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If you look at this file here: https://github.com/popcorn-time/popcorn-app/blob/master/js/tracking.js https://github.com/popcorn-time/popcorn-app/blob/master/js

If you look at this file here: https://github.com/popcorn-time/popcorn-app/blob/master/js/tracking.js https://github.com/popcorn-time/popcorn-app/blob/master/js/t... It sends usage data to Google Analytics. I can see how this can translate into you getting caught. Be careful. Even if you don't have a 'trackingId' set it still sends GET requests to http://google.com/ http://google.com/

MatthewPhillips 13y ago
Add this to your /etc/hosts 127.0.0.1 ssl.google-analytics.com 127.0.0.1 www.google-analytics.com 127.0.0.1 google-analytics.com
- humanfromearth 13y ago
  And google.com too?
  - dubcanada 13y ago
    Take it out. Node-webkit is just a bunch of JS files, just go to that directory and remove it then continue on with your day.
  - MatthewPhillips 13y ago
    What danger are GET requests to google.com?
    - valarauca1 13y ago
      Websockets to google.com can be opened by iframes in your browsing to report your internet usage for google advertisements. Naturally this will also block you using google. Its more of drastic stop tracking me measurement.
- ry0ohki 13y ago
  Noooooooooo (An analytics junkie)
  - kzrdude 13y ago
    Convince your customers to use self-hosted analytics software instead. Of course you understand the danger of a single entity (google-analytics.com) tracking almost every website you visit. I block it with Ghostery.
    - foobarqux 13y ago
      Have you ever tried setting up Piwik? It's terrible software.
      - luxpir 13y ago
        My opinion is different to yours. Piwik with Nginx was easy enough to set up and provides the data I am interested in, including conversions of goals (something I was dubious about before installing). New version even more snazzy than previous.
        foobarqux 13y ago
        Setting up this server-side software requires GUI configuration. That's insane. The code looks nightmarish. I'm sure it's fine from a functional perspective.
    - ry0ohki 13y ago
      I'm pretty sure I'm screwed when it comes to Google tracking me, between Chrome, Gmail, Google.com, etc... Analytics is the least of my worries.
- synctext 13y ago
  Confirmed with WireShark. This app is a GUI around YIFY. The binary you download from Mega.co.nz uses "YIFY Torrents" website yts.re exclusively. Github code seems to be actually used. So it all runs via this single webserver (+Google analytics). Just to verify what a installed binary blob does on your Linux box. The ease of use is impressive, a new level for P2P-ish work since Napster/Kazaa/Limewire days.
- laumars 13y ago
  I use SomeoneWhoCares.org: curl http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/hosts | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts
  - bendavis381 13y ago
    Well that's an incredibly dangerous command to run without thinking.
    - dangirsh 13y ago
      Just curious about what could go wrong (assuming I've quickly skimmed the file)?
      - cdcarter 13y ago
        Quickly skimming the file no longer counts as "running without thinking" but even then, if the server sent a different file to browsers than it does to curl...
    - laumars 13y ago
      Obviously. But then it's incredibly dangerous to run any command posted online without thinking; at least this one is easy to understand and verify. Given the demographic of this site, I thought I'd be insulting everyone's intelligence by offering up a more verbose description. I mean the description is the command itself! And verifying the contents of the URL is as simple as viewing a web page (if anyone can't manage that then I wonder how they're reading that command to begin with :p).
    - gizmo686 13y ago
      Not nearly as dangerous as `curl <URL> | sh` With `curl http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/hosts http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/hosts | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts`, you know that the damage is contained to appending malicious data to /etc/hosts. Furthermore, the use of tee guarentees that you see the data that gets appended. Additionally the potential damage of malicious data in /etc/hosts is minimal if quickly detected and fixed.
  - 13y ago
ultramancool 13y ago
You're far more likely to be caught by directly looking at torrent peers as is already done in bulk by media companies and is far better proof of piracy than a Google Analytics hit. Use a VPN if you're using this and have any questions about the legality of it in your area. Typically VPN providers only get complaints sent to datacenters, not actual lawsuits.
- Spearchucker 13y ago
  looking at torrent peers ... and is far better proof of piracy It's not proof of piracy. It just proves that some bytes were downloaded. What, for example, if you could prove that you paid for the movie you're downloading? Lets say you buy a movie using the Video app on the Xbox, but want to watch it on your old Windows XP desktop, or on your Android phone?
  - pwg 13y ago
    Sadly given the silly state of copyright in the digital age, you'd still be guilty of copyright infringement by doing that. Which is why copyright needs to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the modern age.
    - annnnd 13y ago
      Depends on the country. In USA you are probably right.
      - bduerst 13y ago
        Which countries considers consumption as copyright infringement, but not sharing the content?
  - pdabbadabba 13y ago
    It's the uploading, not downloading that's proof of piracy.
  - ultramancool 13y ago
galapago 13y ago
We should create a fork, without these 'features'.
- galapago 13y ago
  First step is done: https://github.com/neuromancer/popcorn-app https://github.com/neuromancer/popcorn-app
jordsmi 13y ago
You are downloading torrents to do this so you shouldn't be using this without going through a socks or vpn anyway
cincinnatus 13y ago
You shouldn't be doing anything, let alone torrenting, without a VPN these days.
pantalaimon 13y ago
Doesn't it already send your IP to the torrent tracker and anyone who asks, because that's how torrent works?

