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BitTorrent

BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer file sharing protocol. Said to account for nearly 35% of all traffic on the entire internet, BitTorrent is among the most popular protocols for transferring large amounts of data. Designed by Bram Cohen in April 2001 and first implemented on July 2, 2001, the protocol is now maintained by BitTorrent, Inc.

The originator of a complete file acts as the first "seed". When you download the information, you also upload the data to other peers known as "leeches". This exchange of files between seeds and leeches can be accomplished even when the user acting as a seed does not have the complete file. In this way, as soon as a leech has some portion of the data, he or she can act as a seed simultaneously. A server called a "tracker" keeps a record of who is downloading what files, and which portions they have, so the software employed by seeders and leechers can know where to send and receive data.

The protocol is used by many companies and individuals to transfer all sorts of files, and much of its use is uncontroversial, however the protocol is famously used to distribute copyrighted works such as films, video games, and music for free. As such, it's at the center of many of the debates and trials regarding copyright law and infringement.

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