Tuesday, June 8, 2010

The Dangers Of Using Pirated Movie Downloads

By Hector Frederick

Almost anything we want to watch, listen to, or read can be done through some simple knowledge about computers and the internet. To be able to watch a movie that is still in theaters or not yet out on DVD can be quite an attractant, and most people don't want to go to theaters opting instead to stay home and watch on their own terms without the crowds.

Downloading music on iTunes or books onto a Kindle has made the notion of downloading entertainment mass market. To assume that being able to download a movie is the the next logical step. The notion, however, has always been fraught with thoughts of legality, that perhaps whatever is downloaded is nothing but a bootleg copy that will put a computer at risk and get you into trouble.

These fears were true in the beginning. It took time for the massive file sizes inherent in movies were streamlined as they are today, and the original online movies were nothing more than the most basic bootlegged versions trafficking in both entertainment and copyright infringement.

The danger of copyright infringement is that if the government wanted to crack down on a website, most likely, you IP address which is recorded at every visit will be offered up along with all of the other addresses as a way for the site's owner to not be prosecuted as harshly.

Does this scenario ever happened? Yes, not with movies. The rampant file-sharing of music has resulted in the music industry cracking down on individual customers by instigating large fines instead of bringing arbitration into the mix. With all of this experience in terms of music, it's logical to assume that movie downloading customers will be the next target.

You can use the internet wisely to download movies and you should steer clear of websites offering you unlimited movies for free. These sites act as fronts for injecting spyware and adware into your computer. The saying is true, you can't get something for nothing.

The insertion of spyware software can make it able for the original website to acquire all kinds of personal information from you through the use of keystroke recognition - this can lead to any website you use putting you at risk. Adware works on the assumption that with enough pop-ups you see, the more likely you are to buy a particular product and while this software is not as malicious as spyware it is annoying and both can slow down the performance of your computer.

To make sure that what you're doing is legal and safer, it's best to use websites that charge a fee for joining. Many websites charge only one-time fees at around $40 for unlimited downloads, much like the music site Napster. The fee will most likely protect you from inadvertently downloading any adware or spyware because of the added virus protection that many of these sites contain.

In the end, you can get what you want when you want it in regards to movie downloads. Just steer clear of sites that seem to promise way too much without having anything concrete to back it up. The internet is full of scammers and legitimate businesses and it only takes a small amount of homework on your part to do it right.

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