Imagup General Magazine 2024
These days, one of the most popular TV and movie streaming services is 123Movies. This is a great way to watch most of the latest and well-liked TV shows and movies. While searching for any of the latest movies, you’ll probably find 123Movies in the search results. The service is free of cost that’s why it’s more popular.
Also, you don’t have to register if you want to use it. But, most users don’t know and don’t want to know whether the service is legal or not. Throughout the post, we’ll learn many things about the site. These include what it really is, the legality and safety of the service along with some other related topics.
What Is 123Movies?
In simple terms, 123Movies is a type of video streaming website and it allows its users to watch pirated movies and other shows. This is not just a single site in this sort, indeed there are so many similar sites on the web. It means that 123Movies is nothing but a portion of dozens of clone network of websites.
The site’s current domain name is 123movies.la that’s going to change soon according to their statement. Along with the latest releases, this site allows its visitors with a big list of titles. The good part of the site is that you should not make an account or log in to enjoy their video streaming.
It just requires a single click on the video you want to stream on your smart devices or computer. When it comes to the movies, you’ll find a large list of them including popular TV series and shows. Moreover, it allows you to watch the latest released new blockbuster movies. Also, you can get your desired titles from another site like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon.
Thanks to various content of the site, it has become very popular among the movie lovers. It also lets you stream videos from your web browser of your PC, tabs, and smartphone. Apart from this, you’ll find an app for 123Movies for your Kodu and Roku devices.
Is 123Movies Legal?
It’s true that you’re all set to watch the newly released movies in 123Movies. But, this streaming site needs caution because many of their video contents are illegal. The dangerous part is that many of the videos may come with a virus to infect your PC. 123Movies has changed its name while it previously was GoMovies.
This site has some more domain names on the web such as 123movies4u.com and gomogies123. The surface of the steam. the site appears good, but most of the streaming sites that allow you options of watching a movie free of cost are not legal. Because of this, the authority has hunted down the 123Movies site.
These issues have forced them to change the name of the site many times. That’s why we suggest that you should not get risk by watching free movies in this and even in similar sites. Also, as you’re an end-user, it can leave away along with having sued.
However, the largest problem is that the site spreads the virus, malware, and ransomware. As we already talked and many people also have reported the issue, the site is risky to visit and stream the movies.
Is 123Movies Safe?
When it question comes regarding the safety of the site, it’s simply ‘Not.’ In any case, you should use a high-quality anti-virus software if you want to visit this site. But, the good news is that 123Movies has come with a solution that helps the legal issue in some countries.
In this case, they host the just keep the links of the pirated movies on their website instead of uploading the full movies. You’ll have to click on the link that will take to another site or source to watch it. This is how it’s not a disputing fact in the US that it’s an illegal site.
Since they don’t host the movies, they don’t need to buy licenses of the movies. Luckily, you’ll find some safe and legal videos and links to the sites that have no issues.
What Happened To The Original 123Movies. Top Streaming Site?
The MPPA (The Motion Picture Association of America) recently has worked with Vietnamese officials to shut the site down. When one of the original sites has shut down, some other sites have appeared at the same time. This is why it’s tough to identify the real and original official site of 123Movies.
Also, its original site frequently changes the name of the domain due to keeping the site active. It’s because they face several legal issues while running the site with pirate movies. Since these sites can get down, some other new sites create instantly to damage your computer by using viruses.
But, the newly cloned sites are also similarly illegal like the original one. And they contain more and stronger types of viruses and malware. Now, the question is that you should watch these free movies on these sites like 123Movies. It needs a bit more discussion other than the above-said ones.
The site we’re talking about 123Movies has enticed millions of viewers across the globe in recent years. But, it doesn’t mean the site is safe to visit and legal to watch their free movies.
Again, it’s because anything available on the site has obtained illegally. Even you’ll realize it if you spend sometimes on this site. However, it’s better to keep yourself from this site.
What Happened With the 123Movies Site So Far?
The MPAA enlisted the site as the notorious website in October 2017. The site hosted technically from Ukraine and they keep the hidden identity of the real operator. In this case, they take lots of steps to ensure keeping the operator’s identity along with Cloud-flare.
Although the operator’s identity is till, in mystery, it believes that the operator is still remaining in Vietnam. The reason relates to the thinking is that they’re uploading their contents from various emails and using cyber-lockers. The materials they’re using, most of them have originated from Can Tho University of Medicine & Pharmacy.
