Popcorn Time has gone through a good number of ups and downs since its initial release, and considering the nature of the tool, it’s no surprise – it’s an application that gives users convenient access to countless pirated movies, running on top of a BitTorrent client. Many have called it “the Netflix of pirates”, and the app immediately got a lot of attention when it came out. Subsequently, it was shut down and revived – and from what it seems, since its latest version, it’s here to stay.
The developers behind the app have been hard at work coming up with ways to circumvent the app’s blocking, including transferring its entire system to a P2P-based model. The app originally relied on retrieving information from a website, which will no longer be necessary after Beta 5. The app now includes several layers of backup systems that, according to developers, ensure that it can’t be taken down in the future.
Meanwhile, Internet users have been expressing disappointment at the shutdowns that Popcorn Time has been targeted with, claiming that the app should be allowed to stay on the various stores where it’s posted, as it doesn’t technically violate any copyright laws. Anyone familiar with torrents knows that the legality of this system is highly disputed even today, so it’s difficult to say exactly what kinds of laws Popcorn Time is infringing. It’s also not easy to determine if the mere use of the app constitutes an infringement, although reports indicate that some jurisdictions define it exactly like that.
Experts have been claiming that the reason behind Popcorn Time’s success isn’t tied entirely to its free price, however. According to critics, the app simply offers a better experience for its users, compared to the most popular legal alternatives. It’s rich in features, offers good access to a variety of different types of films, and receives constant updates that reflect what the community has been saying about it recently.
The only legal option that comes close to that is Netflix, so it’s understandable why a lot of people would find the idea of Popcorn Time attractive. Gabe Newell, director of Valve, has been known for saying that his company’s main strategy for fighting pirates is to simply offer a better alternative that people see as worth their money. The movie industry hasn’t been so accepting of this idea though, much like the music industry, as the major companies in these fields continue to focus on chasing users who download and spread pirated material. As a result, the companies end up losing money in legal battles, while customers lose trust in their business, creating an unpleasant market situation for everyone involved.