RapidShare Slows Download Speeds To Drive Away Pirates

[Jesse]

Most already know, but here's the story

RapidShare Slows Download Speeds To Drive Away Pirates
February 24, 2012



During the last week, users who rely on RapidShare?s free service have been complaining of reduced download speeds. Several theories have been circulating, mainly focusing on the file-hoster trying to drive users to take up premium accounts. But according to RapidShare the reason is simple ? to drive pirates away from their service. Fast download speeds are still available for free, but they come at a different kind of cost.

During the wake of the Megaupload raids in January, TorrentFreak continuously monitored the cyberlocker world. We watched file-hosters panic and we watched bewildered users of their services try to find alternatives.

The fallout was fascinating to watch. Some hosters eventually closed down and some changed their policies, but it soon became clear that immediately usable capacity had become much more rare, at least on terms acceptable to users.

Interestingly ? and despite the glaring omission of a cash rewards program ? around warez blogs and release sites we saw an increased interest in RapidShare. Site users asked again and again for uploaders to put material up on the Swiss-based file-hoster.

Then a little over a week ago reports started coming in that users of RapidShare?s free service had experienced dramatic speed drops down to around 30/kbs. Speculation was rife that the company was exploiting the Megaupload closure fallout to drive users to their premium, non-limited products. So we asked RapidShare, and this was their fascinating response.

?On January 19th Megaupload was shut down by the FBI. Shortly thereafter, several other file hosters curbed their services or entirely stopped their operations,? the company told TorrentFreak.

?RapidShare has been faced with a severe increase in free user traffic and unfortunately also in the amount of abuse of our service ever since, suggesting that quite a few copyright infringers have chosen RapidShare as their new hoster of choice for their illegal activities,? the company explained.

?We have thus decided to take a painful yet effective step: to reduce the download speed for free users. We are confident that this will make RapidShare very unpopular amongst pirates and thus drive the abusive traffic away.?

RapidShare says that there is a direct link between free users of file-hosting services and copyright infringement. Those who like to pirate prefer not to pay, the company believes, not least because they want to avoid connecting their personal payment details to a copyright-infringing cyberlocker account.

Now, there will be those who say that however RapidShare dress it up, the company will be aware that the restrictions will drive users to their premium services to get better speeds. But interestingly RapidShare is now offering ways for users to get faster download speeds without paying a dime ? providing those uploading the original files they?re trying to access do some work.

?We knew that through the action taken we would even affect some RapidPro customers, especially those who offer their own files via websites or blogs and heavily depend on a possibility for free users to download their files. Therefore, we have decided to offer those customers a kind of deregulation that allows free users to download their files with the fastest possible speed again,? the company says.

What this means is that uploaders of content will have to provide RapidShare with details on the nature of their account including what type of files they?re sharing, the name of the sites and blogs where the download links are getting posted, and the uploader?s email address and telephone number.

RapidShare adds that by signing up to the scheme, uploaders give the company the right to check their files and websites for illegal activities.

In recent months RapidShare has made substantial efforts to demonstrate it is a responsible file-hoster that takes the law seriously, but this action is perhaps the strongest indication yet that the company wants to disassociate itself from infringing content and a Megaupload-style fate.

Jesse Reviewed by Jesse on 24th Feb 2012. RapidShare Slows Download Speeds To Drive Away Pirates Most already know, but here's the story RapidShare Slows Download Speeds To Drive Away Pirates February 24, 2012 https://www.torrentfreak.com/images/rapidsharelogo.jpg During the last week, users who rely on RapidShare?s free service have been complaining of reduced download speeds. Several theories have been circulating, mainly focusing on the file-hoster trying to drive users to take up premium accounts. But according to RapidShare the reason is simple ? to drive pirates away from Rating: 5

[Shahrukh]

Awsum Move, Rapidshare doing the right thing!

[sniffdog]

If you want to drive away pirates (whatever that are), you better throttle your upload speeds instead of your download speeds.

[TLK]

sniffdog, if you run a legit site and use rapidshare, you can email them and ask to set your files to maximum download speed.

[foxman]

If you want to drive away pirates (whatever that are), you better throttle your upload speeds instead of your download speeds.

Maybe they think since less users can download at good speeds, pirates will be using their service less.

[Mr Happy]

If you want to drive away pirates (whatever that are), you better throttle your upload speeds instead of your download speeds.

Disagree. Lowering upload speeds affects people using it for legal purposes more than for illegal purposes as most of the warez uploaders have premium accounts as they upload large quantities from servers through scripts so they won't be affected. Remember warez uploaders are generally not free users. If like me you use it for legal purposes you'll notice you don't upload as much as their is no need to have a premium account and you get penalized upload speed for uploading legit content. It doesn't make sense.

[sniffdog]

I am sure Mediafire shares my view as they adapt a low speed upload policy to minimize the influx of illegal files.

And who said that I was preaching lower upload speeds just for free users to drive away piracy?

I am a good example for this point of view. I only upload to host with a upload speed of 50MBs or higher so I can upload a bunch of files in a short time.

[lellouchftw]

Try downloading a file as free user now.. Chances are, you'll get a 404 file not found and won't be able to get it.

Then try again with a premium account or a leech site..

[Sonic]

just excuses, why they don't shut down uploader accounts? NO because they want to take up more premium accounts using copyrighted content

[ShareShiz]

it is not to drive away pirates. they just want you to pay for accounts now so you get better speeds.