TunnelBear is a VPN provider launched in 2011 by Daniel Kaldor and Ryan Dochuk. The platform boasts a minimalist design intended to suit the needs of all Internet users aware of the current security threats found online. TunnelBear is very easy to install and set up and it features a very comprehensive and easy-to-use interface, which is definitely a plus when it comes to users with moderate technological knowledge.
Our today’s blog, however, will try to answer the burning questions of all torrent freaks out there and determine whether TunnelBear has what it takes to ensure a seamless torrenting experience.
P2P File Sharing
In order to use clients based on the BitTorrent communication protocol, your VPN provider has to allow P2P filesharing in the first place.
TunnelBear VPN is based in Canada, which means it has to follow a rather strict anti-piracy policy. So, if torrenting is your regular everyday activity, TunnelBear is definitely not the VPN for you. Having said that, P2P is technically allowed as long as you don’t download any copyrighted content.
Next, what you need to know is that TunnelBear collects some information when you register and use the service. As we like to point out, no VPN is actually log-free. Some are just more aggressive and intrusive than others. The amount of data TunnelBear logs is pretty trivial, though, and it’s not time-stamped, so it cannot be used to mount any time correlation attacks. What it can do, however, is pinpoint users who are downloading copyrighted materials.
Conclusion
We can’t put all the “blame” on TunnelBear for its stance on P2P. It is based in Canada, which introduced pretty hard-core legislation, leaving little to no breathing room for torrenting. Not to mention that Canada is a member of the infamous Five Eyes Treaty!
TunnelBear is actually doing a pretty good job against state regulations by not keeping any meaningful user logs. If it did, it’d have to hand them over if requested, so we can’t really blame the company for not wanting to clash with state authorities.
Be that as it may, if you’re looking for a good online security service provider suitable for torrenting, TunnelBear might not be your best bet.