123movies is a destination for watching the latest movies and shows. It has been in the entertainment arena since 2005. It started its business in Vietnam and soon became available worldwide. Due to its long-time presence, 123movies has accessed a massive collection of movies, shows, and web series. Billions of monthly active users visit websites to watch movies online without spending a cent. While users enjoy free movies, filmmakers lose millions of dollars annually.
After many struggles, in 2018, the Motion Pictures Association managed to take legal action against 123movies and take down the official website.
Even though the official 123movies website was taken down in 2018.
This
is why I am discussing what happened to the official 123movies website
and the best 123movies alternatives for watching movies and TV shows
online.
What has happened to 123movies?
123movies lovers often ask what has happened to the 123movies website? Has 123movies been shut down?
Till 2018, 123movies estimated monthly active users were around 100 million. This led the filmmaker company "Motion Picture Association" to file a suit against the website. 123movies was working as a piracy website. As a result, the official website was taken down.
123movies
is the most famous piracy streaming website. It was so popular that the
American ambassador asked Vietnam ministers to take down the website.
Is 123movies Safe and Legit?
No. 123movies' official website shut down in 2018. Since then, only mirror sites and 123movies proxies have been active. These websites are not trustworthy as they keep changing domain names or URLs.
Such sites are full of malicious ads, popups, and third-party redirects. It is best to choose safe and reliable 123movies alternatives rather thanthan to visit a harmful website.
Watching movies on the 123movies website can cause legal issues. Do not violate copyright. Read the Piracy Act and copyright laws. Never visit any piracy website or watch pirated content online.
Even
though the laws are different in different countries, downloading
pirated movies or watching pirated content is still illegal in most
countries.
Why 123movies Still Active?
The 123movies official website shut down in 2018, but at the same time, many mirror and proxy sites like 123movies came into existence. These sites change their URLs periodically to avoid restrictions. Even Google Search is filled with links that lead to the 123movies website.
Users also started using UPN and ad-blockers to access unblocked versions of 123movies.
During my research, I found working 123movies websites still active in 2024.
Every month, 123movies proxy and mirror sites change their URLs. This raises the question about their reliability.
As
123movies is no longer reliable, it is best to choose the top 123movies
alternatives to stay safe. Avoid 123Movies mirror sites.
How to Stay Safe When Streaming 123movies Alternatives?
It is easy if you follow these steps:
Choose a legit alternative:
A legit 123movies alternative is a website that owns the distribution rights of movies and TV shows. Such a website purchases the copyright before streaming movies online.
But if you need more clarification about the authenticity of the website, then follow these steps.
Use a VPN:
VPN,
or Virtual Private Network, encrypts your internet connection. It hides
your identity and uses another server to open the website. It is a way
to protect your online identity from hackers.
Ad-Blocker:
Ad-blockers are a must if you are visiting a new website. When you are not sure about the ads, ad-blockers save you.
A
reliable ad-blocker easily blocks ads from 123movies mirror sites. You
can get an ad-blocker with your VPN; if not, install any free ad-blocker
extension.
Do not Download:
Do
not download movies or videos from 123movies or its mirror sites.
Downloading files from free streaming sites can cause viruses to infect
our devices.
Install Antivirus:
An
antivirus program is a must for any device with an internet connection.
A reliable antivirus can easily protect you from hacking activities and
block malware attacks automatically.
Never Signup:
Do
not share your personal information on a free streaming website. Sites
like 123movies do not ask for registration. Still, there is a signup
form that can leak your personal information to third-party services.
Update Your Device:
Updating
your device to fight malware and virus activities is a must. Software
updates are often capable of fighting modern-day viruses.
Top 123movies Alternatives Active in 2024 (Free and Paid)
The Internet is filled with thousands of 123movies alternatives. Some are legit, and others are copies of the old 123movies website.
It
is necessary to know the reliability of 123movies proxy sites before
visiting. Be responsible for your actions and always choose the top 123
movies alternatives in 2024.
Netflix:
Netflix is always on the top as the best 123movies alternative. It was founded in 1997 and has been in the streaming business for more than a decade.
Netflix has billions of active users worldwide. It is active in multiple countries and offers movies and shows in multiple languages.
Netflix is a premium platform that requires a signup and monthly subscription fee to access videos.
While
you can access unlimited content on Netflix, some movies and shows are
geo-restricted. Netflix also offers a download option to watch movies
and shows offline.
Prime Video:
After Netflix, Prime Video is the second most popular paid streaming alternative to 123movies for watching movies and TV shows online. It has a massive collection of Hollywood movies and TV shows.
Prime Video is also the home of regional films and web series. Amazon originals are only streamed on Prime Video.
The Prime Video subscription also offers an additional benefit. Users get fast delivery on their Amazon purchases. To watch movies and shows online, you must sign up and pay a monthly subscription fee.
Like Netflix, Prime Video also offers a download feature to watch movies and shows offline.
Hulu:
Hulu is also a paid 123movies alternative. It is one of the oldest streaming services, and you can watch Disney content. Hulu is the home of Hulu originals, Hollywood movies, and TV shows.
Hulu is not accessible in every country. If you live outside the USA, you need to use a VPN to access Hulu.
DisneyPlus:
DisneyPlus is another popular and legitimate streaming alternative to 123movies. It streams Disney movies and shows as well as Star Wars, National Graphic, ESPN, and Marvel videos.
Marvel movies and TV shows are streaming on DisneyPlus but are not accessible everywhere. Disney has made partnerships with other OTT services in multiple countries.
In other countries like India, you can access Disney+ content on Hotstar.
PopCornFlix:
PopCornFlix is a free movie streaming alternative to 123 movies. It is a free platform for streaming movies and TV shows online. The only annoying thing about PopCornFlix is that you will not find any latest movies on its platform.
PopCornFlix streams some of the oldest but top-rated movies online without ads and subscriptions.
Crackle:
Crackle, also known as Sony Crackle, is a free yet legal streaming platform for movies and TV shows. It is a powerful 123movies alternative that streams movies, TV shows, documentaries, autobiographies, and more.
Crackle
is available in the USA only. You can access it in other countries
using a VPN and an ad blocker. It requires signup. You must register to
access content on Crackle.
Fmovies:
Fmovies is a massive alternative to 123movies. It streams content without ads or signups. But there is no option to download movies.
Fmovies
is similar to 123movies in every way. Everything that is streaming on
123movies is also available on Fmovies. It is a way to watch movies
online without downloading.
Putlocker:
Putcloker is another website like 123movies. It streams old and new movies without ads. The most popular movies are always displayed on its homepage.
There
is a search option, categories, and a sort feature to find movies
quickly. Streaming is easy. Putlocker is a free platform. To stay safe,
it is a must to use a VPN and an ad blocker.
YesMovies:
YesMovies is another name in the free 123movies alternatives category. It is as popular as 123movies, with millions of monthly active users visiting YesMovies.
It has an extensive library of the latest movies and shows. To stay safe while streaming, you can use an ad-blocker.
WIFI:
YIFI,
earlier known as YTS, is another platform like 123movies. It streams
movies and shows online, but it has a limited database. YIFI does not
host movies on its platform; it offers links to other streaming servers.
Conclusion:
The official 123movies website went down in 2018. Visiting 123movies mirror sites or proxy sites is not beneficial. Such sites have many pop-up ads, trackers, and viruses.
It is best to stay safe and choose reliable, free, or premium, 123movies alternatives.
Always use antivirus, VPN, and ad-blocker to stay safe.
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