RIAA closes 18 GitHub projects to download videos from YouTube

Microsoft-owned GitHub today removed 18 projects following a legal request from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

In the letter he sent to GitHub, the RIAA argued that “the express purpose of this source code [its library -dl]” is to “bypass the technological protection measures used by authorized streaming services such as YouTube” and allow users to “play” and distribute music videos and recordings […] without permission.”

The RIAA said the project source code "explicitly recommends its use for copying and / or distributing the following copyrighted projects."

The RIAA is one which claims to represent about 85% of the entire US recording industry, and has asked GitHub to remove the youtube-dl project from its site, along with its forks (copies managed by other users).

Youtube-dl and 17 copies are included in the RIAA letter, which are no longer accessible:

github.com/ytdl-org/youtube-dl
github.com/benkeung/youtube-dl
github.com/cyberjacob/youtube-dl
github.com/elaopinska/youtube-dl
github.com/huangciyin/youtube-dl
github.com/jckelley/youtube-dl
github.com/LouisPlisso/youtube-dl
github.com/ojauch/youtube-dl
github.com/rbrito/youtube-dl
github.com/successLee/youtube-dl
github.com/trammel/youtube-dl
github.com/vs9390/youtube-dl
github.com/zackfern/youtube-dl
github.com/tosuch/youtube-dl
github.com/pornophage/youtube-dl
github.com/tejaskhot/youtube-dl
github.com/VideoUtils/youtube-dl
github.com/798221028/youtube-dl

Αν και η GitHub πήρε την επιστολή της RIAA σαν αίτημα κατάργησης DMCA, η επιστολή δεν ήταν. Όπως επεσήμανε σήμερα ο νομικός διευθυντής του Public John Bergmayer on Twitter, the RIAA is not claiming that the library violated its rights, but that the library itself is illegal.

The library is often used to create YouTube video copy services that allow users to download YouTube music videos as MP3 songs for free.

However, as Freedom of the Press member Parker Higgins pointed out, youtube-dl is an essential tool for Internet archivists, who often use it to download videos of violence or social injustice before they are removed from YouTube for of the regulations.

Before it was removed, the youtube-dl project had more than 72.000 stars on GitHub, making it one of the most popular repositories.

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Written by giorgos

George still wonders what he's doing here ...

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