The popular media content downloading service implemented another mining script where users can’t choose to opt out. Just a few weeks ago, The Pirate Bay made headlines when users discovered that it was using a cryptocurrency mining software. While the website administrators stated that it was just a test, the website seems to have implemented a mining code again. This time users can’t choose to opt out of mining, and so far this act has caused an interesting debate worldwide.
Deciding to implement a mining code is generally out of a need to generate sufficient funds. For most websites with a dubious reputation such as torrent or pornography sites, advertising is often not an option as most advertising companies fear the association. While donations are possible, it’s often not enough a sufficient or reliable enough income.
Cryptocurrency mining has become an increasingly attractive option for websites such as The Pirate Bay, as it provides a means to finally generate a sufficient income. Despite this, the practice has sparked a debate about the unethical nature of this practice.
Implementing a code which can use the website visitor’s CPU resources to generate cryptocurrency funds is nothing if not an innovative idea. However, many users pointed out that this is unethical if done without a user’s consent, or the option to opt out of the code.
The current mining script on The Pirate Bay does not allow users to opt out, neither does it inform users or ask consent. The aggressive implementation has caused a fair amount of scrutiny amongst regular users.
Generally speaking, a mining script will cause a user’s CPU usage to experience a significant spike in a short amount of time. This is not necessarily a negative or alarming factor, especially considering that the majority of users spend a short amount of time on the website. Despite this, users have still questioned the somewhat unethical practice.
In addition, CloudFlare suspended a website running a similar mining script a few weeks ago, which makes it likely that The Pirate Bay could possibly lose its DDoS protection.
The forced integration has raised many questions amongst users, especially considering that most ad blockers will be able to prevent the script from running at all. Despite The Pirate Bay’s forced implementation, more users might opt out anyway using ad blockers.
Despite the criticisms, this move has caused a severe spike in websites implementing mining scripts. Ethical or not, it seems likely that more and more websites might turn to this option to provide users with an experience free of ads.
While this move leaves some ambiguity in the future of online advertising, the permanent implementation does indicate that The Pirate Bay’s initial test run was successful. This could prove to be positive, as it confirms that administrators can finally make money from in-browser mining instead of advertisements.
The Pirate Bay managed to open several new points of discussion when it comes to cryptocurrencies and the many benefits they can offer. While it remains to be seen how long the current mining script will run, the move has caused some needed debate in a rapidly evolving industry.
