Google’s Play Store offers a vast library of millions of apps, in pretty much every category imaginable.
Most of the software is perfectly legitimate but there are some problematic apps too, including those that can be abused by pirates.
Over the years, rightsholders have reported many thousands of apps, often for copyright infringement. While some of these takedown notices are questionable, most pirate apps quietly disappear from the platform.
The RIAA is one of the entertainment industry outfits keeping an eye on Google Play. The anti-piracy group is known to target stream-rippers that allow people to download music from YouTube. This resulted in several lawsuits and thousands of takedown notices, mostly aimed at Google Search.
RIAA Flags Music Apps
In recent weeks, we have seen a series of notices from the RIAA that target music download apps in Google Play. The notices appeared in the Lumen database, where Google publishes its takedown requests. Before August there were less than a handful of requests by the music group; since then more than sixty have been filed.
The takedown notices all target music-related apps. Many of these promise free music, MP3 download functionality, and the option to download videos and music from social media sites.
“Search, download and play music offline wherever you are. MP3 Download & Music Downloader search mp3, download high quality music for free,” one of the apps boasts.
Other apps specifically target themselves as ‘tube’ download tools, but carefully avoid mentioning YouTube. There are some that reference popular YouTube ripper brands such as “MP3Juice” to grab people’s attention.
5+ Million Downloads
The RIAA sees these applications as pirate tools. In most cases, the apps have a few thousand installs at most, but there is one that clearly stands out.
With more than five million downloads and more than 78,000 reviews, ‘Video & Music Downloader‘ is a massive target. The app was released roughly a year ago and continues to grow at a rapid pace.
‘Video & Music Downloader’ doesn’t explicitly advertise itself as a tool to convert music videos into MP3s, but many people may use it for that reason. On this ‘circumvention’ ground, RIAA would like to have it removed from Google Play.
Thus far, the app remains online. It’s unclear whether Google denied RIAA’s request or whether it is still under review. However, looking more closely at all flagged URLs, we see that the enforcement efforts have mixed results.
Mixed Results
After reviewing all 68 takedown requests filed since mid-August, we found that the majority of the apps are still online. A total of thirty apps were removed from Google Play.
We don’t want to draw overly-strong conclusions, but it appears that Google has denied some of RIAA’s takedowns intentionally. At the bottom of this article, we’ve listed a complete overview of all the apps and their current availability.
It’s possible that some requests may have been denied because the apps don’t openly advertise themselves as music-ripping tools. For example, the popular ‘Video & Music Downloader’ listing doesn’t mention that it can convert music videos to MP3s, but it does so on its own website. The term YouTube isn’t mentioned anywhere.
Increased Enforcement
It’s apparent that the RIAA has stepped up its Google Play enforcement actions recently. However, the recent surge in requests may be partly related to reporting changes at Google’s end. The music group told TorrentFreak that infringing apps have been on its radar for a while now.
“RIAA has been enforcing against apps that engage in the infringement of our members recordings since 2009. Mobile app piracy remains a top priority and we will continue to expand our efforts in response to changes in the mobile app space.”
To find out if anything changed on Google’s end we requested a comment, but the company didn’t immediately reply.
In any case, the RIAA is trying hard to get music downloading apps removed from Google Play. While it has enjoyed some success, this is easier said than done. App developers will become more cautious in how they advertise their tools, carefully avoiding ‘problematic’ words.
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All of the apps flagged by the RIAA as problematic between August 18 and September 21 are listed below. The URLs marked with an asterisk have been removed from Google Play and those marked with a minus remain available.
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mp4mp3
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Tamjar.Mp3Download
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=downloader.vitmate.downloaderapp.freedownload
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.locmusic.playersong
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.syahidaapps.coldplaysongsoffline
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=vymate.videodownloader.storysaver.vimate.dmate
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.videodownloader.videosplayer.downloader.privatebrowser
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mp3juice.mp3juices.alMp3
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cl.ultimate.mp3music.downloader
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.arc.mp3downloader
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tubemusic.descargarmp3.musicadescargar.tubeplay
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=my.ultratube.adsfree
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mazikatool.tikmezik
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.soundmixtop.downloader
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.musicagratisxyz.downloader
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.videodownloader.downloadvideoappfree
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ultrahd.videodownloader
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.audiotuner.midistock
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.enqimusic.mp3downloader
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.musica.gratis.downloader
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.playmusic.music.player.mp3.download.snptube.downoader.free.app
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.freemusic.download.ddplmnb
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idtubidy.musicdownloaderapp.tubidymp3.tubidymusic
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.descargar.musica.download.mp3.gratis.baixar.music.downloader.free.lagu
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.freemp3.mp3juices33
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.baixargratis.savemp3
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sntube.mp3.downloader.all.music.freesongs.download.app
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tubejet.mp3musictube.tubemp3downloader.tubeplay
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.anydownloader.video.downloader.videodownloader
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.download.music.song[.]mp3
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=allvideodownloader.videodownloader.downloader.alltube.tubemate.tubedownloader.y2mate.ytdownloader
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mp3juices.nu.ytmp3.nu.mp3downloader.mp3juices.cc.ovipco
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.music.song.mp3.play.download.telecharger
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.songworld.downloadmusic
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mp3juice.mp3juices.music.downloader.download.mp3.gratis.free.app
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bpentertainment.tubidyiemp3app
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.visionxstudio.musify
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.musicplayer.android.mp3music.ptrb
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yingzzliushi.tube.downloader.new
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tubidy.mp3musicdownloaderapp.android.free
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.all.video.downloader.eponnj
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tubidy.mp3musicdownloaderapp.android.free
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yingzzliushi.tube.downloader.new
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.anyvideodownloader.videodownloader.allvideo
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=descargar.musica.mp3.gratis.music.downloader.free.download.tubeplay
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tubidycloud.musicdownload.mp3.mobi
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mp3juicecom.musicmp3juice.mp3juice.musicdownloader
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mp3juice.musicdownloader.free[.]mp3
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spy.socialVideodownloader.j
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.en1.y2mate.is.y2mate.com.mp3downloader.mp3juices.ytmp3.putrimp3
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=elshayeb.bigsamsongs.com
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.SayaliMusic.TubeMp3Download
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mp3.music.downloader.mp3juice.mp3juices.fm.download.songs.all.free.app.jdd
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ytmp3musicvideo.downloaderapp.forandroid
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=download.musicmp3.allsongs
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.verybestmobile.itunesmusicvideos&hl=en-US
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tubidycloud.Musicdownloadmp3.t
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mp3juicevin.mp3juicenu.mp3juicecc.mp3juicecom.mp3juicela
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.savefromnetinc.mp3juicecc.musicdownloader
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.streaming.videomusic
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pantherabaliska.waptrickmusik
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mkvplayer.zoovideoplayer
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.downloader.newmusic.musicdownloader.music
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=videoplayer.videodownloader.Downloader.t
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=public_local.video.local.songs.indian.tube.download.downloader.publik
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mp3musicdownload.newmusic
– https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lddi.karaoke.offline
* https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mp3juice.mp3musicdownloader.mp3.juices
