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CNET accused of hosting ‘pirate software’ by RIAA

Despite music revenue growing year on year as streaming and downloads make it easier than ever before for people to access (and pay) for the music they love, the RIAA and its fellow advocacy groups continue to see piracy as their biggest opponent. To that end, this week's attempt to crack down on it has seen them combine their forces to go after CNET's Download.com, which they claim hosts software that facilitates piracy.

The problem in this instance, is “ripping software,” which allows users to download songs from YouTube and other sites, removing the ability to track their views and to display adverts. The same goes for many other sites and services which host a lot of music, prompting the group to send a strongly worded letter to CNET.

“[Download.com] has made various computer, web, and mobile applications available that induce users to infringe copyrighted content by ripping the audio or the audio and video from what might be an otherwise legitimate stream,” the letter reads.

ILLEGAL
Otherwise making this practice….

Essentially, CNET is being accused of providing software to facilitate piracy, potentially making it as guilty as some of the file locker sites which have been targeted in much the same way in recent years. However, CBS, the parent company of CNET is much bigger than the usual RIAA targets, which is perhaps why the music lobby group it has teamed up with 15 others to try and take on the behemoth.

While the letter doesn't go as far as to accuse CNET of anything in particular, or make any specific demands, it asks that the site consider best “industry best practices and [CNET's] company reputation,” moving forward.

CBS isn't impressed or perturbed by the letter it seems. In a statement (via Billboard) it simply pointed out that every piece of software distributed through its Download.com portal was legal, and that any underhanded usage by consumers was at the prerogative of the user, not the site owner.

KitGuru Says: This is an age old argument: how responsible is the site/platform owner for what their users do with it? Do you think CNET has a part to play in managing software that its users take and use for illegal means? 

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6 comments

  1. Nikolas Karampelas

    While it is understandable for someone to want to protect their work, this RIAA thing is a cancer and also does incredible damage marketing wise to the people who represents.

  2. “Do you think CNET has a part to play”

    sure but not the obvious play, CBS, and CNET are now in a position to take on these collective “teamed up with 15 others” persons and groups in their own collective and strip any and all arguments these riaa collective use to destroy the worlds consumers and innovators while riaa enrich their own pockets….

    cbs/cnet and all the other internet companies that want to service consumers now have the opportunity to destroy the special interests of these people , get some balls and kick the riaa and related org’s off the net and down in the gutter where they belong while the rest of the world innovates and make profits in a reasonable way for all…..

  3. GET A BEST TOP254-CAREER ::: @1md5.

    bc….

    http://www.Home-Job-ConceptsBest6/top5/yes...

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  4. I will pirate now just to piss off the RIAA. These thugs need to be fed live to the crocs

  5. There are several programs to download videos off of youtube and other sites. The one i use i got from my Firefox browser. I rip videos off of Youtube all the time. Not music videos. I don’t care about music videos. I download videos of hot chicks from Youtube and a bunch of porn sites. So don’t get on my case music industry. I don’t need or want your products.

  6. Oh RIAA… don’t you have better things to do? Or have you already fondled all of the media industry executives and pleasured all of the congressmen who will accept your bribes?