Management department explains that GT Guard’s affiliation with BitTorrent is the reason for the drastic actions.PayPal is widely known for their aggressive stance towards BitTorrent sites, Usenet providers and file-hosting services, and now this policy has also been actively applied to a VPN provider.PayPal has stopped providing service to the Germany based VPN provider GT Guard. In addition, all the company’s funds have been frozen.GT Guard is a relatively small provider with about 450 active users, 90% of whom pay through PayPal. The company targets BitTorrent users who use the VPN and proxy service to download anonymously while bypassing throttling Internet providers.GT Guard’s owner Mike was taken by surprise by PayPal’s decision as he is merely providing an anonymizing service to his customers. Initially PayPal stated that GT Guard violated the terms of service because it linked to adult sites but later on its affiliation with BitTorrent became a problem.In an email received yesterday, PayPal’s Brand Risk Management department explains that “file-sharing, BitTorrent and Usenet websites, as well as similar services, require prior approval from PayPal.”This policy has been in force since last year and has resulted in PayPal banning many file-sharing related services. However, the same strict demands generally don’t apply to a VPN provider.During a previous phone conversation GT Guard explained to the payment processor that they were merely offering security services. In addition, the VPN/proxy provider also offered PayPal full access to the VPN and proxy. However, none of the above changed PayPal’s position.GT Guard’s owner tells TorrentFreak that he would like to continue the service but that payment issues will most likely result in an exodus of customers.This is not the first time that PayPal has gone after a BitTorrent-friendly VPN provider. Last year TorGuard was also banned but after a careful review PayPal decided that this was a mistake and eventually restored service.Whether the action against GT Guard represents the early stages of a new crackdown on privacy services or is simply an isolated incident remains to be seen.Source: TorrentFreak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Orus Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 :huh: News interesting..! :think: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alaindc Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Another way, again, to restrict even more our privacy right, our freedom?Sharing SHOULD BE the future.But...Freedom of all form (speech, sharing, thinking) will soon be a "souvenir", a memory of the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefa Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Another way, again, to restrict even more our privacy right, our freedom?Sharing SHOULD BE the future.But...Freedom of all form (speech, sharing, thinking) will soon be a "souvenir", a memory of the past.100% agree m8.but obviously hope not :wtf: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypher3927 Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 This has got to be the stupidest thing I've read in a while and just another symptom of the disease eating away at our freedoms. A VPN anonymizes traffic irrespective of protocol and Bittorrent downloads irrespective of legality just like every other transfer protocol whether it be HTTP or FTP. Why should they not be able to accept PayPal because they provide service to people who MAY use Bittorrent. PayPal is basically now holding companies and users hostage. No wonder the planet's going down the tubes with a bunch of mooks spearheading things. This is what I think of you PayPal...right here :fist: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
insanedown58 Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Meh. PayPal was bad anyways.....? Although I don't use PayPal and have never payed for anything online, I have had the feeling that services like PayPal would have to drop filesharing websites and BitTorrent services alike to keep them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marik Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 all the more reason everybody should just switch to bitcoin and leave the nazi in their own world Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mray88 Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Years ago I stopped buying anything on Ebay because of Paypal. So I'm not really sure of the importance of this news. I mean, if you spit on something that already completely sucks does it actually become worse than it was? It's really a quandary of sorts! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calguyhunk Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 If you didn't stop using Paypal after the Wikileaks fiasco, NOW is the time. :mad2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VileTouch Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 This has got to be the stupidest thing I've read in a while and just another symptom of the disease eating away at our freedoms. A VPN anonymizes traffic irrespective of protocol and Bittorrent downloads irrespective of legality just like every other transfer protocol whether it be HTTP or FTP. Why should they not be able to accept PayPal because they provide service to people who MAY use Bittorrent. PayPal is basically now holding companies and users hostage. No wonder the planet's going down the tubes with a bunch of mooks spearheading things. This is what I think of you PayPal...right here :fist:they're trying to leverage their manipulation and censorship through their wallets. but that only works for so long. that is, until people simply dump stupid paypal and start using bitcoin. THAT is the world's currency of the future. not controlled by any one country or corporation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypher3927 Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 This has got to be the stupidest thing I've read in a while and just another symptom of the disease eating away at our freedoms. A VPN anonymizes traffic irrespective of protocol and Bittorrent downloads irrespective of legality just like every other transfer protocol whether it be HTTP or FTP. Why should they not be able to accept PayPal because they provide service to people who MAY use Bittorrent. PayPal is basically now holding companies and users hostage. No wonder the planet's going down the tubes with a bunch of mooks spearheading things. This is what I think of you PayPal...right here :fist:they're trying to leverage their manipulation and censorship through their wallets. but that only works for so long. that is, until people simply dump stupid paypal and start using bitcoin.THAT is the world's currency of the future. not controlled by any one country or corporation.I agree but the problem with Bitcoin is that it's extremely volatile, can be easily influenced by hackers and in my opinion isn't ready yet. This can be seen by the most recent crash as well as many in the past. There is still much work to be done for Bitcoin to be a viable alternative to standard forms of currency. Maybe a new system will be built that will learn from past mistakes and build something better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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