If you are looking for a current music video, you will usually find it quickly on YouTube. The temptation to simply download the video or at least rip the audio track is no less great. But are you even allowed to do that or are you committing a crime here?
Billions of videos can be found on YouTube. You would certainly like to have many of them as fixed files on your hard drive. In the case of music videos, on the other hand, the interest is more in the soundtrack so that you get an MP3. So downloading it is downright tempting. But is that actually allowed?
That’s how complicated the situation is
Before you deal with the question of whether downloading YouTube videos is legal, you should first clarify the structure of the portal. YouTube is a provider of content that you did not create yourself. Third parties can upload videos there and make them available. As a result, the rights holder of the videos does not necessarily always upload the video.
However, the right holder in particular usually decides how you should receive the work. If the provision as MP3 had been planned, this would certainly have happened. Instead, however, a streaming service is used.
Am I breaking the law with YouTube converters?
There is no criminally relevant act when using YouTube converters. Seen solely from this point of view, you as the end-user do not have to worry about anything. But the criminal law side only represents one aspect of the problem. Because there are also YouTube terms of use, for example.
Does YouTube prohibit downloading videos?
In fact, YouTube and Google are not enthusiastic about users who download videos. For example, YouTube specifically states in the terms of use that downloading YouTube videos is prohibited. The abuse of Google products is vehemently opposed.
The goal is primarily portals that allow videos to be downloaded. But the end-user can also come into focus if Google becomes aware that such services are being used.
What can happen?
Google’s position is that downloading the videos is copyright infringement. Correspondingly, one takes action against portals that provide the corresponding services. In most cases, YouTube tries to block access via these portals so that downloading is no longer possible.
We are not aware of any active action against individual users. However, Google doesn’t like to see details about YouTube converters. Anyone who refers to YouTube converters on their private website and also uses other Google services there quickly comes into focus.
Also Read: Put The Internet Where It Belongs: Limits