How is it possible to watch official and paid movie or tv show content for free? Is it illegal to use free movie apps? is it safe to watch content through these services? What about all the bad stuff like viruses and malware infecting your devices? Some might even think of jail time for watching and downloading movies for free. Well, the concept of free movie streaming has been around for some time. Starting from free movie websites that you can access from your desktop or laptop to the apps dedicated to mobile devices such as Android and iOS. If you know free movie websites like 123movies, Fmovies, Yesmovies, AZ movies then you already know how popular the concept of free streaming
Free Streaming Demand vs Legal Restrictions
More than ever free Mobile movie apps like Moviebox Pro, Mediabox HD, Movie HD, Cyberflix TV, Zinitevi have gained the attention of the users. The reason for the flourishing free movie streaming site is none other than the demand. No matter the number of legal restrictions, a sizable amount of movie fans are obsessed with free streaming content. This drive for free stuff has created a market for various movie app developers. What most movie apps do is direct users to third-party hosting services such as cloud streaming. The media uploaded there originate from diverse sources with unknown intellectual property backgrounds.
Clouded Origins
There is a lack of intelligence on acquisition rights and also the hosting process itself. Legality is a pretty complicated domain in cyberspace and it is hard to tackle as well. So, to answer your legal questions, you will not be jailed for watching or downloading movies from free sources. You will not be also held responsible for any legal issue and the only parties to suffer the consequences are the service providers. In this case, it is the app developers and hosting services who are 99% percent, responsible culprits. Now the question is whether this violation of ownership can be justified. Since the law is already placed there is no legal justification for free streaming services, but that doesn't stop us from examining it from a consumer perspective.
Free Movie Apps – A Different Market
I am not siding with free movie services when I reveal the following, but rather I am trying to be rational in my personal opinion. If there was no demand for free content there would be no motive for the app developers or website owners to stream such content. Well, it is not like drug trafficking or something downright destructive, at least relatively. True that producers need to be rewarded for their effort and creating Movies and Shows is an investment in itself. However, we need to understand that streaming evolves just like everything else. For instance, in the software industry, there are both free versions and commercial software that facilitate consumers. No, I am not talking about freemium programs which at one point coerce you to purchase additional features. Here I refer to software with a full freeware license.
Why Not Legitimize Free Movie Apps?
Some such free programs rely on advertising to cover up costs and they are integrated into the app itself. Users may have to endure the advertising for their use of the particular service. Especially the apps that require an active internet connection are filled with ads. As the needs of the consumers evolve so do the fabric of marketing and revenue generation. You can't rely on old methods to find money if you are not innovative. Understanding free streamers as a different market in the book of law will change how such contents are treated in the legal context. The free streaming sites can be legitimized and then a fair portion of revenue may be paid to the copyright holders. That way the rights of producers are protected and not violated. Well, this may have practical drawbacks from various aspects but it is the only win-win situation for both parties.
The possibility of trapping the aforesaid parties in the web of law is extremely remote, provided the elusive nature of the web itself. They can operate under proxies anonymously while concealing their true identities. I think now you are relieved about all the legal consequences and you now know that you are not affected. Think how ridiculous it would be to go to jail for watching something online. Knowingly and unknowingly people surf these free movie sites online and there has never been an issue.
Safety – The Real Danger of Free Movie Apps
Legality is not the real danger for users but the safety of free streaming services. Not all movie apps are holy and they can be breeding grounds of malware and other nasty stuff. Thousands of movie apps see the light of the day, and the security of such programs is one of the most pressing concerns. The safe and secure apps have well-developed websites with valid digital certificates and also SSL encryption. You can also test websites claiming to give free movie apps with your internet security solution. A security scan will enable you to get a general picture of the movie app provider.
Top-rated free movie apps scan for viruses or other malware before allowing the stream. they only capture video streams from reputed third-party hosting services, if they are not the hosts themselves. Now the problem is not with these established free movie apps like the ones I mentioned at the beginning of this post. I claimed that thousands of free apps see the light of the day. They cannot be always trustworthy. An unsuspecting user may become a victim of malware infection. Free apps with unknown origins may be attached with viruses that get activated when you run them. Especially if your mobile phone is deficient in the security department it can become vulnerable.
Keep your Defenses Active before Running Third-Party Apps
Some free movie apps may even demand you to root or jailbreak your mobile device. It is always advisable to stay away from movie apps that try to tamper with the system. Trusted movie apps do not ask for system overrides and they install on devices in the usual way. However, even trusted apps are not in the play store or apple store so you have to enable unknown sources in Android and trust the app in iOS. Always keep your defenses active when you install third-party movie apps for maximum protection. Be aware of apps that ask you to turn off your security software as they are likely to be harmful. The best practice is to keep your mobile up-to-date with all the latest security patches.
Textbook Security Methods to Ensure Safety
There are other ways to ensure the safety of free movie apps. You can try to look out for the developer of a particular app. Check if you can get the developer information which may include verifiable details. Also, note if the developer has created other programs and it can be a mark of reliability. Check to see how many times the particular app has been downloaded. Higher the number of downloads the safer the app. Try to read reviews and check in the forums and other social media about the app. You will be able to get an idea about the safety and security of the app. Look for the language errors in the app, if there are a lot of spelling or grammar mistakes it is probably fake. Reliable apps are always professional and well maintained. Check app permissions before you install an app. It discloses permission details such as location or camera. Be alert on suspicious permission requests. Make your app undergo the following scans through your security app before installation.
1. Pre-installation scan
2. Smart Scan
3. App permissions
4. App Shield
If you do the above steps right you don't need to worry about free movie apps or any app that come from outside google play or the apple store.
I opt to recommend some free apps that I have tested and you can find them from the below links. These are well developed and maintained to meet all the security standards and you can download and install without fear.
1. Moviebox Pro
2. Mediabox HD
3. Movie HD
4. Cyberflix TV
5. Zinitevi
Wrap UP
Well, this long post explored the legal and safety issues surrounding free movie apps. I wish to state that whatever I mentioned in this post is all akin to my personal opinion about free movie apps. My views do not intend to violate any existing law on the legitimacy of free movie apps. On the aspect of safety, I have briefly provided some precautions you can follow to avoid risks associated with third-party content. I encourage you to explore more on how to be safe when you download apps from unknown sources. The free movie app recommendations I have given are my personal favorites and I have given the links to these apps only after verifying their source and security. Hope you enjoyed the post and stay tuned for more updates.
