When it came to online movie streaming and full TV episodes, 123Movies was once a frontrunner. GoMovies, GoStream, MeMovies, and 123movieshub are just a few of the names it’s gone by throughout the years.
Although the original 123Movies website was shut down in March 2018, mirror and clone sites continue to provide access to the site’s content.
All throughout the world, governments are cracking down on online services that facilitate the illegal viewing of protected materials. You might be wondering if this means you can’t watch 123Movies online.
What measures do 123Movies users take to protect themselves? And what are some viable substitutes? In our review of 123Movies, we’ll address these issues and more.
There has been a major shift in how we consume media like television and movies. In the past, watching a movie meant either going to a theatre or paying extra for a satellite TV package that included movies. This is most certainly not the case any longer, though!
The popularity of streaming sites has skyrocketed in recent years. The success of Netflix is evidence enough of this.
But, not everyone is willing to shell out cash to see a movie online. Luckily, there are a few legal options for watching movies online, and 123Movies is one of them. But may that be against the law? What do you think?
Alternatively, are there other options that are preferable? Keep reading to learn all you need to know about this platform and my essential recommendations for using it.
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What Is Movies123?
There have been several iterations of the 123Movies name. 123Movieshub, MeMovies, GoStream, and GoMovies are all part of this group. It was a collection of file-streaming websites that let users watch movies for free. It was run out of Vietnam.
A few years ago, the MPAA declared it to be “the most popular illicit site in the world.” A criminal probe led to its closure by Vietnamese authorities a few weeks later.
As 123Movies no longer exists, you might be wondering why I bring it up at all. Clone domains allow the network to continue operating.
During the height of 123Movies’ popularity, the site was used by 98 million individuals from all over the world every single month. To put that in perspective, 123Movies was getting more traffic than all three of these powerhouses combined: The New York Times, CNN, and Etsy.
Even if the original website has been taken down by the Vietnamese government, enforcing copyright in the modern day is a much like playing the classic game whack-a-mole.
When a file-sharing website is taken down, users often just go on to another one, keeping law enforcement one step behind. In only a few short months following the shutdown of the original 123Movies website, the MPAA discovered over a dozen knockoffs.
123Movies used to be one of the most popular places to go to watch complete episodes of TV shows and movies online in their entirety.
The original 123Movies website was taken down in March 2018, although clone and mirror sites continue to operate.
GoMovies has rebranded as 123Movies, and its most current domain name is GoStream.site. Gomovies123, 123movies4u, movies123.email, and so on are only a few of the many domain names that redirect to the same content. In addition, a new software called 123 Movies Watch Online features movies123.
Is Movies123 Safe?
Is it secure to watch movies on 123Movies? In another way: NO. Several visitors have complained that they have contracted viruses and other infections from this site. Both the desktop version and the mobile app are affected by this.
123Movies has several imitators that appear and function similarly. You should stay away from these malicious phishing sites. Usually, viruses and malware will infect your computer through JavaScript on the page or through advertisements on the website.
Visit the site only if you have a reliable anti-virus and firewall installed on your device.
These sites generate revenue through advertising, which poses a danger to consumers because the ads they show are often of dubious quality.
Malvertising refers to the practise of injecting harmful code into website users through advertisements.
Low trust advertising presented on 123 Movies from third parties can nonetheless do harm to users by infecting them with malware or diverting them to other dangerous sites, even though the site’s proprietors have no ill will towards its viewers.
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Is Movies123 Legal?
In most countries, using 123Movies is against the law. The downloading (and by extension, the streaming) of copyrighted information is illegal in most countries and regions. This is done in an effort to safeguard intellectual property. Yet, its personal use is legal in several nations.
You should always verify your country’s restrictions before visiting a site like 123Movies, Popcorn Time, PrimeWire, or Putlocker; the laws involving copyright infringement and piracy vary from place to place.
Conclusion
123movies was a popular video-streaming website that provided access to thousands of free movies and TV episodes. As it offered plagiarised material without the consent of the authors or distributors, its legitimacy might have been made clearer.
The overall impact of 123movies’ popularity on the entertainment sector was significant, resulting in lower earnings for legal streaming services and harm to content producers and distributors.
The entertainment business faces a serious problem with piracy since it hurts both content producers and distributors. Using legitimate streaming services rather than stolen content can aid this sector of production.
Over its existence, 123movies has been embroiled in a number of lawsuits. Its administrators might be sued. Authorities in various nations attempted to censor it because of its widespread appeal.
The website’s proprietors, however, persisted in moving their activities to several domains and servers, making it impossible for law enforcement to take action against them.
