In this post, I’ll examine whether HiAnime is safe and legal.
What is HiAnime?
HiAnime is a streaming site for free anime movies, TV shows, and short films.
The platform offers a wide range of free anime content, including English-subbed, English-dubbed, currently airing, and popular titles. All content is entirely free, and you don’t need an account or subscription to start streaming.
However, these standards are too good to be true for a third-party site that charges nothing.
Fans worldwide aren’t oblivious that HiAnime offers free premium anime streaming.
The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) also targeted several HiAnime domain names in a recent DMCA subpoena, fueling questions about its legal standing. Users worldwide are concerned and asking the question, “Is HiAnime safe and legal?”
This post will cover everything you need to know about HiAnime’s safety and legality, enabling you to make an informed decision before using the platform.
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Is HiAnime Safe and Legal?
Like most unverified streaming sites, HiAnime claims that it does not host content on its site but provides links to media hosted on other sites.
The official website says:
HiAnime does not store any files on our server, we only link to the media which is hosted on 3rd party services.
Despite the disclaimer, HiAnime shares copyrighted content. FireStickTricks.com can’t verify whether HiAnime has acquired the necessary licenses or copyrights to redistribute this content.
Let’s explore the safety and legal concerns separately.
HiAnime Safety Concerns
Several factors raise safety concerns for HiAnime:
Multiple Domains
Although the official domain for HiAnime is hianime.to, the brand also exists in other domains, including hianime.sx, hianime.mn, and hianime.nz. The service’s availability across multiple domains is a significant concern for several reasons.
You cannot distinguish between original sites and copycats. Malicious players can also use the brand name to create fake websites whose sole purpose is to phish user data or spread malware.
Data safety
HiAnime’s content is free and available to everyone. You don’t even need to sign up for an account. However, hackers often target free streaming sites due to poor security measures, so the safety of your data on such sites is not guaranteed.
Free sites generate revenue through ad revenue or by selling user data to third parties. HiAnime doesn’t show ads, which suggests it probably generates revenue through selling data.
Sketchy Terms of Service (ToS)
HiAnime’s Terms of Service (ToS) raise concerns about user safety and accountability. Regarding the limitations, the site states that it won’t be held accountable for any damages caused by the use or inability to use the materials on HiAnime. Furthermore, the site reveals that it hasn’t reviewed all the sites linked to its website and is not responsible for the contents of any such linked sites.
The lack of accountability makes it difficult to trust the site’s security and legitimacy.
The best way to determine HiAnime’s safety is to scan the website for malicious or suspicious files. I scanned the site URL on VirusTotal, a leading online antivirus service. No security vendor found any malicious files. However, one vendor found it suspicious. See the results below.
HiAnime Legal Concerns
Several aspects raise legal concerns for HiAnime. They include:
Offering Premium Content for Free
When a streaming site offers premium content for free, it doesn’t make business sense. How are the rightsholders making money off of it? For instance, if an anime series airs on TV or Netflix, the copyright holders make money by negotiating a deal with the distributor. The distributor earns by selling subscriptions or by charging for cable services.
If you watch a show for free on a site like HiAnime, which is otherwise available as paid content, it is highly probable that it is pirated and infringes copyright laws, which could lead to legal trouble.
Legal Troubles
A streaming site can be flagged for piracy when the copyright holders file a complaint with anti-piracy bodies, highlighting that the content is being illegally distributed or reproduced. According to an ACE DCMA subpoena filed against HiAnime, the company is infringing copyright laws.
In the subpoena, ACE requested Cloudflare to disclose information on individuals offering infringing material. HiAnime was among the listed sites targeted in the subpoena.
Safe and Legal HiAnime Alternatives
If you are looking for HiAnime alternatives, below are some anime streaming sites that are 100% safe and legal:
1. Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is probably the best anime streaming site on the market. The site is exclusively dedicated to anime, featuring trailers and bonus clips, original movies, popular anime films, and complete episodes of ongoing TV series.
2. Hulu
Another legal service that offers anime is Hulu. The best part is that you don’t need to pay extra to access the anime library. With a single subscription, you can access the entire Hulu library, which includes movies, TV shows, and anime.
3. Netflix
Netflix is best known for its original anime, which you can’t find anywhere else. If you’re looking for a service that offers high-quality, comprehensive, and up-to-date anime, look no further than Netflix. You can also enjoy other content from our vast library, including movies, documentaries, and TV shows.
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4. Tubi
All the above legal options are premium. If you’re not ready to pay to watch anime, Tubi has a decent library of free anime movies and shows. For free, you can watch popular series like Naruto, Dante’s Inferno, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure on Tubi.
Verdict: Is HiAnime Safe and Legal?
HiAnime’s safety and legal standing are not clear. Security tools, such as VirusTotal, didn’t find suspicious files on the site. However, the site raises concerns about safety, particularly regarding data security. Being targeted by anti-piracy authorities also raises concerns about the platform’s legitimacy.
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