But none of that money goes to the original copyright holders of the downloaded content, and that’s not fair. First, most of the websites and apps that offer this service make money through advertising. When used on copyrighted content, stream ripping is by-and-large illegal. Generally, though, these cases are exceptions and not the norm. Another is using parts of copyrighted works within fair use guidelines. Stream ripping has a few legitimate uses, such as utilizing content that has no copyright or is governed by Creative Commons guidelines. YouTube’s interface allows videos to be downloaded by their copyright holders, but using a third-party tool to do so – even just the audio – counts as stream ripping. “Stream ripping” is using software (like YouTube to MP3) to make downloadable file copies of data streams, such as YouTube videos.

For the most part, though, downloading an MP3 from YouTube is a process that has come to be known in legal circles as “stream ripping,” “stream recording,” or “de-streaming.” And if it isn’t done under the right circumstances and for the right purposes, it puts you on the wrong side of the law. There are some exceptions to this, which we will discuss shortly. That means you’re allowed to watch and/or listen to it, but you’re not allowed to take (any part of) it and make a copy for yourself, unless you already own its copyright. Most content on YouTube (and many other video-sharing websites) is copyrighted. Let’s start by briefly explaining what YouTube to MP3 actually did, and how the law interprets the way it worked.įor the most part, YouTube to MP3 is not legal. 10 best sites and apps for listening to, downloading, or streaming music legally.

Music mp3 converter