Hmmm… this response seems to imply that I have no idea what a PT even is. It’s true that I haven’t used them before, but talking about it like I don’t understand that it’s just a website or that things are automated seems like a talking down. I hope I am just misreading the tone.
I think from this part
It’s not Google with billions at its disposal to craft sophisticated surveillance level tech.
Your point might be something like “PT’s are small time so no need to worry”. If so, then I strongly disagree. I may not be personally familiar with private trackers, but I am fairly well educated on web infrastructure, security, tech, and programming.
If personal data - including IP address - is present - even just for registration - then it could be abused in scenarios such as disgruntled admins, data breaches, or server raids/seizures to name a few. There has even been at least one case where someone torrented a completely legal thing - a linux distro (and i mean actually a legit linux distro not like some people call downloading something illegal as a “linux distro” as joke that they aren’t doing anything illegal) and got a dcma notice.
Point being that if you are ok with that risk, that’s fine for you. But not everyone’s security model or what they consider as an acceptable risk is the same. And IMO your response would have been much better if it was calling out the technical risks, clearly delineating what is a technical fact vs what is opinion, and then stating that in your opinion the risks weren’t significant to you personally. (it sounds like we have different opinions but still if you thought I was a complete newbie, why leave things open to misunderstanding?).
Anyway since I specifically brought up my questions about PT’s in the context of wanting to use a VPN, if the whole point of the reply was essentially to dismiss the need for VPNs with PT registration when I say it matters to me, then that’s a bit weird…