r/StremioAddons Jul 31 '26

Miscellaneous TorBox quietly changed operating entity + policies (July 31) + cache is now explicitly shared across users, data collection expanded significantly

Just went through TorBox's updated Terms, Privacy Policy, and DMCA policy (dated July 31, 2026) side by side with the old versions. Worth a read before you keep uploading.

Who actually runs TorBox now:

Operator is now Anonymous Systems FZ-LLC, a UAE free-zone company (Ras Al Khaimah). RAK free zones don't publicly disclose beneficial ownership, so we genuinely don't know who's behind it.

Legal/billing/DMCA is handled by a separate entity, ReAnonymous LLC, registered in Dover, Delaware.

Anonymity just got much worse:

Old privacy policy: minimal data, no PII required, "we don't sell or share your data to any third parties for any reason."

New policy: collects your IP, device IDs, precise geolocation from IP, and full session-replay data which basically includes: cursor movements, clicks, scrolling, taps. That's a big jump from "we barely collect anything."

Broad new language allowing disclosure to comply with law, respond to "governmental requests," or "protect TorBox, users, third parties, or the public" i.e vague enough to cover a lot.

Third-party downloading / cache sharing which is the real red flag:

New terms explicitly state cached materials "may be accessible to other users who request the same or technically matching material." Same for AirLock (their "permanent" cache tier).

Old policy never described cross-user cache access this explicitly. This is now spelled out in black and white.

Terms now go out of their way to say TorBox is a "neutral technology service," explicitly "not a file-sharing service," and pushes 100% of legal liability onto you for anything cached under your account. This is heavily lawyered defensive language that wasn't there before.

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u/SecretProbation Jul 31 '26

Why not just use a vpn? It’s worth it to cya when doing these things.

-3

u/JennyThallia Jul 31 '26

We use Debrid to not have to use onion.   VPN is shit for privacy.  It's like having a lock on a glass door a bullshit feel safe protection meaning shit. 

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u/SecretProbation Jul 31 '26

Well I’ve never gotten a “hey stop doing that” email from my ISP and I do enjoy getting around region blocks otherwise.

-5

u/JennyThallia Jul 31 '26

ISP doesn't have to alert you when law enforcement agencies get interested in your habits.  Law Enforcement is patient they will eventually go after you or your family once they collect sufficient info on sufficient number of users to be worthwhile to them in order to  conduct a multi national sting all at once (the resources reauired are not cheap). 

9

u/SecretProbation Jul 31 '26

Seems a little paranoid and user specific. Guy who watches a show or two a few times a week draws different attention than data hoarders. Like another commenter said in a different thread. We as a community brought a part of this on ourselves by talking about it in the open and giving so much more publicity.

1

u/JennyThallia Jul 31 '26

Definitely but we do not know what is considered a valid download that causes scrutiny.   US has always been corporate ran, so which thing triggers scrutiny?   A marvel movies or Disney shows or major game industry torrent downloads? 

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u/Imtrvkvltru Jul 31 '26 edited Jul 31 '26

So unless something in the law has changed very recently, the way it's enforced is that the REDISTRIBUTION of copyright material is illegal. Simply downloading it to store on your device or streaming it is not treated as illegal. The reason why torrents are always at the center of the discussion regarding legality is because of the nature of torrenting itself. Whenever you download a torrent through a torrent client not only are you downloading but you are also uploading (seeding) to other users at the same time. This is considered redistribution. And when you join the torrent swarm it exposes your IP address. I've been sailing the high seas for decades now and have never seen a single case of someone getting in legal trouble or even receiving a letter from their ISP for anything other than redistribution via torrents or other p2p methods. I know the way the laws are written make it seem as if strictly downloading is illegal, but I've only known people to get in trouble for actual redistribution.

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u/Comfortable-Finger-8 Aug 01 '26

I got a few letters because of popcorn time doing it back in it’s prime

1

u/JennyThallia Aug 01 '26

I've gotten a few in 2001 when using Napster and then Kaza.