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YIFY Torrents, also known as YTS, was a peer-to-peer distribution group recognized for disseminating numerous movies as free downloads via BitTorrent. YIFY releases were notable for their compact file sizes, a feature that appealed to many downloaders.
The original YIFY/YTS website faced closure by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) in 2015. Nonetheless, several websites mimicking the YIFY/YTS brand continue to attract significant traffic. The name “YIFY” originates from its founder, Yiftach Swery.
History:
YIFY Torrents was established by Yiftach Swery in 2010 during his pursuit of computer science studies at the University of Waikato. Yiftach, an app developer, web developer, and archery champion from Auckland, New Zealand, initiated the YIFY brand, which gained enough traction by August 2011 to justify the launch of an official YIFY Torrents Website. However, it faced eventual obstruction by United Kingdom authorities, leading to the introduction of a backup website, yify-torrents.im.
The popularity of the YIFY name persisted, becoming the most searched term on Kickass Torrents in 2013, and later on BitTorrent websites in 2015. In January 2014, Yiftach announced his retirement from encoding and uploading, prompting a rebranding to YTS and a move to a new domain, yts.re. YTS.re was dissolved in February 2016, leading to a transition to the domain yts.to.
In October 2015, the YIFY website ceased operations permanently due to a lawsuit from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). The lawsuit accused the website operator of facilitating and encouraging massive copyright infringement. Yiftach settled out of court, signifying a definitive end to YIFY/YTS operations.
Legacy:
Following the shutdown of the official YIFY in 2015, numerous websites emerged as unofficial clones using the YIFY name. YTS.AG surfaced swiftly after the real YIFY’s closure, indexing old YIFY uploads while adding their own releases under a different brand. These imitator websites faced backlash from several torrent index sites.
In May 2020, anti-piracy lawyer Kerry Culpepper sued multiple YIFY/YTS clones for trademark infringement. The Hawaii-based company “42 Ventures LLC” targeted operators of various clone sites for unauthorized use of the trademark.
In Popular Culture:
The YIFY name made a cameo in an episode of the second season of the television series Mr. Robot in July 2016. The lead character, Elliot, is depicted using the μTorrent client and his Plex folder filled with films from release groups such as RARBG and YIFY. Yiftach appreciated the mention in the show.