Young Turks Recordings Ltd & Ors v British Telecommunications Plc & Ors

Young Turks Recordings Ltd & Ors v British Telecommunications Plc & Ors

Stream ripping sites and apps infringe copyright by enabling and authorising unlicensed copying, circumventing technological protection measures, and communicating works to the public; ISPs are service providers with actual knowledge, and a blocking order is necessary, effective, and proportionate to prevent ongoing infringement.

Parties
Claimant: Young Turks Recordings Limited; Claimant: XL Recordings Limited; Claimant: Warner Music UK Limited; Claimant: Warner Bros. Records, Inc.; Claimant: Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited; Claimant: Simco Limited; Claimant: Queens Lite, Inc; Claimant: Matador Records Limited; Claimant: Domino Recording Company Limited; Claimant: Capitol Records, a division of Universal Operations Limited; Defendant: British Telecommunications PLC; Defendant: EE Limited; Defendant: Plusnet PLC; Defendant: Sky UK Limited; Defendant: TalkTalk Telecom Limited; Defendant: Virgin Media Limited
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
25 February 2021
Procedural Posture
Intellectual Property / Final Judgment
Outcome
Claim allowed; blocking order granted.
Legal Topics
Website Blocking Orders, Stream Ripping, Technological Protection Measures, Copyright Infringement, Communication to the Public, Joint Tortfeasorship, Authorisation of Infringement, Proportionality of Injunctions
Intellectual Property Copyright Website Blocking Orders Stream Ripping Technological Protection Measures Copyright Infringement Communication to the Public Joint Tortfeasorship +2 more

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Parties

Young Turks Recordings Limited

Claimant

XL Recordings Limited

Claimant

Warner Music UK Limited

Claimant

Warner Bros. Records, Inc.

Claimant

Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited

Claimant

Simco Limited

Claimant

Queens Lite, Inc

Claimant

Matador Records Limited

Claimant

Domino Recording Company Limited

Claimant

Capitol Records, a division of Universal Operations Limited

Claimant

British Telecommunications PLC

Defendant

EE Limited

Defendant

Plusnet PLC

Defendant

Sky UK Limited

Defendant

TalkTalk Telecom Limited

Defendant

Virgin Media Limited

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Intellectual Property / Final Judgment

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether stream ripping sites and apps infringe copyright and circumvent technological protection measures
  2. 2 Whether ISPs are service providers/intermediaries liable to block access under section 97A Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
  3. 3 Whether the operators of stream ripping sites authorise, induce, or jointly participate in copyright infringement

Ratio Decidendi

Stream ripping sites and apps infringe copyright by enabling and authorising unlicensed copying, circumventing technological protection measures, and communicating works to the public; ISPs are service providers with actual knowledge, and a blocking order is necessary, effective, and proportionate to prevent ongoing infringement.

Court Disposition

Claim allowed; blocking order granted.

Orders

  • ISPs ordered to block access to specified stream ripping websites and apps.
  • Permission granted to affected parties to apply to vary or discharge the order.