GigaTribe is a free, encrypted and private P2P software community that limits file sharing to GigaTribe users who are part of your own self-governed network.

To use GigaTribe, you must first download and install the software. Then you need to convince your friends, family, co-workers, etc. to do the same. You can’t exceed 1000 contacts. There are no file size, uploading or downloading limits.

The basic service is free to use, but GigaTribe sells an upgrade version for US$29.95 per year that adds remote access to your hard drive, unlimited simultaneous downloads and password-protected folders. The software is currently Windows-only. A Mac version is scheduled for release in September.

To make it easier for users to expand their personal “tribes,” a new GigaTribe Inviter Tool will automatically invite friends from other social networking accounts – Facebook, LinkedIn and Flickr – to use GigaTribe’s service. The Inviter Tool also works with Web-based email accounts Yahoo!, Gmail and Windows Live.

GigaTribe has a social networking strategy and is planning to release GigaTribe software applications embedded within other social networks. “People browsing your profile will discover that you’re sharing large files of videos, photos, etc., increasing your friend’s interest in you and your profile,” states a company press release.

While the service is handy for sharing personal videos that are too large for e-mail or social networking profiles, it also provides small businesses the opportunity to set up a no-cost Virtual Private Network for co-workers and clients.