MagnetDL could be the latest torrenting site to bite the dust as illegal movie and film downloaders get chased off the web.
The website, which offers rips of the latest blockbusters and streaming shows, has been down for six days.
Users who visit MagnetDL are being met with an error message from internet security firm Cloudfare that indicates connection issues with the site.
“The origin web server is not reachable,” the message reads. It’s unclear if the site has been permanently shuttered or is temporarily down for maintenance.
MagnetDL is one of the most popular torrenting sites on the web, with 10.3 million visits in the past month. Earlier this year, a site called Rarbg, which offered a similar service, was closed down by its owners due to operational difficulties.
Torrenting is a way to download files from the internet by sharing pieces of those files with other users. The technical process sees a movie or film file cut into tiny slivers that are then scattered among different computers on the internet in what’s called a peer-to-peer network.
When you download a torrent, not only do you grab these fragments from other users, but you actively share them yourself.
As you may have guessed, torrenting is a legal grey area in the UK. If the ability to watch all the latest movies and shows for absolutely free sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is.
While the technology behind torrenting is legal, the act of downloading copyrighted content (aka piracy) is a big no-no.
Several major torrenting sites have been blocked or shut down due to copyright complaints, including Kickass Torrents and IsoHunt. PirateBay, the most notorious torrenting service of them all, has also been plagued by takedowns but has managed to stay alive by using proxy websites and domain name changes.
MagnetDL has also been caught in the crosshairs. The site was briefly pulled by its owners several years ago amid copyright troubles with its hosting provider, according to TorrentFreak.
It is currently blocked following court orders in the UK and Australia, among other countries. However, users have been known to circumvent bans on torrent sites by using VPN software to change their online location.
While authorities have cracked down on the illegal streaming of film and TV, data suggests it is still thriving around the world.
The number of visits to online piracy websites reached 141 billion in 2023, accounting for an estimated 386 million visits every day. That number marked a 12 per cent increase since 2019, according to a report by UK-based anti-piracy analyst MUSO and consultancy Kearney.
