MovieZWAP (Moviezwap.co) emerged as one of the most popular sites for illegally downloading and streaming movies. However, the site’s rampant piracy led to its eventual shutdown.
Offering Thousands of Movies
Launched in 2011, MovieZWAP billed itself as a hub for accessing unlimited movies for free. The site offered a giant catalog spanning Bollywood hits, Tollywood favorites, Hollywood blockbusters and more.
Users flocked to MovieZWAP for its vast selection, easy navigation, and ability to stream films directly or download them as MP4s and MP3s. At its height, it attracted millions of visitors daily.
However, powering this convenience was blatant disregard for copyright law.
Enabling Mass Movie Piracy
Virtually every title hosted on MovieZWAP was a pirated copy uploaded without studio permission, fueling losses for the film industry.
Despite extensive DMCA takedown efforts, MovieZWAP persisted across shifting domains – relying on user uploads to continually refresh its vast illegal library.
As government regulations on piracy tightened, the site’s days became numbered.
Forced Shutdown After Prolonged Legal Battle
By 2017, movie studios succeeded in getting ISPs to block MovieZWAP in India and beyond, crippling its traffic. Unable to stay viable, the site shut down permanently.
While immensely popular among users during its heyday, MovieZWAP represented the epidemic of copyright infringement that plagued entertainment industries in the 2010s. Its closure was an inevitable result as attitudes shifted to protect intellectual property in the digital age.