{"id":85477,"date":"2025-10-07T09:00:27","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T09:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/?p=85477"},"modified":"2025-10-07T09:00:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T09:00:27","slug":"riaa-telegram-discord-are-notorious-hubs-for-pre-release-music-piracy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/?p=85477","title":{"rendered":"RIAA: Telegram &amp; Discord Are Notorious Hubs For Pre-Release Music Piracy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/broken-record.jpg\" alt=\"broken record\" width=\"300\" height=\"252\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-255559\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/broken-record.jpg 535w, https:\/\/torrentfreak.com\/images\/broken-record-300x252.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\">Every year, the US Trade Representative (USTR) issues an updated review of \u201cNotorious Markets\u201d that facilitate copyright infringement.<\/p>\n<p>This overview is put together with help from copyright holders and aims to motivate the targets, foreign authorities, and other stakeholders to take action.<\/p>\n<p>The RIAA typically represents the interests of the music industry, and that\u2019s no different this year. Last week, the group sent its latest submission to the U.S. government, highlighting a wide variety of problematic sites and services. <\/p>\n<h2>Telegram and Discord<\/h2>\n<p>A notable change in this year\u2019s overview is that Telegram and Discord are specifically mentioned as problematic distribution channels. According to the RIAA, these platforms play a major role in pre-release music piracy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMessaging platforms Telegram and Discord have become the primary mechanisms through which pre-release music is distributed without authorization,\u201d the RIAA writes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThrough private and semiprivate communities, organized, global groups engage in hacking, social engineering, and other methods to obtain pre-release music and, in many cases, sell this illegally obtained material for thousands of dollars.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><center><em>From RIAA\u2019s submission<\/em><\/center><br \/><center><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/riaa-2025-intermediaries.jpg\" alt=\"riaa telegram and discord\" width=\"600\" height=\"202\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-272826\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/riaa-2025-intermediaries.jpg 1238w, https:\/\/torrentfreak.com\/images\/riaa-2025-intermediaries-300x101.jpg 300w, https:\/\/torrentfreak.com\/images\/riaa-2025-intermediaries-600x202.jpg 600w, https:\/\/torrentfreak.com\/images\/riaa-2025-intermediaries-150x50.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"><\/center><\/p>\n<p>Telegram was mentioned in an RIAA notorious markets report a few <a href=\"https:\/\/torrentfreak.com\/riaa-reports-telegram-to-us-govt-over-piracy-concerns-191002\/\">years ago<\/a>, and the new listing suggests that issues remain. Discord, on the other hand, was not previously listed. The Notorious Markets report typically focuses on foreign threats, but the RIAA reported the American company as a problem nonetheless. <\/p>\n<p>These messaging services are not on the same level as classic pirate sites. The RIAA recognizes this in its submission, acknowledging that both services respond to takedown notices while also indicating that both should do more. <\/p>\n<p>\u201c[I]t is unclear what steps, if any, they take to limit or prevent the ongoing abuse of the platforms for illegal pre-release distribution,\u201d RIAA notes. <\/p>\n<h2>Stream-rippers, torrent sites, and cyberlockers<\/h2>\n<p>The RIAA\u2019s latest submission also lists the usual suspects, including the stream-rippers Y2mate, Savefrom, Snaptube, Ssyoutube, Tubidy, and Notube. These allow people to download music from platforms such as YouTube and are seen as a prime copyright infringement tool by the music group.<\/p>\n<p>Torrent sites and download\/streaming portals also remain a problem. The RIAA mentions various targets, including Newalbumreleases, Scnlog, 1337x, Rutracker, and The Pirate Bay. The latter has been around for more than two decades, taunting rightsholders globally. