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Germany – Hamburg Higher Regional Court: Decision on the use of youtube-dl

Youtube-dl is a software tool that allows the downloading of video and audio from YouTube. It enables video and audio to be uploaded from licensed platforms by circumventing technical protection measures. Due to the possible illegal use of youtube-dl, its creator has chosen to remain anonymous. Representatives of the BVMI (Bundesverband Musikindustrie) took the matter to the German courts, asking the hosting provider from which the youtube-dl could be downloaded to suspend the operation of its client’s server.

The hosting provider did not comply and in March 2023 was held liable by the Hamburg District Court for damages and injunctive relief. The provider appealed, which was dismissed in full by the Hamburg District Court. The latter judgment upholds the original decision of the District Court, which had already ordered the defendants to no longer provide the youtube-dl streaming extraction software.

See the decision in German here.

See BVMI’s press release here.