A BUNCH of ripping sites used by millions to illegal download content from YouTube have been closed down.
Ripping has long been a piracy problem for record labels, enabling people to steal copies of music appearing on YouTube for offline usage.
A dozen sites that offered such services for free have been taken offline following targeted enforcement action in Vietnam.
The group were collectively visited more than 620 million times globally in the last year.
Y2mate.com was the biggest of the lot.
Now, the sites all show a warning to anyone seeking to illegal download music.
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Stream-ripping sites that turn licensed streams into free downloads are illegal,” it reads.
“Using or operating them can lead to serious consequences, including a criminal conviction.”
Site operators agreed to take them down after being pursued by the IFPI, an organisation that represents the recording industry worldwide.
IFPI is now in possession of all sites.
This includes the following:
- 9convert.com
- In-y2mate.com
- Tomp3.cc
- Ump3.cc
- utomp3.com
- y2mate.gg
- yt1s.gg
- youtubepp.com
- y2mate.com
- yt1s.com
- vidcombo.com
- Y2mates.com
“This marks a major milestone in our ongoing work to tackle stream ripping, one of the most prevalent forms of online music piracy,” said Victoria Oakley, CEO of IFPI.
“It is a first of its kind success in Vietnam for the music industry, and we aim to build on this momentum to address other infringing services operated from the region.
“We will continue to tackle services which infringe our members’ rights, and to help protect the global music community.”
