Popcorn Time is an open-source, online movie/TV show streaming service that offers a huge collection of pirated films. The Software is a fusion of typical streaming technology and bittorrent clients, which allows users to stream HD content. Previously, upon exiting the program, the downloaded media files would disappear from the computers of users. However, the latest version of the application now offers a remarkable stream-while-download outlook, which keeps the media file stored on your PC.
As compared to other streaming sites, the application offers an incredibly beautiful and non-spammy viewing process. This has caused it to gain quite the reputation in the marketplace, as you can even download the software on a multitude of devices/platforms. Initially, there were a few glitches and hiccups to using the software. The creators released the software three years ago (in the late March of 2014), but quickly shut it down, after declaring they felt unsafe and feared receiving legal threats.
After a few weeks, the service was up and running again – thanks to the efforts of various anonymous developers responsible for creating YTS. However, they too dropped the project, after news came around of some users facing interrogation by Film Studios on using the software. Soon enough, a third version of the software came around, and since then it has given copyright hunters quite the run for their money. Thanks to its remarkable software design, it is very hard to shut the service down. In fact, the current website even boldly states that the open-source application “will never be taken down”.
How Did Popcorn Time Come into Existence?
Popcorn Time’s story is a rather funny one. Most would not believe it, but the creators of the program actually began the project as a CHALLENGE. Yes, you heard that right. A group of geeks from Buenos Aires set out with the aim of making viewing of movies easier. They actually did not expect the reaction they received at all. Initially, they just shared their open-source code in Github. Within a week, the developers came to know it became one of the most watched repositories on the platform.
As a result, Popcorn Time quickly took the internet by storm, and soon enough there were developers joining hands building new releases. All it took for the developers to gain such face was to throw a few links here and there. People responded in unison, as the software is undoubtedly one-of-a-kind and something perhaps all us freebies waited for a long, long TIME. The original coder’s state in their story that the software was not intended for monetization.
Now, Popcorn Time still exists as an open-source project. However, it has a group of 20 people of professional designers and programmers dispersed all over the world to make up the core team. This is why it is nearly impossible to shut down the website. They can always purchase another domain and use the same coding to restart the entertainment service.
Why Is Popcorn Time So Popular?
Apart from being a one-stop destination for watching all your favorite movies/TV shows freely, Popcorn Time boasts an incredibly neat and clean outlook. Developers have worked extremely hard on creating an elegant design that shows movies in the form of thumbnail grids, along with details of each series/episode/file with trailers, synopses, and star ratings.
It is by far the ONLY software that strictly avoids using cheap advertising and spamming, creating quite the streamlined appearance and feel. This is one reason why most users may not realize they could be committing copyright infringement by using Popcorn Time, as it so professionally designed it is not even funny. Other software/tools should definitely learn a thing or two from Popcorn Time!
Are the Popcorn Time Creators Infringers?
By now, you probably have an idea that Popcorn Time offers PIRATED content. Its users are likely to be infringers, which answers your question about the service being legal or not. However, the main question is: what about the creators of the software? Are they copyright infringers? The answer: not really! The owners only created the software, but do not have any control or manage of the content accessible through the service.
Bear in mind that Popcorn Time is just a method of access. They are not selling a product or ripping their users off in any way to provide watchable content. In fact, they are just giving something out FREE of cost. Even the movie files are only on user’s machines, but not hosted on torrent sites. This means, Popcorn Time is simply providing content that already exists on the internet. Majority of the movies/TV shows are already hosted using public servers.
This leads to the conclusion that Popcorn Time itself is not infringing, as the software is parallel to using a car. It can be useable for committing a crime, but that does not mean the manufacturers should hold any responsibility. Nevertheless, it is a difficult job to get ahold of the developers anyways, so even if the service faces charges of infringement – it is highly unlikely any arrests will be made. Users of Popcorn Time though should be extremely careful while streaming content. It is advisable to use a VPN!
Has Anyone Gotten in Trouble for Using Popcorn Time?
While using Popcorn Time is legal, storing downloading movies/TV shows on your computer/laptop/smartphone may get you into infringement issues. Since the new version of the software automatically downloads video content on your PC, users have to be careful that they do not get caught watching pirated stuff.
There have been many cases in the past of users facing interrogation for simply using Popcorn Time. You can read more on The Next Web, Torrent Freak, The Verge, and PC World. This is what makes it imperative to keep your IP address secure, especially if you live in a location with tough internet laws. Otherwise, if you live in a country that boasts a lenient approach to using torrents, you have nothing to worry about.
What Countries Is Popcorn Time Legal?
Watching movies/TV shows in USA, Canada, Germany, Australia, India, and China with Popcorn Time will get you into legal issues. The same goes for users in Israel and Danish. The governments have taken strict action against mirror websites even leading to arrests of certain individuals responsible for hosting and development. Copyright-holders probably will not waste time going after minor private users, but it is definitely safer to use a VPN to keep your identity secure – if you want to use Popcorn Time. This way, Popcorn Time will pretty much be legal (winky face).
Using Popcorn Time with VPN
With all the issues relating to illegality and copyright infringement, the clever developers of Popcorn Time came up with a reliable solution. The software comes with a built-in VPN service that is available for subscription. There are two payment options available: monthly and annual. If you opt for the former, you will have to pay $12 per month. For the latter, you receive an amazing 52% discount. This drops the monthly pricing to $5.75, which means you pay $69 annually!
What Do Reddit Users Have to Say about Popcorn Time?
Popcorn Time has its own subreddit that supports the official version of the open-source, movie-streaming application. In fact, it is almost as if the software has managed to develop its own community of reddit vpn fans, who are actively engaged in solving issues other users face. If you encounter any problems while using the application, feel free to take assistance from this official Reddit Popcorn Time page!
Final Thoughts
We hope that you enjoyed reading the article to learn about the history of Popcorn Time and the changes it been through over the years. It is clear the service uses a reliable BitTorrent P2P file sharing technology, which explains the remarkable quality and speeds you receive for streaming content.
However, as much as we would love for using Popcorn Time freely, watching and sharing copyright protected content can result in violating piracy laws. Make sure to use a VPN to hide your IP address and encrypt all traffic to make your identity invisible to copyright hunters. Have a nice day freebies!
