Is Putlocker safe and legal? How to use it securely

If you are an online streaming lover, Putlocker is more like heaven for you. But if you wonder is it safe, the answer to your concern is a big no. Though, there is a turnaround to stream Putlocker safely; the use of a quality VPN.

We will uncover all that in this guide. But, before you proceed with this article, you should note since the platform mostly features pirated content, it might not be legal in your country. And that we do not encourage any form of piracy.

Putlocker is a haven for fans of online streaming, but is it safe to use? The answer is yes, but only if you use a high-quality VPN to protect yourself.

Putlocker is a website that lets users stream entertainment media, particularly films and television series, for free. At its peak in 2016, the site received millions of traffic every-day until a high court shut down the original site. The reason was that most of the contents on the site have no permission or user rights.

A lot of Putlocker Mirror websites exist today that offer the same contents and services for free. However, the shutdown of Putlocker across the world in 2016 showed that streaming premium contents illegally was not acceptable. That means anyone using this site exposes his/her data to cybercriminals unless you apply some safety measures that we are going to share in this article.

Is Putlocker safe?

The obvious answer to the above question is no. But to back the claim, below are some explanations as to why it is unsafe to use Putlocker:

1. The free content on the site exposes the users because the owners don’t pay for strong security measures to protect them. They only focus on protecting their servers and not the contents during transit of downloads.
2. The fact that users’ safety is not their priority, all who use the site use it at their risks.
3. There is no legal agreement that puts the site owners in any legal position to be held accountable for the loss of users’ information.
4. Due to a lack of users’ protection, hackers can drop malicious files to phish data and corrupt users’ devices’ operating systems.
5. It is possible for the site owners to deliberately attach some malicious files which users can download alongside the movie contents for fraudulent reasons. If Putlocker can steal content to stream, then they can also steal your data.
6. Putlocker mirror websites make money and also maintain their servers through voluntary donations without a subscription. People often get drawn to visiting illegal streaming websites such as Putlocker to access endless content because they’re free. However, hackers can steal your credit card details for fraudulent transactions from such sites.
7. When on Putlocker, malvertising can also infiltrate your system, leading to identity theft, sabotage, and even ransom. Therefore, you have to play safely to avoid facing getting infected with malware.

Is using Putlocker illegal?

The short answer is, yes. Piracy is a growing trend on the internet. You could face severe penalties for violating laws. Moreover, due to the ban of Putlocker, the authorities can trace and press charges against you for using the site. That stands true for some popular Putlocker alternative sites, too.

As you can understand, using illegal streaming sites is against copyright laws. Different jurisdictions around the world interpret copyright laws in various ways, and punishments for defaulters also defer.

If anyone places copyrighted content on a website, both the user and the publisher can face severe penalties. Even though the chances of getting caught and prosecuted are slim, the website owner can be easily caught and face litigations. This is the case with Putlocker and why the government shut down the original website. 

People who produce and market these contents are supposed to benefit financially from their work. To protect their interest, they copyright the contents to ensure no intellectual theft and revenue loss. Therefore, any form of illegal torrent downloads, streaming, distribution, or reproduction is a crime against copyright laws.

That’s why countries like Germany have a history of tracking and fining illegal content streamers.

Also, in the USA, some bodies watch against piracy. Mostly, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Motion Association of America (MPAA) handle such cases.

They take note of the people who illegally download content and make them face huge financial ramifications. These organizations keep logs of everyone, which means that they can catch you at any time. This is one of the reasons you need adequate protection before streaming on Putlocker.

Did you know that the consequences of illegal downloads can result in a 5-year jail term in the USA? The government can also ask you to pay a fine of as much as $150,000 per file. Moreover, aside from the government penalties, the copyright owner can file a lawsuit and claim damages, which the defaulter must pay.

Is it dangerous to use Putlocker?