Frequently Asked Questions
What is LegalTorrents?
LegalTorrents is an online digital media community.
We discover and distribute high quality open-licensed (Creative Commons) digital media and art, and provide support to Content Creators. We host creative content in its entirety, ensure fast, reliable downloads, and enable users to directly sponsor Content Creators and their work.
We distribute content with the full permission of the rights holders and use the peer-2-peer file-sharing technology called Bittorrent.
What is Bittorrent?
Bittorrent is both a technology and a company. The technology enables fast and efficient downloads of digital content by spreading the work of distribution among multiple users. Using Bittorrent requires the use of a "Bittorrent client" to participate in the downloading groups. Details on the company that created the technology are available at http://www.bittorrent.com.
You need to download and have a working Bittorrent client to get content from LegalTorrents. We recommend you use one of the following clients:
- Windows: µTorrent
- Mac OS X: Transmission
- Linux: Deluge or rTorrent
- All Platforms: Miro
How do I download content from LegalTorrents?
Bittorrent files (.torrent files) are indicated by a blue arrow
on the LegalTorrents site. By clicking
on the arrow, you can download the torrent file. You can save the
.torrent file to your computer and open it with the Bittorrent client,
or your computer may automatically open your Bittorrent client to
download the content.Is this legal?
Yes. All of the content we offer is licensed so that it is legal to share online, with Creative Commons or other share-friendly licenses.
Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that offers free licenses to Content Creators. More details are online at http://www.creativecommons.org. Creative Commons licenses are used to relax some of the prohibitions from copyright, and specifically allow people to share content with each other. Additional rights and prohibitions regarding modification and commercial application for the use of the content are also applied, depending on the details of the license. We are open to considering other licenses for content as well as long as they meet the purpose of the LegalTorrents community: hosting and distributing open content and supporting Content Creators.
How does LegalTorrents decide what content to host?
Unlike other Bittorrent communities, we host the entire content and provide dedicated seeds for the members of our community. For this reason we are selective about what content we include. Once a Content Creator is approved, they can upload any of their content. Metrics we apply for selection are:
- Professional quality,
- Broadly appealing, and
- Community member requested
How do I upload content?
To upload content hosted by LegalTorrents, you need to be assigned a Content Creator profile. Instructions are provided when you are assigned your profile. If you have digital media licensed with Creative Commons (or another share-friendly) license that you would like us to host, please contact us.
Community members can also self publish using Bittorrent by hosting their own content with the help of our community. We maintain dedicated tracking service as described in the member benefits page. We also provide technical support to members and instruction on creating and using BitTorrent technology to self publish.
Sponsorship: How and Why?
Artistic creation has traditionally primarily been funded by wealthy individuals or large corporations. Today, with the advent of digital distribution, filesharing, and an interconnected world, anyone can support the creation of digital artistic content directly.
As a sponsor, you make it possible for artists to create and make their work available. You sustain their current work and provide the support they need to produce new ideas and concepts.
Sponsorship is voluntary and made at your sole discretion. LegalTorrents passes 85% of sponsorship funds from users to Content Creators, and 100% from subscribing (paying) community members.
On each content page there is a sponsor button. You can enter the amount you would like to contribute to each Content Creator. Once the total is $10 or greater, you can complete the transaction.
Support the art you love. Empower Content Creators to create great works and make them available to the public.
Community Membership: Why become a Paying Member?
Membership plans are available for $20(US) per year. Becoming a member directly supports a community for artists and Content Creators, and a place for creativity to flourish. All of our content is available to you without payment, and our only revenue comes from your support.
Members are encouraged to self-publish using the member trackers.
You can read a complete description of membership plans and benefits here.Click Here to Signup and Join LegalTorrents.
Community Participation
LegalTorrents is a participatory community. You can participate in a variety of other ways:
Sign up!: Create a free login on our system and tell us about yourself.
Media Sourcing: If you know of great content that you want to see distributed, please let us know about it.
Seeding Partners: Businesses with the ability to host a dedicated seed for the content are encouraged to contact us and be listed on our Partners Page.
Technical Contributions: Please see our Technical page if you are proficient with web and graphic design, user-interface design, javascript and CSS, Ruby on Rails, Bittorrent trackers, or other applicable skills.
