Hi, Alysers! I’m excited to share with you the reason why we have illegal streaming sites and what makes them so popular!
Let’s be honest here. At a certain point in our lives, one of us may have gone on to Google and searched for ways to watch certain movies for free. Now, the reason why we do this may vary, but we all end up with the same destination: illegal streaming sites.
And so, in this article, we will explore the reason why we have illegal streaming sites in the first place. We will also discuss what it is that makes them so popular. Let’s get to it!
DISCLAIMER: We are not promoting illegal streaming sites
Why do we have illegal streaming sites?
Before anything else, I want to issue a disclaimer here. We are NOT promoting illegal streaming sites at all. After all, they are against the law and they encourage the concept of intellectual theft and piracy. However, there is also the reality that they exist and only continue to become more popular. Hence, we will try to make sense of its phenomenon.
Now, with that out of the way, why do we have illegal streaming sites in the first place? Well, think of it as a modern replacement for the old pirated CDs. The process went like this:
- People would videotape the movie they’re watching in the cinema
- They’d burn multiple CDs with the copy
- They would distrbute the CDs at a cost that was much lower than the official releases.
Meanwhile, online piracy has proliferated since the Internet was created. First, it started with songs, as it was with Napster and Limewire. Eventually, as CDs started to get phased out, movies and TV shows were then also put on online streaming platforms. And since old habits die hard, it only followed that pirated files of these shows also popped up online.
Now, at first, this was mostly done through Torrent. However, many countries started cracking down on that, and it became more and more inconvenient to download and store big files. This is where illegal streaming sites come in. Through these platforms, people can watch the shows for free, and they don’t have to spend 24 hours downloading a 90-minute movie.
What makes illegal streaming sites so popular?
Some of us may think, why don’t people just pay for the streaming sites? In an ideal world, all of us could afford to. However, there is the reality that many people don’t have the extra money to spend on these luxuries. This leads us to what makes illegal streaming sites so popular.
Illegal streaming sites are popular because they are free to use
Whether we like it or not, illegal streaming sites make movies and TV shows available to the masses. A lot of people don’t have the extra cash to indulge in a Netflix subscription or a cinema ticket. They then turn to illegal streaming sites, where they can watch shows and movies for free.
Illegal streaming sites make territory-exclusive releases available worldwide
Did you notice how some shows are only available in certain areas? For instance, Kung Fu Panda 3 is only available on Netflix Japan. Meanwhile, Stargate SG-1 is only available on Netflix US. This means that even if you have a Netflix subscription, there are shows and movies that you don’t have access to.
This is where illegal streaming sites come in. They make these territory-exclusive releases available to everyone, no matter where they’re located.
Illegal streaming sites have a well-rounded line-up of shows and movies
With that said, illegal streaming sites also have a well-rounded line-up of shows and movies. Some shows, you can only view on Hulu. Others, you can only watch on Netflix. Then there’s also:
- DisneyPlus
- Amazon Prime
- Apple TV
- HBO Max
- Paramount+
This can become very expensive, very fast. For the most part, illegal streaming sites have most of the shows that people are looking for, regardless of the title and production company. This makes it a lot more convenient for the viewers.
Illegal streaming sites are updated quickly
Movies that are released in cinemas take a few months before they get uploaded to a streaming site.
For instance, Shang Chi was released in theatres in September, and it went on Disney Plus in November. For people who want to get in on the hype but are unable to go to cinemas, two months can feel like a long time. Hence, they go looking for the movies on illegal streaming sites, where varying copies of the movie pop up almost immediately.
Final thoughts about illegal streaming sites
When all is said and done, there are also disadvantages to illegal streaming sites, namely:
- Bad quality of copies
- Unreliability of websites
- Lots of annoying ads
- Takes a long time to load
- Possible exposure to computer viruses and malware
- Normalizes piracy
- Sometimes redirects you to R-18 websites
- Puts the viewer at risk of cybercrime
And so, at the end of the day, it’s really about knowing what costs you are willing to take. As for me, I think that it would be better to split a legal streaming account with friends and family. That way, you get to cut costs without exposing yourself to the dangers of illegal streaming sites.
Do you agree with the post? What do you think is the reason why we have illegal streaming sites and what makes them so popular?
Let us know in the comments section below!
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