Websites using Megavideo

Okay, here s a breakdown of MegaVideo, including details on its history, revenue (estimation since exact figures are unavailable), alternatives, information that would have been related to pricing (it was a mixed model) and customer care, and a discussion of the reasons for its downfall.

Please note: MegaVideo is defunct. It was shut down by authorities in 2012 due to rampant copyright infringement. Therefore, details about pricing and customer care are historical and no longer applicable.

What was MegaVideo?

• Type: Video hosting and streaming website.
• Launch: 2005
• Shutdown: 2012
• Primary Use: Popular platform for hosting and sharing videos, particularly movies and TV shows, often without proper copyright permissions. This was its major problem.
• Associated with: Kim Dotcom s MegaUpload file hosting service. It was essentially the video streaming front-end for MegaUpload s file storage.

Overview

MegaVideo was a very popular website in the mid-to-late 2000s and early 2010s. It gained traction because it offered a vast library of content, often copyrighted material that wasn t available on legitimate streaming services at the time. It was similar to YouTube, but with a much greater focus on longer-form content like movies and TV series.

Revenue (Estimated)

• Advertising: The primary source of revenue was advertising. They displayed banner ads and pre-roll video ads before content.
• Premium Accounts: MegaVideo offered premium accounts that removed viewing time limits and provided faster streaming speeds. This subscription revenue supplemented advertising income.
• Estimation Challenges: It s difficult to obtain precise revenue figures because MegaVideo was operating in a legally grey area for much of its existence. However, given the website s enormous traffic, estimated yearly advertising revenues were likely in the tens of millions of dollars.

Pricing (Historical - No Longer Applicable)

MegaVideo used a freemium model:

• Free Accounts: Free accounts had viewing time limits (typically around 72 minutes). After that, users had to wait a period of time before they could continue watching.
• Premium Accounts: Premium accounts eliminated time limits, offered faster streaming speeds, and removed ads. Pricing would have varied, but were typically offered in monthly or yearly subscriptions.

Customer Care (Historical - No Longer Applicable)

Given its legal troubles and general nature, MegaVideo s customer support was likely limited:

• FAQ/Help Section: A basic FAQ section likely addressed common issues like account problems, streaming issues, and billing questions.
• Email Support: Possibly offered, but response times were likely slow.
• No Phone Support: Very unlikely to have offered phone support.
• DMCA Takedown Requests: They did have a process for copyright holders to submit DMCA takedown requests, though the effectiveness of this process was often questioned.

Alternatives (Current Streaming Services)

Since MegaVideo is gone, here are some legitimate alternatives:

• Netflix: Popular subscription-based streaming service with a vast library of movies and TV shows.
• Amazon Prime Video: Included with an Amazon Prime membership, offering a variety of content.
• Hulu: Focuses on current TV episodes and also offers original content.
• Disney+: Features content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic.
• YouTube Premium: YouTube s subscription service provides ad-free access to all YouTube videos, including original content.
• Other Streaming Services: HBO Max, Paramount+, Peacock, Apple TV+, and many more.

Why MegaVideo Was Shut Down

The primary reason for MegaVideo s demise was copyright infringement. The site was a haven for pirated content, and copyright holders (movie studios, TV networks, etc.) put immense pressure on law enforcement to take action.

• Legal Action: In January 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice shut down MegaVideo (and MegaUpload). Kim Dotcom and other executives were arrested and charged with various offenses related to copyright infringement and money laundering.
• Copyright Law: MegaVideo was operating in violation of copyright laws. They profited from the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material.
• Enforcement: The shutdown was part of a broader effort to combat online piracy and protect intellectual property.

In summary, MegaVideo was a popular but ultimately illegal video streaming platform. It was shut down due to rampant copyright infringement. Today, numerous legitimate streaming services offer a wide range of content for a subscription fee.