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 youtube-dl]” είναι “να παρακάμψει τα μέτρα τεχνολογικής προστασίας που χρησιμοποιούνται από εξουσιοδοτημένες υπηρεσίες streaming like YouTube” and allow users to “reproduce” and distribute music videos and recordings […] without permission.”
The RIAA reported that its source code project "explicitly suggests its use for copying and/or distribution of the following copyrighted projects."
The RIAA is an organization that 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 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
Although GitHub took the RIAA's letter as a DMCA takedown request, the letter was not. As its legal director pointed out today Public Knowledge John Bergmayer on Twitter, the RIAA is not claiming that the library violated its rights, but that the library itself is illegal.
As anyone who has used youtube-dl knows, it is an extremely powerful and useful tool for format-shifting. It's super popular among archivists and has incredibly broad fair use applications. The RIAA stance here is pretty aggressive and out there.
- Parker Higgins (@xor) October 23, 2020
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 being removed from YouTube for infringement. regulations.
As anyone who has used youtube-dl knows, it is an extremely powerful and useful tool for format-shifting. It's super popular among archivists and has incredibly broad fair use applications. The RIAA stance here is pretty aggressive and out there.
- Parker Higgins (@xor) October 23, 2020
Before it was removed, the youtube-dl project had more than 72.000 stars on GitHub, making it one of the most popular repositories.