MatthewPhillips 13y ago

Add this to your /etc/hosts 127.0.0.1 ssl.google-analytics.com 127.0.0.1 www.google-analytics.com 127.0.0.1 google-analytics.com

humanfromearth 13y ago
And google.com too?
- dubcanada 13y ago
  Take it out. Node-webkit is just a bunch of JS files, just go to that directory and remove it then continue on with your day.
- MatthewPhillips 13y ago
  What danger are GET requests to google.com?
  - valarauca1 13y ago
    Websockets to google.com can be opened by iframes in your browsing to report your internet usage for google advertisements. Naturally this will also block you using google. Its more of drastic stop tracking me measurement.
ry0ohki 13y ago
Noooooooooo (An analytics junkie)
- kzrdude 13y ago
  Convince your customers to use self-hosted analytics software instead. Of course you understand the danger of a single entity (google-analytics.com) tracking almost every website you visit. I block it with Ghostery.
  - foobarqux 13y ago
    Have you ever tried setting up Piwik? It's terrible software.
    - luxpir 13y ago
      My opinion is different to yours. Piwik with Nginx was easy enough to set up and provides the data I am interested in, including conversions of goals (something I was dubious about before installing). New version even more snazzy than previous.
      - foobarqux 13y ago
        Setting up this server-side software requires GUI configuration. That's insane. The code looks nightmarish. I'm sure it's fine from a functional perspective.
  - ry0ohki 13y ago
    I'm pretty sure I'm screwed when it comes to Google tracking me, between Chrome, Gmail, Google.com, etc... Analytics is the least of my worries.
synctext 13y ago
Confirmed with WireShark. This app is a GUI around YIFY. The binary you download from Mega.co.nz uses "YIFY Torrents" website yts.re exclusively. Github code seems to be actually used. So it all runs via this single webserver (+Google analytics). Just to verify what a installed binary blob does on your Linux box. The ease of use is impressive, a new level for P2P-ish work since Napster/Kazaa/Limewire days.
laumars 13y ago
I use SomeoneWhoCares.org: curl http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/hosts | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts
- bendavis381 13y ago
  Well that's an incredibly dangerous command to run without thinking.
  - dangirsh 13y ago
    Just curious about what could go wrong (assuming I've quickly skimmed the file)?
    - cdcarter 13y ago
      Quickly skimming the file no longer counts as "running without thinking" but even then, if the server sent a different file to browsers than it does to curl...
  - laumars 13y ago
    Obviously. But then it's incredibly dangerous to run any command posted online without thinking; at least this one is easy to understand and verify. Given the demographic of this site, I thought I'd be insulting everyone's intelligence by offering up a more verbose description. I mean the description is the command itself! And verifying the contents of the URL is as simple as viewing a web page (if anyone can't manage that then I wonder how they're reading that command to begin with :p).
  - gizmo686 13y ago
    Not nearly as dangerous as `curl <URL> | sh` With `curl http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/hosts http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/hosts | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts`, you know that the damage is contained to appending malicious data to /etc/hosts. Furthermore, the use of tee guarentees that you see the data that gets appended. Additionally the potential damage of malicious data in /etc/hosts is minimal if quickly detected and fixed.
- 13y ago

ultramancool 13y ago

You're far more likely to be caught by directly looking at torrent peers as is already done in bulk by media companies and is far better proof of piracy than a Google Analytics hit. Use a VPN if you're using this and have any questions about the legality of it in your area. Typically VPN providers only get complaints sent to datacenters, not actual lawsuits.

Spearchucker 13y ago
looking at torrent peers ... and is far better proof of piracy It's not proof of piracy. It just proves that some bytes were downloaded. What, for example, if you could prove that you paid for the movie you're downloading? Lets say you buy a movie using the Video app on the Xbox, but want to watch it on your old Windows XP desktop, or on your Android phone?
- pwg 13y ago
  Sadly given the silly state of copyright in the digital age, you'd still be guilty of copyright infringement by doing that. Which is why copyright needs to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the modern age.
  - annnnd 13y ago
    Depends on the country. In USA you are probably right.
    - bduerst 13y ago
      Which countries considers consumption as copyright infringement, but not sharing the content?
- pdabbadabba 13y ago
  It's the uploading, not downloading that's proof of piracy.
- ultramancool 13y ago

galapago 13y ago

We should create a fork, without these 'features'.

galapago 13y ago
First step is done: https://github.com/neuromancer/popcorn-app https://github.com/neuromancer/popcorn-app

jordsmi 13y ago

You are downloading torrents to do this so you shouldn't be using this without going through a socks or vpn anyway

cincinnatus 13y ago

You shouldn't be doing anything, let alone torrenting, without a VPN these days.

pantalaimon 13y ago

Doesn't it already send your IP to the torrent tracker and anyone who asks, because that's how torrent works?