The proliferation of digital content has given rise to an age of consumption of entertainment be it from the Hollywood, Bollywood, or any other regional film industries. There are many online platforms but also sites like “123 Movie Rulz” where one can find resources in order to obtain the newest movies and TV shows without spending a dime. Such services, operating under several similar structures, including “MovieRulz” have gained immense popularity because of the vast amount of content available and the possibility of high-definition video streaming. Nevertheless, even though these web portals address the need of the audience for entertainment, they tend to be extralegal and involve many risks associated with security, adherence to the law, and morality.
What is MovieRulz?
MovieRulz is a popular streaming website that offers a wide range of Bollywood, Hollywood, Tollywood, and all the Indian regional films. The site also hosts a considerable number of Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam dubbed versions. Mostly, MovieRulz targets fans of international films, who do not want to pay any form of subscription for the latest movie releases, in its case dubbed films.
The MovieRulz sites are ineradicable as they keep on altering their domains to avert detection and closure by the relevant authorities. This periodic transferring of domains is one of the means that MovieRulz exists, making it very easy for individuals to circumvent the normal system of distribution and get illegal materials.
How MovieRulz Works
MovieRulz mainly operates by copyright infringement. They get the copies of films and series by either bootlegging a cinema or just getting a leaked copy. These are then uploaded on the site for the users to watch or download free of charge and without the permission of the copyright owners. This makes MovieRulz capable of uploading fresh content almost immediately without waiting for formal distribution channels to be opened.
Almost all MovieRulz sites are simple to use but provide films in various quality and formats. Although the user experience may seem favorable, such sites have many pop up advertisements and also redirect users to external sites which may be harmful to the users’ devices and personal information
Legal and Ethical Concerns
Copyright Infringement
Copyright infringement is prevalent in sites such as MovieRulz and similar ones which break laws in numerous countries around the world. Copyright protections exist to safeguard the works of authors, filmmakers, and artists so that they can receive benefits for their creativity. MovieRulz and other similar sites do a disservice to these protections by allowing the infected content to be distributed without the author’s permission, which has a negative effect on the film businesses and creates deterrents for investing in such creative projects.
Financial Impact on the Film Industry
The film industry suffers considerably from the existence of piracy websites. For example, the availability of illegal versions results in loss of revenue at the box office, especially for low budget and regional films. When the audience opts to watch films from MovieRulz instead of purchasing the tickets and subscribing to the streaming services, it negatively impacts the financial income of the film industry as well as for the actors. This aspect can be especially adverse in nations such as India, where the film sector is a significant source of culture and economy.
Personal and Cybersecurity Risks
Apart from the legal issues, using such websites like MovieRulz can be risky for the users. Such websites are usually filled with ad banners or in between the video which can be harmful since they can lead to malware or even phishing. This can result in the user downloading an application that has a virus or putting their details that might compromise their safety and lead to them being victims of crime such as identity theft. While the surface may look easy to use, there are dangers lurking underneath that make it difficult to consider this option for healthy and fast entertainment.
How Governments and Authorities Are Responding
Steps are being taken by countries across the world to tackle piracy and MovieRulz is one of the most targeted websites because of its traffic. Authorities tend to block even MovieRulz related domains, but of course the site will be back under a new domain or name as usual. A few countries such as India have much stronger anti-piracy regulations, and even consequences like fines or jail sentences for those who are found guilty of using or distributing pirated material. Although these measures have been taken, piracy is still prevalent and continues to be a major concern.
The government of India for instance has also ratified many loosening amendments to the Cinematograph Act with a view to incarcerate criminals who are found enjoying the services of piracy and using it to earn money. Still, complete eradication of piracy seems impossible in this technological age since anyone can change the name of a website or the IP address of the domain.
Alternatives to MovieRulz
In this day and age, getting your hands on a movie or a TV show doesn’t have to be a crime. There are many video streaming services offered and they all have different contents and ways to subscribe to. Some of them are:
Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney plus: These services provide a rich catalog of films and series which include both local and foreign hit titles. They have quality content and very affordable subscriptions plans with high quality content.
Local Platforms: In the case of India, there are services such as Hotstar or SonyLIV or Zee5 which are focused on the regional content and provide service of Bollywood or Tollywood and many other regional movies.
Advertisement-Based Services: There are also some platforms that are totally free of charge and advertisements reside in the system, as is the case for MX Player in India, allowing subscribers to stream content safely without paying for a subscription.
YouTube: A wide variety of yesteryear and indie films can also be found on YouTube free of charge or rented out, making it a commendable legal solution for such consumers.
Going for these choices helps content producers, helps in better production quality and most importantly protects the viewers.
Also Read: 123 Movie : The Rise, Fall and Legacy of a Streaming Giant