It is hard to end piracy. On the internet, it is apparently impossible. Despite the arrest of KickAss Torrents (KAT) founder Artem Vaulin and a clampdown on its portals by US authorities, several proxies of the file sharing website have appeared. While visiting Kickasstorrents.com, it throws up a notification “THIS DOMAIN FOR kickasstorrents HAS BEEN SEIZED as part of a joint law enforcement operation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service”, but one can still access the pirate site through kat.am and other proxies including kickasstorrentsan.com, dxtorrent.com, kickass.immunicity.host.
The proxy websites also have a link (see image) which takes visitors to a change.org petition seeking release of KAT founder. Urging visitors to sign the petition, it claims Vaulin’s arrest is an “attack on freedom and rights of internet users from all around the world. “In the world where terrorist attacks is a monthly issue, where global corporations are swimming in money and millions dying because of diseases and hunger every single year, do you really think torrents deserve attention, money and human resources you spend on them? Do you really think it’s the most important thing on our hands right now?,” it states. As of writing this report, as many as 32,470 ”supporters” have signed the petition.
Quoting a statement from the KAT.am by an “anonymous contact”, a report on The Verge says the file sharing site “is hosted on several cloud servers to prevent blockade.” Moreover, the statement claims, the new proxy site has been improved with the addition of a mobile version of Kickass Torrents and it also includes all information available on the banned site. Internet and forums like Quora are flooded with information about torrent alternatives and advises about ways to avoid getting caught while ‘torrenting’.
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However, downloading content through proxy sites of the world’s most popular piracy website, could be dangerous. For these proxy sites are not official KAT websites and may pass on malwares into your system. A BGR report says, “some of them may have ulterior motives in mind apart from simply restoring a renowned piracy site.”
Vaulin was arrested in Poland on July 20 for copyright violation in connection with distribution of movies, video games, music and other content worth over $1 billion.