In March of the last year, 2018, MPAA published a sites’ list of notorious piracy websites. Also, they targeted this site and enlisted it as the most popular pirated movie site across the world.
It’s because the 123Movies site gets more than 98 million monthly visitors. And truth to say that the number of visitors it gets per month that exceeds the total of all illegal streaming websites so far. Also, this site appears to get hosts suspiciously from Vietnam that has said in the published MPAA.
Has It Gone While Closing Down Of 123Movies?
In this year’s March, this famous movie site claimed to be shutting down and there was a closure countdown. Indeed, MPAA authorities announced that they are teaming up with the site authorities in Vietnam. Also, they said that they’re trying to take down it that operates from Vietnam. But, if you search right now for the movie sites, you’ll still find some sites like 123movie.cc, 123moviehub, and others. These sites are indeed owned by 123Movies. That’s why it’s very difficult to prevent the streaming of these illegal sites. It’s not possible to discard to avoid some of these types of sites after finding them out. It’s because they use a mask of VPN to make their visitors’ IP addresses. Even, finding yourself accidentally on these sites could make difficult stuff for you.
The Site Doesn’t Upload Movies Anymore?
A big number of visitors have indeed brought a substantial amount of public attention. But, the site actually doesn’t upload any movie or any pirated content. Also, other sites of the website don’t host the content themselves. And they also don’t let their users upload anything.
In the countries of the western world, it makes a very small difference legally because the site considers facilitating piracy. But, these types of sites rarely are operating from western countries.
Most of them have found based on third world countries and in some countries where copyright laws are not applicable or up to date. This technique can’t work as an immune system. But, it’ll purchase them time along with every site they input. Unfortunately, if you watch pirated movies knowingly than nothing can prevent you from it.
How Do These Movies Sites/Apps Work?
Sites like 123Movies usually embed popular movies and videos from their cyberlockers to the web. They allow them to become the host of the content from Amazon Prime, Netflix, and DVD pirated content straight from piracy websites. Thus 123Movies has become a very big movie watching site as it has a large collection of movies.
Also, visitors find it easy to use due to not getting the trouble of registration and the streaming of movies is totally free of cost. Besides, there are some dedicated apps to these sites if you search them. As it has said already, you’ll need to own a Roku or Kodi box to use their apps.
But, don’t forget to identify the real 123Movies app in the crow of the fake apps. When you have downloaded the real app, you’re all set to skip the downloading option. Also, it’ll not remind you that the site is primarily illegal. You’re just better off watching using your browser.
As the app has linked with the mobile sites, you’ll get the same experience while streaming movies on your smartphone. But, there are many fake apps and most of them come with malware and virus. So, it’s very crucial to identify the genuine app and use the best quality anti-virus software.
Can It Be A Trouble To Use 123Movies?
Although the site of 123Movies is not operating legally, this is not your issue in the legal terms. If you’re good to face the issue of viruses then you don’t have anything to think about the legal issues. That means you’re not likely to get a visit from your country police because of visiting this site or similar ones.
But, the issue in the US is that downloading illegal or pirated videos to use personally is the infringement of the civil copyright act. As you’ll just watch the movies, it’s not the duty of the police to visit all users to prevent their streaming. However, the authority of a certain movie can take action if someone uses their movie without prior permission.
Only if you’re just viewing the movies in free of cost, you’re out of any possible issue. Moreover, if you check the legal terms, you’ll find streaming is not making a copy and the law also can’t cover the term of ephemeral-copies. As a result, you’re not making any offense while streaming movies of this site.
However, sites like 123Movies are committing the crime because they don’t have the right to offer you the movies. The issue is for you when you’ll redistribute the movies with some other people after downloading them.
How Does The New 123Movies Side Come Out?
You might know last year MPAA claimed that free streaming sites such as 123Movies and Gostream shut down. The MPAA also reported that after the shut down of the 123movies site, some other new sites come up in eight different countries around the world. Also, we already have explained how new sites come out when old ones face legal issues. Once again, if the legal authority shuts down an illegal site then the authority releases a new site. For example, after shutting down of 123Movies, there appeared some new sites like 123movie.cc and 123moviehub.
Conclusion
123Movies or its similar sites are never legit and most of them are unsafe to use. When you want to watch movies on these sites, you’re actually streaming the pirated copy of the original movies.
In short, if the site has the features of cam rips, it’s illegal. But, this is not an issue for you to just watch movies as long as you don’t redistribute them some others and use them for your personal interest.
