Mr. Robot 'Plugs' uTorrent and Pirate Release Groups (torrentfreak.com)

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Mr. Robot 'Plugs' uTorrent and Pirate Release Groups (torrentfreak.com)

Posted by msmash on Sunday July 31, 2016 @02:35AM from the pirates-ftw dept.

From a TorrentFreak report: The latest episode of award-winning TV show Mr. Robot includes a nod to online pirates. The main character Elliot is shown pirating a movie using uTorrent, while his movie folder lists movies from various pirate groups including YIFY. The group in question appreciates the "bad ass" mention, while another group casts doubt on the hacker's choice of BitTorrent client.
As the screenshot shows, Elliot uses a recent version of the popular BitTorrent client uTorrent, showing a house ad for an upgrade to uTorrent Plus. In the "movies" folder, which is also shown, we can see various other movies complete with release group tags such as YIFY, PRiSTiNE, DiPSHiT, RARBG and CRiTERiON.

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don't trust uTorrent by rocqua · 2016-07-31 02:41 · Score: 5, Informative

I stopped using uTorrent when the upgrade bundelled rootkit-like adware.
Sure, my fault for just clicking next and not un-checking that box, but when a wrong upgrade requires a complete wipe of windows, a product has lost my trust and support.
1. Re:don't trust uTorrent by Anonymous Coward · 2016-07-31 02:49 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  qBittorrent?
2. Re:don't trust uTorrent by Anonymous Coward · 2016-07-31 02:50 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  qBittorrent, open source, lightweight, and unobtrusive.
3. Re: don't trust uTorrent by ezfranca · 2016-07-31 02:52 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Deluge. The best one right now. Clean, lots of features, plug-ins and the client server mod works wonderfully.
4. Re:don't trust uTorrent by fisted · 2016-07-31 02:53 · Score: 2
  
  rtorrent
  
  --
  CLI paste? paste.pr0.tips!
5. Re:don't trust uTorrent by Mister+Transistor · 2016-07-31 02:55 · Score: 2
  
  I still use it for your stated reasons - just use an older, more trustworthy version (before BitTorrent got bought out). I use version 2.2 from 2010, and it works great, no rootkit, no ads.
  
  --
  -- You are in a maze of little, twisty passages, all different... --
6. Re:don't trust uTorrent by TheGratefulNet · 2016-07-31 03:02 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  transmission on linux works well.
  
  --
  
  --
  "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
7. Re:don't trust uTorrent by Pax681 · 2016-07-31 03:04 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  qBittorrent?
  THIS.. the nice interface of utorrent without all the adware crap!
8. Re:don't trust uTorrent by bspus · 2016-07-31 03:05 · Score: 2
  
  Tixati, preferably the portable edition
  Cross platform too, the real deal not like utorrent.
  Includes a very good web server and interface. I have mine visible on the internet so I can add torrents from anywhere, anytime
9. Re: don't trust uTorrent by Z00L00K · 2016-07-31 03:08 · Score: 2
  
  Deluge.
  
  --
  If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
10. Re: don't trust uTorrent by amiga3D · 2016-07-31 03:36 · Score: 2
  
  I like Deluge on Windows and Mac but Transmission on my Linux box.
11. Re: don't trust uTorrent by GameboyRMH · 2016-07-31 03:41 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  +1, Deluge is the best for Serious Business torrenting.
  
  --
  "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
12. Re:don't trust uTorrent by GameboyRMH · 2016-07-31 04:02 · Score: 2
  
  I'm using an old version too because...legacy software problems.
  Many years ago, uTorrent was the best torrent client available by far, especially for Windows. I was using it back then and I'm still using it because getting off of it is hard, especially when you have a torrent collection which by RIAA/MPAA math should've single-handedly destroyed the world's economy. I've made two big migration attempts to Deluge but the first time I ran into a deal-breaking bug in Deluge and the second time I screwed it up (uTorrent is running in WINE which complicates things). Hopefully the third time will be the charm.
  
  --
  "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
13. Re:don't trust uTorrent by ArchieBunker · 2016-07-31 04:28 · Score: 2
  
  Why did you upgrade? Just find an old version like 2.2.1.
  
  --
  Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
14. Re: don't trust uTorrent by kamapuaa · 2016-07-31 04:33 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  "Serious Business Torrenting" - I'll file that one next to "Jumbo Shrimp" and "Family Vacation."
  
  --
  Slashdot: providing anti-social weirdos a soapbox, since 1997.
15. Re: don't trust uTorrent by Yvan256 · 2016-07-31 04:41 · Score: 2
  
  The best family vacation available is to rent a place for yourself for a month in another country.
16. Re:don't trust uTorrent by louden+obscure · 2016-07-31 04:42 · Score: 2
  
  rtorrent and screen.
  
  --
  Serenity now, insanity later.
17. Re:don't trust uTorrent by cant_get_a_good_nick · 2016-07-31 05:28 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Mac user here. second Transmission
18. Re:don't trust uTorrent by kuzb · 2016-07-31 07:10 · Score: 2
  
  "but when a wrong upgrade requires a complete wipe of windows"
  Why the fuck is this "informative" - it's best buy tech support levels of stupid.
  
