ShowBox used to be one of the most popular streaming apps back in the day, as it allowed users to watch all their favorite movies and TV shows free of costs. Things were great for a while, until the app became targeted because of legal reasons.
Certain independent movie studios ended up filing a DMCA subpoena in order to discover the persons connected to sites that offer the app. Things took a turn for the worse, as the Showbox application itself was “down” for a period of time. Now it is back, but is it safe to use?
Legal repercussions?
Unfortunately, it is hard for us to say that Showbox is safe to use at the moment. We do know that websites linked to Showbox managed to settle the legal fight, but we do not know the terms of settlement. What we do know is that those sites now display a “Showbox warning” which also mentions that “If you use ShowBoxApp to view copyrighted movies, the movie studios may be able to see your IP address and your viewing history”. It also adds that it is “illegal” and it “subjects you to liability for copyright infringement”.
That warning sounds serious enough, and you might want to pay attention to it. Since ShowBox is not available on the Google Play Store, this means that you have to download it from a third party. In this case, it is very difficult to be certain that the source is a reliable one. At the very least, you might want to use a VPN., although that might not be enough to protect you.
Malicious code
Nonetheless, if you are worried about malware or viruses, you should know that from this perspective, ShowBox is completely safe. Even a Quora developer vouched for its safety, so that should be good enough. While downloading the app on your smartphone isn’t dangerous, you still need to be extra careful. In the end, it is up to you whether you will use it or not, but be prepared for consequences.
Nora Reynolds is a major in biology and a minor in Biological Basis of Behavior, writing about science in general. She also likes to try new gadgets and sports about the AI new era.
