By 3 News online staff
Google is cracking down on sites that allow users to rip songs from YouTube and download them as mp3s.
In a letter sent to sites like YouTube-mp3.com and Music-Clips.net, Google says such sites are breaking YouTube's terms of service, and must stop.
Google says it is against the rules to "separate, isolate, or modify the audio or video components of any YouTube audiovisual content made available through the YouTube API".
The ability to rip audio straight from Google means music fans don't have to buy their favourite songs, or pay for streaming services like Spotify and Rdio – or listen to the advertising that sites like YouTube rely on for revenue.
YouTube-mp3.com is fighting back however, saying Google is being hypocritical in blocking the site, saying the internet giant rips others' content to create services like Google News and Google Books.
"We are asking us what has happened to Google," a representative of the company wrote on the site's blog, only identified as 'Philip'.
"It wasn't long ago they lived by their 'don't be evil' philosophy and did what the users wanted."
Philip says that in Germany, where his site is based, it is legal to use an "online recording tool" to make copies, and that it is "not different from any tv recorder or something compareable [sic]".
Google is refusing to negotiate, and has reportedly blocked YouTupe-mp3.com from accessing its API.
3 News