The Pirate Bay is again taking over its users’ CPUs in order to mine the Monero (XMR) cryptocurrency to generate additional revenue. Unlike previous times, the site now displays a notification on the matter for users to know what is going on with their systems.
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Leave Now or Else
The Pirate Bay, the major torrent downloading website, has begun notifying its visitors that their systems are being used to mine Monero. The message at the bottom of the site now reads: “By entering TPB you agree to XMR being mined using your CPU. If you don’t agree please leave now or install an adBlocker.”
Last year, the discovery of cryptocurrency mining scripts on website generated an uproar from many of The Pirate Bay’s users.The company admitted it has done so after it was exposed, and went on to claim then that it was only a short experiment. “As you may have noticed we are testing a Monero javascript miner. This is only a test. We really want to get rid of all the ads. But we also need enough money to keep the site running.” Now it appears that the experiment has succeeded and The Pirate Bay determined it is worth the negative reactions it will receive as a result of making this controversial means to generate funds a permanent feature of its operation.
Legitimate Business Model or Just Cryptojacking?
The idea of using visitors’ computer power to mine for cryptocurrency, and thus fund the websites they use, has been one of a number of innovations in the field made possible by cryptocurrency technology. With many people using ad blockers, as well as Google and Facebook monopolizing most of the profits from online media advertising, some websites have turned to mining as an alternative to ads revenue and payment walls.
It can be seen as a legitimate business model if done so transparently – where users are allowed to consent to such. The practice can also be misused, of course, when it is done in secret by the websites themselves, or when mining code is injected by hackers as a form of cryptojacking.
Is The Pirate Bay entitled to use its users CPUs to mine cryptocurrency? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Images courtesy of Shutterstock.
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