YouTube-MP3, the world's leading YouTube-ripping site has reached a deal with the RIAA and will finally pull the shutter down on its operation. The private settlement ends months of speculation after a major lawsuit was filed by several major record labels in 2016.

YouTube Ripping

Ripping videos straight from YouTube is big, big business. As there is no legal way to download and convert videos from YouTube to MP3, myriad ripping services offer that exact service, for free, to anyone. YouTube-MP3 is one of the most popular sites of all, receiving millions of visitors every day.

Image Credit: Pixinoo via Shutterstock.com

Of course, if users are converting YouTube videos into audio to listen to elsewhere, they're depriving music labels of advertising profit. In an attempt to actually directly affect the situation, a coalition of major music labels, including Capitol Records, Warner Bros. Records, and Sony Music, represented by the RIAA, took the site to court -- and appear to have won. While there has been no official outcome, according to TorrentFreak, a recent ruling indicates that both parties have reached an agreement.

Part of that agreement is the closure and transfer of the YouTube-MP3 site to one of the record labels, as well as the YouTube-MP3 accepting blame. Furthermore, the ruling will prohibit site owner Philip Matesanz from "knowingly designing, developing, offering, or operating any technology or service that allows or facilitates the practice commonly known as 'streamripping.'"

While it is certainly the case that the ripping site will close, at the time of writing, the site is accessible. However, any video conversion attempts return the following message:

The site is live, but its functionality has been removed.

It's Illegal

Ripping and converting videos from YouTube is illegal, and certainly breaks the YouTube Terms of Service. You're probably breaking other copyright laws, too. That isn't to say I haven't done it -- there is some excellent music on YouTube that simply isn't available elsewhere.

That said, I am not profiting from advertising at the loss of the music labels. If the site was pulling in millions of visitors daily, that is a significant amount of lost advertising revenue. And while the size of Matesanz's fine hasn't been revealed, I'm sure it isn't light.

Did you use YouTube-MP3? Do you think all converters of this type should be shut down? Or are they providing a vital service YouTube refuses to provide itself? Let us know your thoughts below!

Worawee Meepian via Shutterstock.com