You may have heard about it for good reasons or you may have seen it accused of some pretty bad things. But for one reason or another, you've probably heard about the streaming service called Popcorn Time. What you may not know is how it works, why it's under fire, and where you can get it now. Here's everything you need to know about Popcorn Time.

What Is Popcorn Time?

So what is Popcorn Time? Here's the short answer: Popcorn Time is a client that works with BitTorrent downloads and uses them to stream video on your computer. But let's get a little more specific.

BitTorrent is a way to share information on the internet. In layman's terms, it just means that a file is being shared amongst a group in small chunks. It's slower for everyone to download each part of a file from one person, so BitTorrent has the different downloaders get different chunks from the original provider, and then swap amongst themselves. With more people offering more parts of the file, the whole process goes faster.

The idea of Popcorn Time is that it takes these files, which are already popular on the internet, and harnesses them for streaming. It gives you a simple user interface, like Netflix would, and lets you watch movies and shows. The program you're watching is, ultimately, downloaded – but the next time you restart your computer, it'll be wiped clean of Popcorn Time downloads. As far as the user is concerned, this could just be a normal streaming service.

For the law, though, the fact that you're using a BitTorrent file could make Popcorn Time very different from its more established competitors. That's why the original Popcorn Time was brought down under pressure from the MPAA (more on these legal concerns later). When we talk about Popcorn Time now, we're talking about two spinoffs: PopcornTime.io and Popcorn-Time.se. Both of these are in Beta, but both work pretty well.

Is Popcorn Time Safe?

In the sense of viruses, yes, Popcorn Time is very safe. Both current versions of the program are known to be trustworthy, and the service draws its libraries from established torrent sites that screen for malicious fake files. Popcorn Time users aren't going to end up with a computer full of malware. That's the good news.

The bad news is that there is a different kind of danger involved in using Popcorn Time, and that's the legal hot water that you could land yourself in if you're ever caught.

Is Popcorn Time Legal?

No, it sure isn't. Popcorn Time will say that they provide a tool, not the content itself, but that didn't save the original version of the app from being discontinued under pressure from the MPAA. The site has also been in legal trouble in the UK, where a judge said that Popcorn Time's developers intended the app to be “the key means which procures and induces the user to access the host website and therefore causes the infringing communications to occur.” It's hard to disagree with that assessment.

Popcorn Time is quick to point out that individual laws differ in various countries, but if you're reading this in the United States, the United Kingdom, or another developed nation, then the Popcorn Time developers are not on the right side of the law where you live.

But that's the legality of Popcorn Time the program. What about the legality of you using it?

Well, it's still illegal. Technically, Popcorn Time streamers are downloading the BitTorrent file of the movie they're streaming. And because of how BitTorrents work (see our explanation above), that means that they are also uploading it from your computer. Every time you use Popcorn Time to view copyrighted content, you are uploading that content to help pirates download it. Hollywood and the music industry would not approve.

To be clear: you can download Popcorn Time and not break any laws. But once you use it to stream copyrighted content (which is pretty much the only thing you'd ever do with it), you have almost certainly broken the law in your home country.

Breaking the law is different from being caught breaking the law, of course. Popcorn Time has built a VPN into its program to help shield users from scrutiny. This isn't a complete guarantee, but you're very unlikely to get caught using Popcorn Time. You will, however, be breaking the law.

So now you know all about Popcorn Time. We're not endorsing it, but you can get the Popcorn-Time.se version here and the PopcornTime.io version here. If either development team comes out with a new version, you'll hear about it from us.