There are plenty of websites on the internet that let you stream movies, and MoviesJoy is one of them. But is MoviesJoy safe, and can you get into trouble for using it?
Let’s explore MoviesJoy and if it’s safe to use?
What Is MoviesJoy?
MoviesJoy is a video-directory site. It allows users to stream films, from the newest blockbusters to old, forgotten titles. MoviesJoy lists a wide range of different video qualities, from shaky hand cams of just-released movies to full HD rips from physical media.
MoviesJoy themselves don’t host any of the files; instead, they pull the movies from other websites and display them on their own. This way, MoviesJoy can avoid accusations of hosting copyrighted material, as they’re just a conduit for the actual hosts.
Is MoviesJoy Legal?
Whether you should use MoviesJoy comes down to the laws in your country. It’s highly likely that downloading and sharing copyrighted material is illegal where you are, but streaming may be another story.
Some countries have declared that watching a stream of illegal content is a crime. Others have stated that it’s not a crime to watch a stream; the blame is entirely on the person distributing the content in the first place.
Is MoviesJoy Safe?
MoviesJoy’s original site was intended to be completely safe. However, a major problem is that after these, and similar sites, get shut down by governments and/or ISPs, it allows for malicious clones to take their place.
Website clones are oftentimes the product of malicious agents who take advantage of the brand confusion. Unlike the well-meaning websites, rogue websites are designed to trick users into downloading malware or potentially unwanted programs (PUPs).
Consequently, many MoviesJoy links may be dead by the time you read this article. On top of that, today’s legitimate links may in time redirect to a malware site. As such, you need to do a little research to find safe websites. Forums and websites like Reddit tend to have users guiding others in the right direction. Just make sure the posts are fresh.
There’s also the matter that MoviesJoy gets its content catalog from third parties. Typically, sites like this try to use good, well-meaning sources. However, these sources can “turn bad,” either from the host itself turning malicious or hackers compromising the content.
Another issue is malvertising. A source may show malicious ads that either attempt to download files to your computer or tempt you with a scam into clicking on them. Given these problems, it’s a good idea to be cautious when using MoviesJoy.
Why You Should Use a VPN for MoviesJoy
MoviesJoy is typically safe to use, but there are good reasons to use a VPN while you watch your movies.
1. It Can Get Around Stream Throttling
If you suspect your ISP throttles streaming connections, a VPN can stop this. By encrypting your data, your ISP won’t be able to tell that you’re streaming a video. As such, they can’t throttle your data, and you get faster video buffering speeds.
Note that this doesn’t stop a throttle due to data caps. VPNs only mask the kind of traffic, and not how much traffic is going back and forth.
2. It Can Protect You From Rogue Mirrors
If a video that MoviesJoy is hosting does go rogue, a VPN is a good layer of defense to have. When you watch a video using a VPN, the website and the video host don’t see your IP address; only the VPN server’s address. This stops any malicious services from harvesting information from your connection.
(Note: Read our list of Pirate Bay mirrors for some reliable mirror options.)
3. They’re Useful for Dodging Geo-Blocks
If you find that some movies won’t stream to your country, you can use a VPN to skirt around the geo-blocking. When you launch a VPN, it gives you a selection of countries to connect to. In other words, it tricks content providers into thinking you are from another country.
That’s because your traffic goes to the VPN server, then onto the website. That means the website sees the location of the server you’re connected to, instead of your own country.
If a video is blocked in your region, select a different country to connect from and try again. Try to select the country of the video’s origin, as this is most likely to work. If you select a country that the video likes, it will give you access to the video.
4. They Can Come With Ad-Blocking Technology
Some video-hosting websites display ads to earn revenue. If you’re not keen on ads, you can get a VPN with ad-blocking built into it. That way, you can watch videos without interruption or installing an extension onto your browser.
Using MoviesJoy Safely
Legitimate MoviesJoy mirrors are safe to use; it’s the knock-offs and the rogue video hosts that you have to look out for. If you do find a good mirror, you can enjoy MoviesJoy’s free movies to your heart’s content, if it’s legal for you to do so!
Are Other Streaming Services Unsafe?
Mobdro isn’t the only leading free streaming service with security implications.
You could make exactly the same arguments about the safety of PopcornTime, the safety of Mobdro, and a host of other apps. Read the articles to learn more.
