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The Internet has changed the way we consume information. Gone are the days when you had to switch between channels to find a good movie to watch. Internet streaming and over-the-top (OTT) services give users the ability to watch their favourite movies, TV shows and sporting events at the click of a button.
Online movie sites have seen a surge in membership in recent years, and more so with the recent pandemic and stay at home directives. With poor regulation of video streaming, it is a honey pot for scammers and fraudsters.
Apart from the popular movie sites such as Netflix and Disney+, there are several other websites offering live television and movie options. Why would you choose any other platform than the highly popular ones? Well, for more content and low pricing!
However, there are risks involved as well. Here are some of the risks when subscribing to on-demand streaming services:
While most people are unaware that illegal streaming sites are abundant, some users are specifically looking for illegal websites to stream pirated copies of movies and TV shows. These users are voluntarily choosing to be exposed to viruses, malware and phishing attempts.
However, for others who do not mind paying for original content, here are some of the precautions you can take to stay safe when using movie streaming sites.
Finally, if you can download/stream the latest movies, just in the cinema, you know for sure it is an illegal site and your personal and financial data are at risk.
There are a handful of legitimate online content providers compared to the fraud streaming portals. Here we list some of the popular ones. Please note that some services may not be available in your country, and even if they are, they may not offer the same content database.
| Streaming Website |
| YouTube |
| Vimeo |
| Netflix |
| Hulu |
| Disney+ |
| Amazon Prime Video |
| AppleTV+ |
| Peacock |
| SlingTV |
| Discovery+ |
| HBO Max |
| Vudu |
| Tubi |
| Kanopy |
| ESPN+ |
| Sky Go |
| Paramount+ (Previously CBS All Access) |
| Sony Liv |
YouTube is an American online video sharing and social media platform owned by Google. It is the second most visited website, right after Google itself. YouTube has more than one billion monthly users who collectively watch more than one billion hours of videos each day. As of May 2019, videos were being uploaded at a rate of more than 500 hours of content per minute.
Vimeo, Inc. is an American video hosting, sharing, and services platform provider headquartered in New York City. Vimeo focuses on the delivery of high-definition video across a range of devices. Vimeo's business model is through software as a service (SaaS). They derive revenue by providing subscription plans for businesses and video content producers. Vimeo provides its subscribers with tools for video creation, editing, and broadcasting, enterprise software solutions, as well as the means for video professionals to connect with clients and other professionals. As of 2021, the site has 200 million users, with around 1.6 million subscribers to its services.
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription streaming service and production company. Launched on August 29, 1997, it offers a library of films and television series through distribution deals as well as its own productions, known as Netflix Originals. As of October 2021, Netflix has over 214 million subscribers worldwide, including 74 million in the United States and Canada, 70 million in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, 39 million in Latin America and 30 million in Asia-Pacific. Netflix can be accessed via an internet browser on computers, or via application software installed on smart TVs, set-top boxes connected to televisions, tablet computers, smartphones, digital media players, Blu-ray Disc players, video game consoles and virtual reality headsets
Hulu is an American streaming platform. Launched on October 29, 2007, it offers a library of films and television series from networks such as CBS, ABC, NBC, or FX, as well as Hulu original content. Hulu is currently only available in the United States and Japan. As of the fourth quarter of 2021, Hulu has 43.8 million subscribers.
Disney+ is an American subscription video-on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned and operated by the Media and Entertainment Distribution division of The Walt Disney Company. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced by The Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Television, with dedicated content hubs for brands such as Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and including Star in some countries. Original films and television series are also distributed on Disney+. The service has 118.1 million global subscribers as of October 2, 2021.
Amazon Prime Video, or simply Prime Video, is a subscription video-on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon.com, Inc., offered as a standalone service or as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced by Amazon Studios or licensed to Amazon, as Amazon Originals, with the service also hosting content from other providers, content add-ons, live sporting events, and video rental and purchasing services. Operating worldwide, the service may require a full Prime subscription to be accessed. In countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany, the service can be accessed without a full Prime subscription, whereas in Australia, Canada, France, India, Turkey, and Italy, it can only be accessed through a dedicated website.
Apple TV+ is an American subscription streaming service owned and operated by Apple Inc. Launched on November 1, 2019, it offers a selection of original production films and television series called Apple Originals. The service can be accessed through Apple's website and through the Apple TV app, which has gradually become available for many Apple devices and some major competing streaming devices, including some smart TV models and video-game consoles.
Peacock is an American over-the-top video streaming service owned and operated by the Television and Streaming division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. The service primarily features series and film content from NBCUniversal studios and other third-party content providers, including television series, films, news, and sports programming. The service is available in a free ad-supported version with limited content, while premium tiers include a larger content library and access to additional NBC Sports and WWE Network content. As of August 2021, the service had reached at least 54 million signups.
