In the United States, the usage of торренты is subject to rigorous oversight, with internet providers actively monitoring user traffic. This is a fact I recently discovered firsthand. I've lived in the US for seven years, and it wasn't until my teenage son arrived with his gaming laptop that we faced serious warnings from our internet provider.
Unexpected Warning
A week after my son's arrival, we received a letter from our provider warning us against using торренты to download games, specifically mentioning the popular game Cyberpunk 2077. The letter highlighted that this activity was illegal, and that repeated infractions could lead to significant penalties. Unlike in some countries where enforcement might be more lax, here, infractions could lead to internet disconnection.
Communication and Verification
The letter came through traditional mail, emphasizing that our internet traffic was being actively monitored. Subsequent communications escalated to a formal notification about the potential loss of internet access due to repeated violations of copyright laws. When I contacted the provider's hotline for clarification, they presented a log detailing packet exchanges that corresponded to the torrent activity recorded at the time in question.
Resolving the Issue
Upon further investigation, we discovered that a torrent client had been inadvertently left running on my son's laptop. This client was automatically seeding Cyberpunk 2077, a game he had originally downloaded while still in Russia. To resolve the issue, we promptly removed the torrent client from the laptop, thus halting the unintended sharing of the game.
Reflections and Lessons
This experience was a stark reminder of how closely internet activity is monitored in the United States. It was surprising to see the difference compared to Russia, where such oversight regarding торренты was not as prominent just a few years ago. The stringent monitoring highlights a commitment by US internet providers to ensure compliance with copyright laws, reflecting broader industry trends toward prioritizing intellectual property rights.
