this post was submitted on 30 Sep 2024
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Is it possible to stay anonymous when joining a private tracker community? (programming.dev)
submitted 2 months ago by tatterdemalion@programming.dev to c/piracy@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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I was just reading through the interview process for RED, and they specifically forbid the use of VPN during the interview. I don't understand this requirement, and it seems like it would just leak your IP address to the IRC host, which could potentially be used against you in a honeypot scenario. Once they have your IP, they could link that with the credentials used with the tracker while you are torrenting, regardless of if you used VPN while torrenting.

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[–] online@programming.dev 23 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

For the known top trackers, it's to have more control over nefarious users such as duped accounts, banned users and potential law enforcement trying to sign up. Sure it's not a bulletproof solution to deal with bad actors but it's still an effective way. You gotta remember that these trackers are free (yet private). The admins/operators don't get paid, so last thing they want to do is waste time dealing with such users.

At the end of the day you still have to trust them with your real IP, but it's mostly to protect themselves afaik. I obviously can't speak for every tracker out there.

[–] Lojcs@lemm.ee 20 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

Their speedtest requirement also seems to be about geolocating you.

Edit: Also would anyone explain why they prefer mp3 to aac and don't even mention ogg? And what's the point of uploading both cbr and vbr mp3s? Isn't it ogg>aac>mp3 vbr>mp3 cbr quality wise?

[–] Chewy7324@discuss.tchncs.de 16 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Most people using these sites prefer the lossless codec flac anyway, which can be transcoded to anything.

MP3 320kbps and MP3 V0 is transparent to most (all?) people, so there's not much of a reason to go with a newer codec, except for space savings.

There's not even much of a reason to go with 320kbps, as V0 achieves the same quality with smaller files. That's why almost nobody actually downloads MP3 320.

I personally think MP3 is there for historical reasons, as I don't see a reason for using lossy codecs for archiving purposes. Just download flac and transcode it once or on demand on a media server for streaming.

[–] undefined@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

I exclusively grab FLAC. Never 24 bit. I downloaded a few to test and couldn't hear a difference. There are plenty of people who care about mp3 though.

[–] TwiddleTwaddle@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The speedtest requirement is to ensure that you can seed effectively. Its for the overall health of the network not so they can geolocate you. If geolocation was a concern, then your IP would be plenty.

[–] Lojcs@lemm.ee 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

They say that they don't have a minimum speed requirement and the speedtest result doesn't affect your application. Also considering that they specify that you choose the node geographically closest to you (instead of the lowest latency one) and the only other information in the test is latency, it does sound like they're either looking for vpns or your location.

IP is quite unreliable when it comes to geolocation, especially if you have a dynamic ip

[–] SaltySalamander@fedia.io 8 points 2 months ago

Also would anyone explain why they prefer mp3 to aac and don't even mention ogg

Compatibility. Fewer devices support ogg and/or acc than mp3.

[–] TwiddleTwaddle@lemmy.blahaj.zone 15 points 2 months ago (2 children)

RED is so not a honeypot. Y'all paranoid. If your threat model includes hiding your IP from one of the most respected private trackers in the game, then you should probably stick to public where they don't care if you use a different VPN every time you log in.

[–] tatterdemalion@programming.dev 16 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

My point wasn't so much that I think RED is shady but that exposing my IP seems like an unnecessary requirement to join. Why can I not have my membership tracked via an anonymous account? If they are concerned about account harvesting or something, then the interview already seems like a good enough measure, accompanied by seed ratio minimums.

[–] Draconic_NEO@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You know how in these kinds of discussions there's always a bunch of nobodies who come crawling out of the woodwork to defend the person or group being accused or pointed out for doing shady shit. I don't know it just seems weird and suspicious. Apparently I'm not the only one who noticed because they're getting rather aggressively downvoted.

[–] undefined@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I've been on red for over 7 years now. It's one of the best resources for music on the internet. Calling members "nobodies" for defending a community we care about is pretty lame.

I understand being skeptical about requiring the use of home internet to connect to the site. But, it's kind of a requirement to keep people from avoiding bans, using accounts with stolen credentials, or selling invites (big problem).

[–] Draconic_NEO@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

I’ve been on red for over 7 years now. It’s one of the best resources for music on the internet. Calling members “nobodies” for defending a community we care about is pretty lame.

Disagreed, people will defend their community whether it's a good community or not. And yes you and the others here sticking up for them are nobodies to me, and likely to the rest of us in the thread. People think the practice is shady, and they're right to, a tracker could easily use such information against you if they fold or turn. But see, people who are with them either don't think of these things or they deliberately avoid the topic because, like you yourself said, they're defending a community they care about. So even if the ones they follow do things that are generally sketchy or seen as unacceptable they will still stick up for them, because they are there and they care about them and are willing to ignore the bad and shady stuff.

I understand being skeptical about requiring the use of home internet to connect to the site.

Clearly you don't because if you did you wouldn't even bother trying to stick up for them, making excuses for them, or trying to make me feel bad for calling you and the others who stick up for them what you are to people here, nobodies.

[–] Omgboom@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Why can I not have my membership tracked via an anonymous account?

Because FEDs and movie studio lawyers would use anonymous accounts. All of these requirements exist for one reason, to protect the site and it's users. If you want anonymous then you should stick to public trackers.

[–] undefined@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago

I agree. But, I believe it's more for ban avoidance and invite sellers than anything.

[–] undefined@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago

People selling invites and ban avoidance is why they do this. I was sketched out when I first had to do this like 7 years ago and I can tell you I don't regret it for a minute. RED has an invites forum that will get you invites to some of the best trackers out there.

In my experience, almost all of the private trackers worth joining require you to connect to the site with your home IP. But, you can use your torrent client through a VPN. So the other users don't see your home address.

I understand the caution. But, if it scares you away from joining you will be missing out.

[–] baconman1945@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Agree. None of these lemmings must have interviewed for MaM either. FnP didn’t have that requirement, I don’t think, but it’s not out of the ordinary for private tracker interviews.

[–] undefined@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago

Make sure your users can read and actually internalize it. Should help with moderation lol

[–] SaltySalamander@fedia.io 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

If you're this concerned, just stick with public trackers or usenet. Private trackers have rules for a reason. If you're so paranoid about them, avoid them.

[–] ShortN0te@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago (2 children)

There are enough private trackers without the requirement of using a VPN.

[–] TwiddleTwaddle@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 2 months ago

Pretty sure you can still use RED with a VPN though. Its just the IRC server for interviews that requires you use your home connection.

[–] undefined@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago

Not the really good ones tbh though. Show me a music tracker without this rule with even 1/3 of its content.

[–] Ganbat@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

ITT: Wicked coping with some terrifyingly invasive practices from people none of us know. Seriously, some of this stuff is super concerning.