Sling TV is an American streaming television service operated by Sling TV LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dish Network. The virtual multichannel video programming distributor aims to complement subscription video-on-demand services for cord-cutters, offering a selection of major cable channels and OTT-originated services that can be streamed through smart TVs, digital media players and apps. As of September 2021, Sling TV has reached 2.556 million subscribers.
Discovery+ is a streaming service owned by Discovery, Inc. The service focuses on factual programming drawn from the libraries of Discovery's main channel brands, as well as original series (often involving spin-offs of existing programs from Discovery's networks), and other acquired content. Discovery+ allows streaming of programs operated by the Discovery company such as HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Asian Food Network, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, and Discovery Channel. They also have content from Discovery's other assets and exclusives varying by country. In the U.S., Discovery+ also carries a selection of programming from A&E Networks' A&E, Lifetime, and History, as part of a licensing agreement.
HBO Max is an American subscription-based video on demand service owned by AT&T's WarnerMedia, through its WarnerMedia Direct subsidiary. While built around content from the namesake premium television service HBO, Max principally serves as a content hub for WarnerMedia's various film and television properties, offering a range of original programming and library content from the company as well as additional content licensed through third-party distributors. According to AT&T, HBO and HBO Max had a combined total of 69.4 million paying subscribers globally as of June 30, 2021.
Vudu is an American digital video store and streaming service owned by Fandango Media, a joint venture between NBCUniversal and WarnerMedia. The company offers transactional video-on-demand rentals and digital purchases of films, as well as integration with digital locker services for streaming digital copies of films purchased as home video at retail. Vudu has established content licensing contracts with all major movie studios as well as over 50 smaller and independent studios. Films are available to rent in standard-definition, high-definition, and 4K ultra high definition formats, with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR10 available on supported devices and content.
Tubi is an American over-the-top content platform and ad-supported streaming service owned by Fox Corporation offering online streaming from a library of films and television series for free. As of January 2021, Tubi has 33 million monthly active users. Tubi's programming includes over 20,000 films and television series from over 250 content partners. The service launched its first slate of original content in 2021, including original television films and television series.
Kanopy, Inc. is an on-demand streaming video platform for public libraries and universities that offers films and documentaries. Kanopy's subdivision, Kanopy Kids, includes children's programming; all Kanopy member accounts have access to Kanopy Kids. Kanopy provides each participating public library and university with a dedicated and customizable website through which members can stream films. The service includes features such as captions, transcripts, clip creation, and playlist creation that allow users to share videos. Public library patrons and university students and faculty are able to watch Kanopy free of charge with their institution's library card.
ESPN+ is an American over-the-top subscription video streaming service available in the United States, owned by Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, in partnership with ESPN Inc. ESPN+ is marketed as an add-on to ESPN's core linear networks, with some of ESPN+'s content previously offered exclusively to cable subscribers via ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. ESPN+ does not include access to these services, as they continue to only be available through television providers. Thus, some of ESPN's sports rights are not carried on ESPN+. As of November 10, 2021, ESPN+ has 17.1 million subscribers.
Sky Go is an online television service from Sky Group provided free for Sky TV subscribers in the United Kingdom. It complements Sky TV by allowing subscribers to watch live and on-demand Sky TV via an internet connection on the go. The Sky Go app is available on Windows and Mac computers and also on Android and iOS devices. On-demand content comprises sports highlights, the latest news, movies and TV programmes. The service is available at no extra cost to existing Sky TV customers, with accessible content depending on the subscriber's Sky package. Non-Sky TV customers can access the service by subscribing on a pay-per-view basis.
Paramount+ is an American subscription video-on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned and operated by ViacomCBS Streaming, a division of ViacomCBS. It offers original and library content from the CBS Entertainment Group and ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks broadcast properties, as well as the Paramount Pictures library. Originally launched as CBS All Access on October 28, 2014 (10 All Access in Australia), the service was expanded and rebranded as Paramount+ on March 4, 2021, following the 2019 re-merger of CBS and Viacom.
SonyLIV is an Indian over-the-top freemium streaming platform owned by Sony Pictures Networks India. As a streaming service, it is carrying content from its local networks, including films, television series, live sports matches and Original Programming, and also featuring content licensed from third parties in India such as Lionsgate and ITV among others. Since 2020, SonyLIV has taken more of an active role as producer and distributor for both films and television series, and to that end, offers a variety of original programming content through its online library. In June 2020, SonyLIV was launched as a streaming service in the United States on Sling TV, with all the shows available in India available on the app. SonyLIV was launched in Canada on 15 October 2021.
Sources: Wikipedia
