[AnIdiotOnTheNet]

Maybe Big Media can't make bittorent and piratebay go away entirely, but they've put one hell of a dent in the whole ecosystem of piracy. Used to be I could use Covenant[2] on Kodi[0] and stream anything for free, in a multitude of languages and formats, with downloadable subs if desired. It was a golden age, and it is gone now.

Similarly, I've watched several retro-game preservation communities[1] I've been a part of disappear mysteriously overnight. Certain sets are still very difficult to find on public trackers and the private ones are difficult to get into.

In other words, they may not be able to eliminate it but they can make it very inconvenient.

[0] Yes, I know this isn't backed by bittorrent.

[1] Backed by bittorrent but having little to do with Hollywood.

[2] Actually I guess Exodus was first. I always forget which one was the fork.

[malfist]

I don't think Hollywood or "Big Media" killed the torrent scene. I think netflix and hulu and other services that make it cheap and easy to access the content you want. They provide a "good enough" service to give people what they want, so people aren't going to invest the time to learn how to torrent safely.

[toyg]

> In other words, they may not be able to eliminate it but they can make it very inconvenient

In the end, it _is_ still illegal activity, where being "inconvenient" is typically par for the course.

[AnIdiotOnTheNet]

Yeah, that's my point though: Even if states can't stop BTC from operating entirely, they can make it so inconvenient that it is basically useless for most people.

[mullingitover]

> they can make it so inconvenient that it is basically useless for most people.

BTC does a perfectly good job of this on its own, no state intervention needed.