Streaming 411

About 10 days ago news started spreading about a cease and desist letter that Google sent to www.youtube-mp3.org the beginning of June, 2012.  This online service takes a youtube link you provide and then separates the audio component of the file and converts it into an MP3 file available for download.  There are a multitude of other services that provide similar conversion tools, some of which have shut down after Google flexed their muscles.

YouTube-MP3.org states on their website that:

• they never used the YouTube API to pull any videos from them
• they truly believe their service is legal
• German courts have ruled that an online recording tool isn't different from any tv recorder or something comparable
• the German Department of Justice publicly advised to download content off YouTube (?!)
• their service isn't any different than consumers making a cassette recording from the radio, or a video recorder to capture a television show
  

They also refused to close their service, requesting to speak to Google on the phone.  Google countered by blocking them from accessing their servers at the YouTube site.

Google is starting to play a little bit of hardball with these websites after being chastised by the major music labels to put a stop to the unauthorized free music files being made by these sites.  Since these entertainment companies are giving Google / YouTube the rights to sell their content, it certainly makes sense that they would get a bit peeved if Google ignored piracy.  Not everyone thinks this is piracy - I mean, according to YouTube-MP3.org, the German DOJ says to carry on.  But if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck quacks like a duck, and wears a pirate hat like a duck . . . well, draw your own conclusions.

Artists often release their content onto YouTube as a promotional tool to drum up interest in their music.  The reasoning is that it will entice people to pay for the album, attend the concerts, etc.  Most music ends up on legit streaming services as well, where they continue to enjoy royalties.  It makes complete sense to me that they would frown on services like this.

Now here's where it's important to point out that there is legitimate audio and video conversion software like RealPlayer.  I read recently on one of the articles on the legal trouble for YouTube-MP3.org a comment that blasted RealPlayer facilitating piracy, and for being untouchable because it was a huge corporation, but Google was going after poor little YouTube-MP3.org because they were an easy catch.  The truth is, though, that RealPlayer software abides by YouTube's Content ID program, which anyone who owns copyrights to content may participate in in order to protect their content from being downloaded by RealPlayer.

This is why RealPlayer software doesn't always display a download button on YouTube.  So if you are a duck wearing a pirate hat, you'll be disappointed with RealPlayer.  But if you wish to download the millions of content that people truly want to share, RealPlayer will easily help you do so, and convert it into the file format of your choice.

The Content ID program will either block unauthorized uploads of copyrighted content, or sometimes after the fact YouTube may take down a video that is in violation of copyrights if for some reason the artist didn't participate in the program, but didn't want their music being used in an unauthorized fashion.

Some of YouTube's critics say the entire site is flawed with the ability to "share" content.  But many artists don't mind sharing their music.  In fact, it keeps them alive in our hearts and minds decades longer, and introduces them to a new generation.  It opens up new demand for streaming services that have genres available from yesteryear.  It may even spur the purchase of oldies but goodies via digital file instead of having to play your dusty old record album. 

No matter what side of the argument you fall on, the bottom line is that there are legal, legitimate ways to enjoy content.  Our site is dedicated to helping consumers find video or music streaming sources, and other services like RealPlayer download software.