With
the advent of digital streaming services, it has not come as a surprise that
cable services are on the decline. More people are getting hooked on to digital
streaming services. There is a constant need to find new websites and platforms
that cater to the viewers’ entertainment needs. 123Movies is a streaming
service that offers TV shows and Movies to watch, for free. Watching movies and
shows on 123Movies is absolutely free, all one would require is an internet
connection fast enough to stream the movie or show.
123Movies was started in Vietnam. At its
peak, the site had garnered close to 98 million visitors. 123Movies is
extremely popular and while it was functioning with its initial domain name of
123movies.to, it was considered to be the largest and most popular illegal site
by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).
Today, we look at 123Movies. We go over the
various controversies of 123Movies, what it is, and also answer questions such
as: Is 123Movies illegal? Is 123Movies safe to use? How 123Movies shut down?
What are the various alternatives to 123Movies?
Is 123Movies legal?
123Movies is illegal. No streaming service
that offers TV shows and movies for free is considered to be legal. 123Movies
is certainly against the law and law enforcement authorities have taken the
website down. However, 123Movies does operate with certain mirror sites and
different domain names.
It does not buy licenses for any of the
content on the websites. The content from Netflix, Hulu, and other services are
completely illegal and unlicensed. The content is mostly pirated and also includes
a lot of content that is recorded using a camera.
Is 123Movies safe?
Using 123Movies or any of its mirror sites
is not known to have caused any harm to the user. Although the streaming
service is illegal, the users are not considered to be at fault. The various websites
under different domain names from 123Movies do tend to have a lot of
advertisements, which, might be very bothersome to most users. Furthermore, it
is not advisable to use free online streaming services. These services are not
legal and can provide a way for hackers to mount a malicious attack on your
system.
Although there have not been any instances
of serious action taken against the users by the authorities, it is advisable
to play it safe.
Domain change to GoMovies
123Movies, not too long ago, changed its
domain name to GoMovies. GoMovies also functions under a large number of
different website domain names and mirror sites. Currently, several clone sites
are functioning to provide users the content that they seek. None of the sites
are confirmed to be from the original creators of 123Movies.
123Movies content
123Movies offers a wide variety of content
spanning different genres. The movies include the latest Hollywood movies. The
latest movies in theatres, various new TV shows and movies on streaming
services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime are available on the websites.
On most of these clone sites, you can
browse movies, TV shows and other content by genre, year of release, and
country. You can even search for your favorite content on the site by simply
typing in the movie or TV show that you wish to view. With its large collection
of content, it is very likely that you will find what you are looking for.
The genres include Action, Comedy, Romance,
Sci-Fi, Horror, Musicals and many more. There is no shortage of options on the
site. You can explore new content rather easily. An internet connection and a
web browser are all you need.
There are several options for the quality
of the stream. Users can choose to view the content in High Definition (HD) for
many TV shows and movies. The quality of the stream can vary from HD and
Blu-Ray to camera quality.
123Movies Shutdown
A criminal investigation carried out by
Vietnamese officials led to the shutdown of 123Movies. 123Movies was found to be
carrying out illegal activities such as piracy. The Motion Picture Association of America
(MPAA) labeled it as one of the most notorious piracy sites in the world. It
was touted as a major nemesis to Hollywood.
The functioning of 123Movies was
undoubtedly hindering Hollywood. The movie industry suffered immense losses as
a result of 123Movies. The movie studios were more than inclined to ensure that
the site and its various clones were shut down.
In 2017, The US Ambassador to Vietnam
called on the local government to take serious criminal action against
123Movies.
In October 2017, the MPAA listed 123Movies
on its list of Online Notorious Markets. In March of 2018, the MPAA sent
representatives to Vietnam to ensure faster criminal prosecution of the
notorious people behind the website. The MPAA was supported by the movie
industry. The intensity of the opposition that 123Movies received led to its
shutdown a few days after MPAA sent its representatives.
123Movies shutdown in March 2018 and the
team behind it sent out a message thanking everyone who stuck with the
streaming service.
The reason for shutting down was never made
apparent. However, it is clear that the growing pressure on 123Movies is what
led to its downfall.
Alternatives to 123Movies.com
Some of the clone sites and alternatives to
the website are:
There are several other domains and URLs
that work. Some of these domains are assumed by many to be run by the original
creators of 123Movies, but, most of these sites are clones created by various
other people. A lot of domains and URLs work and a simple Google search for the
sites will generally do the trick.
Concluding thoughts on 123Movies
123Movies offers a free solution to users’
entertainment needs. None of the content on the various clone sites needs to be
paid for. There is generally the option of choosing the different quality of
streams. It can significantly make it easier for people to watch their favorite
TV shows and movies without the hassles of having to pay for and maintain a
subscription on various paid streaming services. The range of content available
is also wider than the range you would get on a single streaming service.
123Movies was shut down in March 2018 and
various clones have come to the fore recently. Weeding out these clones remains
a major task for authorities. These sites continue to remain a major threat to
the movie and television industry.
However, these sites are illegal. There are
certain security risks associated with using the sites. Use these illegal sites
at your own risk. The safest thing to do would be to stay away from these free
online services and instead use reliable services such as Netflix, Hulu, and
Amazon Prime.