steven36 Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 An interesting torrent site has just debuted which has the honor of being almost shutdown-proof. 'Play' has just appeared on Zeronet, a server-less P2P network that utilizes Bitcoin cryptography and BitTorrent technology. As a result Play might well be the first torrent site that offers magnet links while being hosted by its users. More than two years ago The Pirate Bay revealed a plan to revolutionize its status on the web. Continually dogged by the threat of shutdown and blocking, the site’s operators said they were working on a plan to create their own P2P network. The concept is certainly interesting. When a user loads a website on the network that data will be also be served to other users accessing the site from the user’s machine. In BitTorrent terms, people accessing the site (leechers) also serve the site (seeders) to other users, meaning that there is no central server and no one point of failure. While The Pirate Bay’s plan hasn’t come to fruition, others have been working on a similar system. Based out of Budapest, Hungary, Zeronet offers “real-time updated, P2P websites using Bitcoin cryptography and the BitTorrent network.” The slide below describes some of the key features. A full explanation of how the system works can be found here but for those looking to jump in at the deep-end the process is very simple. Visit Zeronet.io and follow the simple instructions and the whole thing is up and running in a couple of minutes. Once Zeronet is launched (it appears in your chosen web browser), users are confronted not with a Google search box, but the Zeronet ‘homepage’. Not only are Zeronet users viewing this website but they’re also hosting it too, so that when others join the network and ask for the page, they retrieve it from other Zeronet users. It functions in a similar way to sharing using BitTorrent, although as yet there is no ‘swarming’ technology in place. In the image below, 96 other people are sharing the page. This piece isn’t intended to be a guide on using Zeronet, others can help there. However, what piqued our interest is what appears to be the very first torrent site to appear on the Zeronet network. It’s not exactly clear how long ‘Play’ has been in development but its existence has been made known in the past few hours. ‘Play’ is accessed via a Zeronet URL which only works if the Zeronet software is installed. Once on the site it is indistinguishable from any other similar site working on a central server. The site doesn’t offer a tracker (that would create new problems) but instead serves magnet links sourced from RARBG. As one might expect, the site is the usual fare with the latest movies presented in varying qualities, along with YouTube trailer links where applicable. As a straightforward website ‘Play’ wouldn’t get a mention here but the way it’s delivered to users is somewhat exciting, especially since this is what The Pirate Bay and indeed BitTorrent Inc.’s Project Maelstrom has been promising for some time. However, before users get too excited, there are some caveats. While Zeronet sites won’t get taken down as long as someone is ‘seeding’ them, the Zeronet website-serving network is not anonymous. That means that users’ IP addresses are public unless they choose the Tor option or double up with a VPN. Additionally, torrent transfers function in an identical fashion to any other site and are just as public as they ever were. From a legal perspective Zeronet itself has no issues but of course a site like Play infringes on copyright law just as any other similar site would, even if its operators can remain anonymous. Interestingly though, while someone, somewhere has created Play, its users (not a server company) are now effectively hosting it via their local machines. This raises questions of liability for torrent site hosting in the future. Finally, Zeronet also offers users a one-click solution to site cloning. This sounds like it might be a real headache for copyright holders but it could also be an equally large headache for the Internet’s spam department. Time will tell how that will play out. Zeronet’s homepage can be found here. The Source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asf Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 Sounds revolutionizing The play link does not work from chrome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven36 Posted March 1, 2016 Author Share Posted March 1, 2016 Its open source GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE its for all O/S platforms You can find the Source Code and you can report issues here. https://github.com/HelloZeroNet/ZeroNet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrbingStorm Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 11 hours ago, steven36 said: Interestingly though, while someone, somewhere has created Play, its users (not a server company) are now effectively hosting it via their local machines. This raises questions of liability for torrent site hosting in the future. Could this mean that the user is now the one breaking the law not the inventor, and will be pursued? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven36 Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 9 hours ago, OrbingStorm said: Could this mean that the user is now the one breaking the law not the inventor, and will be pursued? When you use any p2p client you're breaking the law not the inventor this is why millions or using vpn over p2p already . All p2p clients have in there toss you're liable for you're actions not them and you agree too it by using there software. Only thing different would be since torrent sites are not hosting it would they be liable ? because it host the site trough you're local machine in you're browser also it has hidden tor support witch you could use with a vpn too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asf Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Just now, steven36 said: When you use any p2p client you're breaking the law. Oops, as far as i know P2P is NOT illegal, only sharing copyrighted and/or illegal stuff is illegal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven36 Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 26 minutes ago, asf said: Oops, as far as i know P2P is NOT illegal, only sharing copyrighted and/or illegal stuff is illegal. As long as you dont use it to download illegal files its not illegal. But still many countries hold sites liable and block them because they host illegal as well as legal files . And they only post a magnet to open bittorrent, Every country has different laws since you have a Canada flag im guessing you're from there ? If you are you're subject to these downloading laws http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/01/08/michael-geist-copyright-modernization-act_n_6436584.html Quote The Copyright Modernization Act, which took effect Jan.1, requires Internet service providers to send notifications to downloaders whose IP addresses have been identified by copyright holders for perceived violations. The legislation limits the amount a non-commercial downloader can be sued for to $5,000 per case, while damages for commercial infringements can be charged up to $20,000. In the US there's no mandatory notifications only some isps volunteer to do it , some dont do them at all and the ones that do them send out warnings up to 6 if you are a repeat offender . France has a 3 warning system witch is mandatory and now Canada has a mandatory notification system . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPECTRUM Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 On 02-03-2016 at 3:17 PM, asf said: Oops, as far as i know P2P is NOT illegal, only sharing copyrighted and/or illegal stuff is illegal. even sharing and downloading these content type is not illegal, it only becomes illegal if you start to make money with that content. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjd91 Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 When some of your country's ISP's throttle your torrent downloading even if you're torrenting a legit file like ubuntu's releases or software updates.. Project Maelstorm is cool, if only it can also provide anonymity to the end users. I still have to see a P2P hosted framework with anonymity features. Perhaps combining several VPNs and Proxies plus hosting a p2p site will work. (at least theoretically) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaley Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 Sounds promising but i doubt it would even last long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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