WebVetted β„’ Beta
Recommendation
Proceed
Overall Summary
Safe
Why we think so

Archive.org, also known as the Internet Archive, is a well-established nonprofit digital library with about 149 million monthly visits, offering free access to texts, movies, music, and over 624 billion archived web pages. It ranks #163 globally for web traffic and is highly trusted, using reputable technical infrastructure like CloudFlare and secure HTTPS. The site has multiple verified public contact emails and active social media accounts, reinforcing its legitimacy. While it has faced lawsuits regarding its digital lending program, these disputes concern the organization, not consumer fraud. There are no credible reports of financial scams or direct harm to users. Overall, archive.org is considered a safe and trusted resource for historical internet and media content.

Confidence Score
93%

Risk Insights

🌐

Strong Popularity and Usage

About 149 million monthly visitors worldwide
Ranks #163 globally in web traffic
Top countries include the US and India
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Robust Technical Setup

Valid SSL certificate from Go Daddy
Uses CloudFlare CDN for security and performance
Registered since 1995 with trusted registrar
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Clear Contact and Transparency

Multiple verified official emails available
Active social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
Nonprofit organization with public reputation

Contradictory Signals

Lawsuits relate to copyright, not consumer fraud or scams.

Signal A: No credible fraud or scam reports

Signal B: Legal disputes over digital lending

Category Scores

Identity 95/100
Reputation 95/100
Technical 90/100
Content 90/100
Legal 85/100
Business Validity 95/100

Red Flags & Warnings

  • Archive.org has faced legal disputes over digital lending programs, resulting in content removals, but these do not indicate consumer fraud.

πŸ”Ž Detailed Checks & Analysis

Domain Age and Registration

Score: 95/100
Passed

"Longstanding registration reduces scam risk."

Reason: The domain archive.org has been registered since 1995 with a reputable registrar, reflecting a long, stable presence.

Traffic and Popularity

Score: 95/100
Passed

"Popular sites are less likely to be scams."

Reason: Stable high traffic (~149M visits/month) and global rank #163 indicate widespread, trusted use.

SSL Certificate Validity

Score: 90/100
Passed

"Secure HTTPS is standard for trusted sites."

Reason: SSL certificate is valid and issued by a trusted authority.

Blacklist and Malware Checks

Score: 100/100
Passed

"Clean safety reports support authenticity."

Reason: No presence on any blacklists and no malware detected by Google Safe Browsing.

Reputation and User Reviews

Score: 90/100
Passed

"User and expert reports support legitimacy."

Reason: No credible fraud accusations; critical feedback relates to content policies, not scams.

Contact Transparency

Score: 90/100
Passed

"Transparency reduces scam risk."

Reason: Multiple official contact emails and active social media profiles enhance transparency and trust.

Legal and Copyright Issues

Score: 80/100
Failed

"Legal disputes do not imply fraud."

Reason: Archive.org faced copyright lawsuits resulting in content removal, but no evidence these affect consumer safety.

Your Next Steps

  • 1
    Use archive.org confidently for research, historical content, and media access.
  • 2
    Verify content you access is from archive.org's official domain.
  • 3
    Stay informed about ongoing legal developments if concerned about copyright issues.
  • 4
    Report any suspicious activity related to archive.org to appropriate authorities.

Evidence & Citations