Happy Wednesday Everyone! Looks like record labels are dealing with another cyber stealing problem again! Labels such as; UMG Recordings, Capitol Records, Warner Bros, Sony Music, Arista Records, Atlantic Records and others are royally pissed at YouTube-mp3.org (YTMP3) for cutting down their royalties.
YTMP3 is a site that provides users a platform to illegally rip audio from lawfully uploaded YouTube video clips. YTMP3 has been getting millions of users and are allegedly responsible for upwards of 40% of all unlawful ripping of music on YouTube globally. According to legal documents YTMP3 has created a system that allows users to create a permanent file from YouTube videos with just a few easy clicks. This becomes a major problem for record labels and companies who get swindled out of receiving their just royalties.
As such, legal action has been launched against the German operator of YTMP3 in a federal court in Los Angeles. Record labels are seeking damages from the company, which includes $150,000 for every instance of piracy which can swing to a hefty price for the alleged infringers, as the record labels allege that “tens, or even hundreds, of millions of tracks, are illegally copied and distributed by stream-ripping services each month” and YTMP3 is the “chief offender”, with over 60 million users per month. Since the case is still brewing and the defendants have not answered, we will just have to sit back and see the case unfold.
Credit: Jessica Wong
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