Popular Stream-Ripping Site Declines To Play Whac-A-Mole With YouTube
from the fine-you-win dept
We have been talking these past few weeks about a strange game of whac-a-mole currently being played between YouTube and a whole bunch of stream-ripping websites. While stream-ripping sites have been targeted by the music industry specifically for some time now, despite a wide range of non-infringing uses of such technology, it was only recently that YouTube decided to participate in all of this by blocking access to its platform for many of these sites. Built around claims of ToS violations, it’s fairly clear that YouTube’s actual goal in all of this is to appear to be attempting to bow to the music industry’s wishes. Despite the blocks, many of these sites have managed to route around the blockade, thus the game of whac-a-mole.
But not all such sites have taken this stance. Onlinevideoconverter.com, which initially routed around the block, has since announced that it is voluntarily leaving the hide-and-seek game and will simply stop converting YouTube videos itself.
However, the team behind the site isn’t planning to keep up this fight. People who access the stream-ripper today will notice that YouTube downloads have stopped working again. A site representative informs TorrentFreak that this is intentional.
“In view of YouTube’s latest stance, we’ve decided to disable the conversion of all YouTube videos on our service,” OVC says.
The stream-ripping site notes that the decision was taken voluntarily and not after it was contacted directly by rightsholders or YouTube. OVC simply believes that it’s the best direction to take and it stresses that other downloading and conversion tools remain available.
While other sites are still keeping up with the game, the exit of OVC is significant, as it is certainly one of the most popular stream-ripping sites on the internet. This may, of course, have been part of YouTube’s overall plan. While its initial strike wasn’t particularly effective, perhaps it actually was if seen as something of a warning shot. Google and YouTube have a ton of legal and influential weight to throw around, after all, and taking this initial action was bound to be enough to spook some sites.
Which is a shame, actually. The fact remains that these sites have legitimate uses. I’ve used them in the past for publicly available lectures and educational material from technology manufacturers that have no reason to view an audio rip as problematic. And, again, what about the artists out there who actually embrace what the internet can offer and want their work made as widely available as possible?
They don’t matter in this fight, apparently. And that’s a reality the music industry, and apparently now YouTube, can’t seem to recognize.
Filed Under: copyright, culture, fair use, stream ripping, whac-a-mole
Companies: onlinevideoconverter, youtube
Comments on “Popular Stream-Ripping Site Declines To Play Whac-A-Mole With YouTube”
Yesterday's news slanted the inimitable Techdirt way.
Last night I used this to rebut you, Timmy! And here you stand this on its head so can look up its rear and call it good news for pirates!
Whew. Every time I close the browser on Techdirt, reality looks fresh and reasonable, a welcoming haven from nightmare of zombies and clones of Timothy Geigner, notably in his "Gary" and "Scary Devil Monastery" screen names.
Name three. — Bet ya can’t, cause IF such exist who want to work for free, are unknown because their work isn’t valuable!
Now, don’t "but Masnick gives away his work", because in every piece he has a notice BEGGING for money, besides that he’s a millionaire and has this site solely for vanity, so special case.
Re: Yesterday's news slanted the inimitable Techdirt way.
Dang. Now I see that screen name exposed to the whole world forever, occurs to me there’s a 2nd way to take it…
Re:
If Techdirt scares you enough to make you piss your adult diapers, why do you keep coming back?
Re: Re: Re:
Well he reads every one of my anti-copyright posts and can’t make a single coherent response so I do feel flattered. 🙂
Hi Blue Balls!! Ready to unveil your super-cool blog that will be so much better than TD so you can show us the REAL stories?
Re: Yesterday's news slanted the inimitable Techdirt way.
Too stupid, didn’t read.
Re: Re:
Dan Bull, Amanda Palmer, Jonathan Coulter.
Next!
(Also, since you like it so much, have a DMCA vote.)
Re: Forecast isn’t so hot for your mental stability.
You know what fun? Looking through your old posts when you used to be able to write entire coherent paragraphs worth of actual argument. These days you can’t finish a proper sentence. You know why it’s fun to do that? Because it’s nice to trek the progression of your mental illness and extrapolate that line graph into the future.
Re: Yesterday's news slanted the inimitable Techdirt way.
Try visiting [jamemndo](https://www.jamendo.com/], as there are more that 3 names on that site.
Real reason
Apparently there has been some behind the scenes communication. The Copyholes have been putting pressure on their government lackeys.
Correct me if I am wrong:
but why do they need a separate website to rip youtube videos?
Haven’t they heard of such a thing as plugins for FF and Chrome, that do that task just fine?
Donwloadhelper for FF comes to mind.
What am I not getting here?
Cheers, oliver
"…taking this initial action was bound to be enough to spook some sites."
They have been shown the door. Twice.
They are taking the hint, they aren’t welcome on youtube. Youtube can ban whoever they want, right?
No one is being forced to use youtube and as mentioned, there are other apps and other sites
Re: Re:
It is entirely correct that YouTube is free to ban whomever they please. Notably, the article does not say they are not within their legal rights to do so.
We are, however, equally free to point out the loss of (non-infringing) functionality that this action can lead to, the ineffectiveness of the method that was employed to effect the action, and the likely motivation behind doing so.
Basically, just because they can, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to actually do, and doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be criticized for doing so.
Re: Re: Re:
"Basically, just because they can, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to actually do, and doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be criticized for doing so."
Not good for them, but good for the public as youtube could use some bigger competition. I guess it depends on who you are rooting for, John Q Public or Too Big To Fail Corporation
Re:
You’re so preoccupied with whether they can that you didn’t stop to think whether they should.
Re: Re: Re:
Did you have anything to add that hasn’t already been said?
Or were you so preoccupied with posting anything you didn’t think to look and see if you should?
YouTube could reduce the pressure for ripping sites by enabling the uploader an option of allowing their videos to be downloaded.
Ripping Sites
I think I am missing something. Can’t the ripping site stream the video through the users browser? Then it just looks like the "end user" is using the stream.
There are still plenty of tools that will do it without any interference. This is just a total waste of resources.
Re: Re:
It’s don’t to placate the record companies who are on the warpath.
YouTube isn’t supposed to allow downloads, per their license agreements.
The record companies have made threats because YouTube wasn’t "doing something." The have now done something.
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