New Issue: Science’s Impossible Questions. Read Now

October 30, 2013

2 min read

Google Logo Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm

Isohunt BitTorrent site rises from the dead as Isohunt.to

Isohunt.to looks like an exact replica of the original Isohunt. (Credit: Screenshot by Dara Kerr/CNET) It's been two weeks since BitTorrent search engine Isohunt agreed to exit the Internet after reaching a $110 million settlement deal over copyright infringement with the Motion Picture Association of America.

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

It's been two weeks since BitTorrent search engine Isohunt agreed to exit the Internet after reaching a $110 million settlement deal over copyright infringement with the Motion Picture Association of America. But, a quick glance at the site Isohunt.to and it seems the search engine appears to be alive.

No, Isohunt founder Gary Fung didn't renege on his settlement -- rather, fans of the site decided to make an exact clone of the original Isohunt, according to TorrentFreak. Isohunt.to is almost a perfect replica of Isohunt.com; it has the same interface, categories, and torrent pages.

"IsoHunt is back online! It's the same old isoHunt from the outside but very different from the inside," Isohunt.to wrote in a blog post on Wednesday. "We have nothing in common with the isoHunt Inc. that made the original website. We proudly copied it and are happy to share."

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

Isohunt was one of the most popular BitTorrent sites online; Fung claimed it had 44.2 million peers and 13.7 million active torrents. Earlier this month, the site was slated to shutter indefinitely after years of court battles over copyright infringement with the MPAA.

Related stories

Under the terms of the settlement, Fung had seven days to shut down the site, as well as close three other sites that redirect to Isohunt -- Podtropolis, TorrentBox, and Edtk-it.com. Apparently, before the closure, Isohunt.to's owners were able to copy and resurrect their new site, according to TorrentFreak.

The new owners are adamant that Fung has nothing to do with their site. In fact, when Fung caught wind that a group was copying his site before the closure deadline, he shuttered Isohunt down several days early. But, it appears Isohunt.to's owners had already nabbed most of what they needed.

"IsoHunt can definitely be called a file-sharing icon. People got used to it and they don't want to simply let it go," Isohunt.to's owners told TorrentFreak. "We want those people to feel like being at home while visiting isohunt.to. The main goal is to restore the website with torrents and provide users with the same familiar interface."

Subscribe to Support Independent Journalism

Great science journalism requires human expertise, time, effort and creativity. And it costs money. That’s why I and the journalists here at Scientific American hope you’ll join our community.

When you subscribe, you are supporting staff and freelance journalists who are passionate about telling science stories that are true, important and compelling. Our editors and reporters are often experts in their fields, which means they understand the nuances of big discoveries and can untangle the breakthroughs from the hype. With a subscription, you are also supporting rigorous fact-checking to ensure the words we publish are precise and accurate. And you’re supporting original illustrations, graphics and photos that bring you closer to an advanced laboratory, an ice sheet in Antarctica or a space mission in orbit. You’re helping us craft other types of high-quality journalism as well: Our newsletters are carefully written, edited and curated by staffers you have or will come to know and love. Our Science Quickly podcast is based on original reporting, collaboration with editors and scientists and exacting production.

Subscriptions keep this engine running so we can continue to deliver thoughtful, rigorous and independent science journalism to you. In an era of viral misinformation, this work is crucial. If you value what we do, I hope you’ll consider joining us as a subscriber

Thank you,

Jeanna Bryner, Editor in Chief, Scientific American

Subscribe