‘Stream-ripping’ websites that let music fans steal songs from YouTube banned to be in Australia

‘Stream-ripping’ websites that let music fans steal songs from YouTube and save them on their computers and phones are set to be banned in Australia

  • Australian music lovers may find it harder to steal songs from YouTube soon
  • Punters have long been breaching copyright laws by using ‘stream ripping’ sites
  • Popular streaming sites face being blocked as the case heads to the courts

Websites dedicated to ‘ripping’ songs from YouTube to be played from phones and computers could soon be blocked in Australia as industry insiders head to the court.

Crafty music-lovers have long been breaching copyright laws by using websites to download songs from YouTube that convert files to MP3 – allowing them to listen to the music at any time free of charge.

However, a crackdown is coming to Australian listeners and may see the sites banned for good.

However, a crackdown is coming to Australian listeners and may see the sites banned for good

However, a crackdown is coming to Australian listeners and may see the sites banned for good

Music Rights Australia general manager Vanessa Hutley told news.com.au is part of the industry group coordinating the action, which is currently before the federal court.

The case is targeting three offshore sites; convert2mp3.new, 2conv.com and flvto.biz.

Ms Hutley said that while there were a lot of ‘stream-ripping’ sites, the group was focusing on the more serious ones.

‘These cases, they’re not cheap to bring. What we’re trying to do is use these cases to create the maximum impact to benefit local musicians and creators.

‘The nature of these sites, because you don’t know where they are you can’t file cases all around the world, so the legislation was created to address the worst of the worst types of illegal sites.’

The music industry took a massive hit when file-sharing site became mainstream. However, the industry has seen a massive turn around in recent year's thanks in large part to paid streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music (Ariana Grande pictured) 

The music industry took a massive hit when file-sharing site became mainstream. However, the industry has seen a massive turn around in recent year’s thanks in large part to paid streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music (Ariana Grande pictured) 

Site blocking laws, which were introduced in Australia in 2015, give local rights holders the power to take legal action against sites that facilitate infringement copyright.

The music industry took a massive hit when file-sharing site became mainstream.

However, the industry has seen a massive turn around in recent year’s thanks in large part to paid streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music.

The case will be heard in the Federal Court on April 3.

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