A VPN is not necessary for torrent usage.
But if you live in a country that enforces copy right etc online, it’s highly recommended, as a VPN will make it almost impossible to track you down.
A VPN is like a costume. You don’t need to wear one to do something illegal, but wearing one will make it much harder for authorities to identify you.
The thought that people would unitedly leave Reddit was delusional.
I expected that only a small portion of people would really leave. I think there will be another small wave of leaving people when the 3rd party apps stop working.
But reality is: most humans don’t like change, most humans like convenience. Forums like this are made by a minority, who share knowledge and time and take time to help others out. The vast rest of members is lurking and meme posting.
But I expect the majority to stay, at least now. Probably this blackout helped developing new forums though and maybe Reddit’s popularity will slowly fade, we will see.
Oh yeah, this is definitely hot! Shoot me up there into the endless fediverse! It’s time to discover all those niche galaxies riding a nice vessel!