In the past, people had to either go to the cinema to watch a movie or buy a satellite TV film package to watch movies. But this trend has changed for some time, with streaming sites like Netflix becoming popular, where people can watch movies from their homes.
But not everyone likes to pay for streaming movies. The good news is that some sites, such as 123Movies, don’t require you to pay a dime to watch movies.
But the question arises, is it legal, or whether you use this site or not? Keep reading to learn everything there is to know about 123Movies and essential tips on using it.
What is 123Movies?
123Movies was a network of video-streaming websites, including GoStream, MeMovies, GoMovies, and 123movieshub, initially operated from Vietnam. Launched between 2015 and 2016, it was a popular site, with 98 million users visiting it per month.
In 2018, owing to the unlicensed content, it showed the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) labeled it as the “most popular illegal site.” A few days after the MPAA statement, the Vietnamese authorities conducted a criminal investigation and shut down the site.
So, if you are wondering why I am even talking about 123Movies if it is shut down. Well, its clone sites are still active. A few months after the shutdown, MPAA revealed that 12 clone sites had started their operations.
Are There Any Legal Repercussions to using 123Movies?
It is important to note that any legalities involving 123Movies are related to your location. The legislation can vary from country to country. Therefore, before using this site, it’s vital to check the rules and regulations pertaining to copyright infringement.
However, it would be best if you didn’t take my advice as law but did a little digging yourself to understand better how piracy is viewed and acted upon in your country. Here I’ve mentioned the piracy laws of different countries. Check them out:
- Spain, Switzerland, and Poland allow pirating for personal use.
- US, Japan, Italy, Russia, South Africa, France, China, and Australia doesn’t allow pirating.
- Denmark, Egypt, Mexico, Iran, Greece, India, Philippines, Netherlands, and Israel don’t allow pirating, but it is also not actively persecuted.
It all depends on how you are using the streaming service. While it may not be illegal to watch movies on 123Movies, if you share or download any movie from this site may result in civil or criminal charges. However, whatever I say should not be taken as a legal recommendation.
Some countries will slap a minor fine on you if you use 123Movies, while Germany has severe penalties if you are caught downloading from this platform. But it really depends on how the authorities handle the case.
In some places, the authorities are more interested in how content is distributed rather than going after individual viewers. While some authorities won’t even bother to ensure that any rules are being followed.
How to Watch 123Movies safely?
If you want to use 123Movies for streaming, I recommend using a VPN. Firstly, the legal challenges in the past have proved how important it is to use a VPN to mask your IP address. It uses encryption, which means your online activity will remain hidden.
Secondly, security is crucial if you are visiting any clone 123Movies website. They may contain viruses or malware that can find a way into your device and damage your data.
Many VPNs available in the market offer security while visiting any streaming website. This kind of VPN ensures protection against pop-ups and adverts containing viruses or malware. It also helps bypass geo-restrictions regarding streaming websites.
Why Choose 123Movies?
There are a number of reasons why 123Movies was once, and its clones are now widespread.
Infinite Streaming
Regardless of the number of movies or TV shows you want to watch, you can stream without interruptions. You can watch movies on 123Movies in one sitting with a stable internet connection.
Huge Movie Collection
123Movies offers unlimited movies and TV shows from around the world. The clone sites are updated regularly to add new shows and movies.
Availability in Different Languages
123Movies provides subtitles in different languages with movies. So users from around the globe can conveniently stream shows and movies.
Legal Alternatives to 123Movies
Depending on your internet connection, sometimes, VPN may slow down movie streaming on 123Movies or its clones. Or, if you want to adhere to laws, there are some safe and free legal alternatives to 123Movies as well.
Although they may come with certain restrictions or not offer a massive collection of movies like 123Movies does, they are still good.
Hoopla
Hoopla is an excellent free streaming platform that rivals many paid services for watching movies. However, you’ll need a library card to use it. You can unlock a wide range of TV shows and movies with the card.
Locast
Locast delivers the best value in terms of streaming local channels. You can watch everything from local news to award shows and live sports free of charge.
IMDb TV
Although IMDb offers a small library of movies, it has some of the most popular movies and TV shows available for free streaming. IMDb currently consists of over 340 free movies and TV shows.
Roku Channel
You can only stream Roku Channel through Roku streaming devices and web browsers. However, it does contain an excellent range of classic 90s movies.
Tubi
Tubi has an extensive library of over 19,000 movies and TV shows available for free streaming. It offers a good range of horror movies, action flicks, and classic TV shows.
Bottom Line
Hopefully, you now know everything there is to know about using 123Movies. Its legalities, use, and free alternatives. It depends on the piracy laws of your country whether you can stream movies or shows on 123Movies without a hefty fine.
But no matter whether you use 123Movies clones or any other streaming service, it’s vital to use a VPN. However, if you are not sure about using 123Movies clone sites, there are many legal alternatives that you can use to stream movies.
