YouHaveDownloaded
 | |
Type of site | Torrent activity indexing |
|---|---|
| Available in | English, Armenian |
| Dissolved | 2013 |
| Founder(s) | Suren Ter-Saakov |
| Revenue | None |
| URL | youhavedownloaded.com (offline) |
| Commercial | No |
| Registration | None |
| Launched | December 2011 |
| Current status | Offline |
YouHaveDownloaded was an experimental web-based platform launched in December 2011 that allowed users to enter an IP address and view a list of torrent files recently downloaded from that address. The site quickly gained international attention as a provocative demonstration of how publicly available BitTorrent network data could be used to expose users' online behaviour[1][2]
Functionality
[edit]The platform has been operated by collecting data from the public BitTorrent ecosystem, including: Distributed Hash Table (DHT) nodes and Public trackers.
The system matched IP addresses to .torrent files. It did not log actual file contents or timestamps, limited by known limitations: dynamic IP address reassignment, use of VPNs or proxies and carrier-grade NAT.
Despite these limitations, the system indexed over 50 million IP addresses, which was estimated to cover over 20 per cent of all global torrent activity at its peak.[3] The service ran on a single server and cost less than $300/month to operate.[4]
History
[edit]A small team of three developers led by Suren Ter-Saakov created the website.
"The whole thing started with a theoretical discussion I had with some friends about what is possible to track..."
— S.Ter-Saakov, KrebsOnSecurity[4]
Public Reception
[edit]The site attracted attention from users and media due to its exposure of IP-based torrent activity.[2][5] It was discussed on platforms such as Slashdot,[6][7] Reddit,[8] and others.[9][10]
Élysée Palace Incident
[edit]In one of the most high-profile incidents, journalists discovered that an IP address associated with the Élysée Palace, the residence of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, appeared in the database. The IP was linked to downloads of music by The Beach Boys and several comedy films.[11] This was controversial, as the French government was a vocal proponent of anti-piracy legislation, including the HADOPI law.[12][13]
U.S. Congressional Offices Incident
[edit]In early 2012, media coverage revealed that IP addresses linked to U.S. Congressional offices appeared in public torrent activity datasets, including stations indexed by YouHaveDownloaded.com. The reports suggested these addresses were associated with downloads of copyrighted content.[14] The incident raised questions given lawmakers' roles in drafting anti-piracy legislation.[15][16]
Legacy
[edit]The site went offline in 2012 but was referenced in discussions about internet privacy, surveillance, and peer-to-peer transparency.[5][2][14]
Similar platforms appeared after YouHaveDownloaded.com, also providing torrent activity linked to IP addresses based on public BitTorrent data.[17] Discussions on forums like HiFiVision and WildersSecurity further confirm ongoing indexing efforts of IP‑torrent mapping derived from public trackers and DHT networks.[18][19]
See also
[edit]- BitTorrent protocol
- Online anonymity
- Digital rights
- Mass surveillance in the United States
- HADOPI law
- SOPA / PIPA
External links
[edit]- Archived YouHaveDownloaded.com homepage on Wayback Machine (Sept 2012)
- French President Sarkozy's residence implicated in torrenting scandal
References
[edit]- ^ Matt Liebowitz (13 Dec 2011). "YouHaveDownloaded.com reveals hit on torrent downloads—or similar title". NBC News. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ a b c Robin Wauters (13 December 2011). "YouHaveDownloaded.com Knows What You (And Google, And Sony...) Have Downloaded". TechCrunch. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "Interview with Suren Ter from YouHaveDownloaded.com". Private Internet Access. March 2012.
- ^ a b "Interview with YouHaveDownloaded.com creator". KrebsOnSecurity. December 2011.
- ^ a b Ernesto van der Sar (10 December 2011). "I Know What You Downloaded on BitTorrent..." TorrentFreak. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ Soulskill (reporter) (12 December 2011). "Site Offers History of Torrent Downloads By IP". Slashdot. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "Interview With Suren Ter From 'You Have Downloaded'". Slashdot. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "Just discovered youhavedownloaded.com and ..." Reddit. 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "Youhavedownloaded.com shows an IP's torrent history". Digital Spy Forums. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "Website knows what you've illegally downloaded". RageZone Forums. December 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ Elinor Mills (13 December 2011). "Did French President Sarkozy download pirated movies, music?". CNET. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "French President's Office Caught Torrenting Movies". The Verge. December 13, 2011.
- ^ "Sarkozy's New Year resolution: catch 10,000 illegal downloaders a day". France 24. 13 January 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ a b David Thier (15 February 2012). "Members of Congress Download A Lot of Illegal Torrents". Forbes. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ Cory Doctorow (27 December 2011). "US House of Representatives: Internet pirates". Boing Boing. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ Ernesto van der Sar (26 December 2011). "While Drafting SOPA, the U.S. House Harbors BitTorrent Pirates". TorrentFreak. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "YouHaveDownloaded.com Alternatives". Cogipas. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "I know what you download..." HiFiVision Forums. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "Youhavedownloaded.com tracks files downloaded from a number of file-sharing sites". WildersSecurity Forums. 12 December 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2025.