Are vpns meant to make sure you dont get hacked or are they meant to hide you from the government?
I wanna torrent a legal file (a linux iso) but im not sure where the vpn comes in.
Yeah I use a seedbox.
Torrent (BitTorrent) is a p2p file sharing protocol, there’s nothing illegal about using it. If it’s legal, it’s fine. Torrenting is only an issue for piracy.
When you torrent something, your IP address is broadcasted. This allows companies to send copyright strikes to the IP addresses that pirate stuff. When you use a VPN, you hide your IP address so they can’t see your real IP and thus won’t be able to inform your ISP of your copyright infringement.
So use a VPN when you do anything illegal. I recommend Mullvad VPN, best VPN ever and don’t trust any youtuber that says otherwise.
P.S you can’t get “hacked” from just torrenting stuff. If you download a virus and run it then yeah, you’ll get infected, but just don’t download anything from anywhere. Use trusted websites only (r/piracy has a megathread, and also use r/piratedgames).
torrenting a file with no copyright (linux iso) without a VPN is totally fine
Neither. They are meant to (a) mask your IP from media content owners and (b) encrypt (hide) your connection from your ISP.
The goal is to avoid having your internet disconnected for breaching terms of service and to prevent potential litigation for stealing copyrighted content.
To download a Linux ISO using the BitTorrent protocol is legal and you don’t need a VPN. Just use your BitTorrent client.
However, don’t download copyright protected files (TV shows, Movies and similar) as that is illegal.
It is if you live in a 3rd world country like me i.e Pakistan. Literally no one here gives a shit.
A Linux ISO file should be legally downloadable
Mainly used to hide from your ISP to avoid getting notices of copyright
Absolutely not, if you are downloading copyrighted material.
As other posters here pointed out, non-copyrighted material such as a linux disto don’t require a VPN.
That said, I am in the U.S. and was just cancelled by Spectrum. They alleged repeated violations of their policies. During that time I had Express VPN but didn’t realize that it didn’t protect one in the case of downloading copyrighted files.
After being dropped by Spectrum I quickly educated myself (thanks to these reddits) on how to properly shield my IP. I have since subscribed to Proton and signed with another ISP. Three weeks in and numerous files later I have received no violation notices (knock on wood).
i mean i never used a vpn for torrenting same for my dad something bad never happend so yea go for it
I assume you are from the USA or some European countries.
You can torrent from legal websites like ISO for linux
However, this is an issue if you download copyrighted materials. As your IP address is exposed when you download via torrent. And copyright companies attempt to send messages and then strikes for download copyright infringing materials.
This is the reason why almost every community in this globe recommends to use VPN to hide your IP from these lawsuit and strikes from these companies.
We recommend to use Qbittorrent (or any open source torrent client) and bind the network interface with your vpn, it will be better if you enable kill switch if you run your device for hours.
Obligatory VPN recommendation message but, Proton VPN plus subscription or Mullvad or Windscribe pro subscription seals the deal for your own protection. And usually they are from Cheap to fair pricing depending on your needs.
Personally I am from the middle east, and copyright companies isn’t on the hunt on them unless we go to Europe or US
No since with out a vpn you can easily be tracked u don’t recommend but you can do what you want
I just thought people might dos attack me or something like that 
Imagine the RIAA making a seed box company and then taking a monthly fee and then suing the shit out of everyone. Imagine the RIAA buying a seed box company and then using their server logs as evidence to sue the shit out of everyone lol
Thanks for your comment.
This is the answer i needed.
Ps: by hacked i meant getting dos attacked or something like that.
I recommend Mullvad VPN, best VPN ever and don’t trust any youtuber that says otherwise.
Why would you recommend a VPN for torrenting that doesn’t support port forwarding when there are so many choices that do support it?
But Mullvad does not have port forwarding, which is something you need for better speeds on torrents, right?
I live i the netherlands