KT, one of the biggest telecom companies in South Korea, just pulled an incredibly shady move. They’ve been caught spreading malware to their own customers that use torrents, and it’s left over 600,000 people dealing with missing files, weird folders popping up, and PCs that are bricked. This is a big deal and it’s got me fired up.
Torrents: Not the Villains Here
Before we dive into KT’s nonsense, let’s clear something up about torrents. They often get a bad rap because they are used for piracy. But the technology itself isn’t bad. Torrents are all about peer-to-peer sharing, which means you can share files directly with other users without needing a middleman. This is big for a bunch of reasons.
Torrents are a symbol of digital freedom. They let people share large files efficiently, support open-source projects, and even get around censorship. In a world where big companies and governments try to control what we see and share, freedom tech is incredibly important. Just like Bitcoin represents digital freedom for money, enabling people to exchange value without banks or middlemen and serving as "resistance money" against oppressive regimes, torrents represent freedom for data. Both technologies empower individuals, bypass unnecessary control, and foster a more open and decentralized world.
The Malware Attack
So what exactly did KT do? They slipped malware into torrents that people were downloading. This malware messed up files, created weird folders, and even disabled some computers. A total betrayal of trust. Over 600,000 users got hit by this. People should be able to use technology without worrying about their service provider screwing them over.
Korea’s Boycott Culture
If there’s one thing you need to know about South Korea, it’s that people here don’t mess around when it comes to boycotting. When a company steps out of line, consumers are quick to organize and hit them where it hurts – their wallets.
As a tech enthusiast and proponent of (digital) freedom, this is the first time I decided to boycott a company and switch providers. The beauty of capitalism is that we, the consumers, have the power to punish bad actors by taking our business elsewhere.
Torrents are about freedom and open access, and companies that violate those principles don’t deserve our money. By choosing to support ethical providers, we can push for a better, more open internet. And that’s something worth fighting for.
