Following Kickass Torrent and Torrentz.eu, another prominent torrent-sharing site ExtraTorrent has shut down their operations, and is going offline along with all its mirrors, as authorities and the entertainment industries are cracking down on illegal content sharing, reported TorrentFreak.
Anyone who visits the site will see this written on the website: "ExtraTorrent has shut down permanently. ExtraTorrent with all mirrors goes offline.. We permanently erase all data. Stay away from fake ExtraTorrent websites and clones. Thx to all ET supporters and torrent community. ET was a place to be...."
According to TorrentFreak, which first reported the news, ExtraTorrent was the most popular file-sharing site after the notorious Pirate Bay.
Users could share both legally recorded and illegal obtained copyrighted materials on ExtraTorrent.
Some believe that pressure from internet service providers like Sky and Virgin Media caused the site, founded in 2006, to shut its shop, however, there is no concrete evidence to prove that.
Both Sky and Virgin are now engaged in the government's Get It Right campaign, which targets illegal file-sharing platforms.
"Copyright owners are monitoring peer-to-peer (file-sharing) networks to identify instances where their content is uploaded and shared without permission," states the campaign."They will note the Internet Protocol (IP) address and then contact the appropriate ISP – including BT, NowTV, PlusNet, Sky, Talk-Talk and Virgin Media. The account holder may then receive an Educational Email from their ISP referencing one or more instances of peer-to-peer uploading and file sharing activities that have been confirmed to breach copyright," it added.
"By sharing illegally rather than enjoying it from legitimate sources, you aren't supporting the growth and success of the content you love," wrote Sky on their dedicated webpage that explains entire scheme and the warnings.
"The campaign was initiated by the creators of copyrighted material, and supported by the UK's largest internet service providers, to help people access content from genuine sites, whether it be music, films, books, sports or any other creative material," it added further.