  --
  BeauHD. Worst editor since kdawson.
19. Re:don't trust uTorrent by goose-incarnated · 2016-07-31 08:37 · Score: 2
  
  Do you have a suggestion for a different client? I originally chose Torrent, because it was lightweight and unobtrusive, but those qualities have been lost over time, but I just don't use it often enough to be assed to go do the research on a new client, myself.
  I have a VPS that runs the transmission daemon with a web interface. Once stuff is downloaded there (a few minutes for a movie) I use a firefox download manager plugin to fully saturate my internet connection downloading to my home.
  This allows me to us the cheapest internet plan which has a poorly performing and highly contended link - because the data is being downloaded on port 80, I attract no attention from my ISP, and because it's downloading in chunks a single timeout does not render the rest of the file useless. I just re-download that chunk.
  It does mean that I have to plan in advance, though. If I want to see something tomorrow night I have to ensure that I start downloading before I go to bed. It's not too bad, though - in this way I normally download around 25G per month on an internet plan that costs the equivalent of $10/m (+ $5 for the VPS).
  
  --
  I'm a minority race. Save your vitriol for white people.
20. Re:don't trust uTorrent by kosmosik · 2016-07-31 08:48 · Score: 2
  
  > Do you have a suggestion for a different client?
  Transmission-daemon running on server and any client utilizing transmission API (like Transmission Remote GUI on Windows).
Episode title names by porges · 2016-07-31 02:50 · Score: 4, Insightful

Considering that all of the episode titles are designed to look like filenames of torrents of themselves, this is hardly surprising.
Wait a minute! by fsagx · 2016-07-31 03:02 · Score: 3, Funny

The first rule of Mr. Robot is: You do not talk about Mr. Robot.
1. Re:Wait a minute! by OzPeter · 2016-07-31 03:19 · Score: 2
  
  The first rule of Mr. Robot is: You do not talk about Mr. Robot.
  Then what the hell are you doing with that post?
  
  --
  I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
Why aren't they getting sued? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-07-31 03:22 · Score: 2, Insightful

Seriously, representing movie piracy and showing it to the world like that, that's got to be some type of terrible offence for the big movie studio right?
Oh I forgot, they can do whatever they want, it's only the little guy who download a single terrible movie that should get sued for millions in damages.
1. Re:Why aren't they getting sued? by SuricouRaven · 2016-07-31 04:04 · Score: 2
  
  Corporations might act like monolithic entities much of the time, but they are still composed of many individuals. Sometimes those individuals don't talk to each other. It's quite possible the people responsible for this scene are getting hauled up before the boss right now for a lecture of the importance of using only fictional brands without proper authorisation, followed by a lecture on why, though criminal characters are fine, their crimes should not be presented in a manner which be considered instructional.
2. Re:Why aren't they getting sued? by jrumney · 2016-07-31 15:27 · Score: 2
  
  Speak for yourself. I'm only half a dangerous criminal, and only when I'm not taking my meds.
3. Re:Why aren't they getting sued? by Mouldy · 2016-07-31 21:34 · Score: 2
  
  The pirate release groups should sue! I doubt the people behind Mr Robot asked CRiTERiON for permission to use their brand name.
when the show will start? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-07-31 03:35 · Score: 2, Informative

it's cool the torrent reference, but when the show will get some speed?, the first four episodes have been.... underwhelming.
1. Re:when the show will start? by NotAPK · 2016-07-31 05:33 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Absolutely agree.
  Don't want to ruin it (and I'm probably wrong anyway, speculation isn't a spoiler) but I think everything Elliot is doing right now is inside a fantasy world. Just like in the first season I think there's going to be some big reveal soon that will "blow our minds"(TM) but unfortunately I'm expecting it to be too little too late: they need to do something now!!
init 1 by mejustme · 2016-07-31 03:58 · Score: 3, Interesting

The better part of that episode is when Darlene is trying to get Elliot's attention. He's trying to brush her off, saying he's busy, and she stops him dead in his tracks by saying "init 1".
Single user mode! E.g., "pay attention to me".
I loved it! Had to rewind it to listen to her deliver that line again to make sure I heard correctly. The show is amazing that way.
1. Re:init 1 by theskipper · 2016-07-31 07:23 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  My wife was trying to get my attention last night and finally yelled "SystemD!!" in desperation. I immediately turned and instinctively shouted "you're a useless hipster pos!!".
  I ended up sleeping on the couch and she's seeing a divorce attorney tomorrow morning.
  Goes without saying but the moral of the story is to stick with init and stay far, far away from systemd.
Maybe Elliot hacked uTorrent and had their source by garompeta · 2016-07-31 16:50 · Score: 2

I am really baffled by the consultant suggesting uTorrent for such an elite character.
Really, what is the chance of an elite super paranoid libertarian anonymous hacker to be using Evil closed sourced rootkit ridden software?
I would understand seeing that scene from Angela's screen, but Elliot? Really?
A simple rule of thumb for screenwriters: ELLIOT USES ONLY OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE. PERIOD.
The only twist that would salvage this mess is if Elliot hacked uTorrent, got their source code and compiled his own version.