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cVast catalogues of music and the world\u2019s most popular and newly released films can be downloaded via [The Pirate Bay]. The site makes no pretense of legitimacy, fails to respond to any takedown notices, and has previously ridiculed those who have sent them such notices,\u201d the RIAA writes.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><center><em>RIAA on The Pirate Bay<\/em><\/center><br \/><center><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/tpb-riaa.jpg\" alt=\"riaa tpb\" width=\"600\" height=\"326\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-272833\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/tpb-riaa.jpg 1860w, https:\/\/torrentfreak.com\/images\/tpb-riaa-300x163.jpg 300w, https:\/\/torrentfreak.com\/images\/tpb-riaa-600x326.jpg 600w, https:\/\/torrentfreak.com\/images\/tpb-riaa-150x82.jpg 150w, https:\/\/torrentfreak.com\/images\/tpb-riaa-1536x835.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"><\/center><\/p>\n<p>In the cyberlocker category, Krakenfiles stands out as a major source of pre-release piracy, the RIAA says, while also serving as a source for third-party AI voice cloning tools.<\/p>\n<h2>Intermediaries<\/h2>\n<p>In addition to direct threats and messaging apps, the RIAA also calls out several intermediaries. For example, hosting companies PRQ, Frantech Solutions, and DDoS-Guard are referenced. These companies are accused of hosting pirate sites and other criminal activity, despite complaints.<\/p>\n<p>PRQ was launched by Pirate Bay founders Gottfrid Svartholm and Fredrik Neij. As far as we know they\u2019re no longer involved, but the RIAA mentions this association in its submission.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPRQ is a Swedish hosting service headquartered in Stockholm and created by two of the founders of ThePirateBay. It offers offshore hosting options and has consistently hosted criminal content,\u201d the submission adds.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, the RIAA mentions American domain name registrars NameCheap and Tucows as \u2018issues\u2019 for shielding customer WHOIS registration data to comply with EU privacy regulation. <\/p>\n<p>Overall, the RIAA\u2019s latest submission builds on previous years with many of the same targets. The inclusion of Telegram and Discord stands out most. Whether the U.S. Government will list these companies in its forthcoming notorious markets review has yet to be seen.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2014<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The RIAA\u2019s full 2025 list of \u201cnotorious\u201d sites and services can be found below, and the full report is available <a href=\"https:\/\/torrentfreak.com\/images\/riaa-ustr-25.pdf\">here (pdf)<\/a>. The <em>cursive<\/em> listings are newcomers and those that were removed are crossed out. The RIAA stresses that this list is a non-exhaustive overview.<\/p>\n<p>Stream-Ripping Sites<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 y2mate.nu<br \/>\n<strike>\u2013 ytmp3.nu<\/strike><br \/>\n\u2013 savefrom.net<br \/>\n\u2013 snaptube app and related domains<br \/>\n<em>\u2013 Ssyoutube.com<\/em><br \/>\n\u2013 tubidy.cool<br \/>\n<em>-Notube.net<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Music Download\/Streaming Sites<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 newalbumreleases.net<br \/>\n<em>\u2013 Scnlog.me<\/em><br \/>\n<strike>\u2013 intmusic.net<\/strike><br \/>\n\u2013 waploaded.com<br \/>\n\u2013 hiphopkit.com<br \/>\n<strike>\u2013 hiphopda.com<br \/>\n\u2013 itopmusicx.com<\/strike><\/p>\n<p>BitTorrent Indexing Sites<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 thepiratebay.org<br \/>\n\u2013 1337x.to<br \/>\n<strike>\u2013 torrentgalaxy.to<\/strike><br \/>\n<em>\u2013 Rutracker.org<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Cyberlockers<\/p>\n<p><strike>\u2013 dbree.org<\/strike><br \/>\n\u2013 rapidgator.net<br \/>\n<strike>\u2013 turbobit.net<\/strike><br \/>\n\u2013 krakenfiles.com<br \/>\n<strike>\u2013 ddownload.com<\/strike><br \/>\n\u2013 pillows.su<br \/>\n<em>\u2013 Chomikuj.pl<br \/>\n\u2013 Pixeldrain.com<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Additional Issues<\/p>\n<p>Bulletproof ISPS: PRQ, <strike>FlokiNET<\/strike>, Frantech Solutions\/BuyVM, DDoS Guard.<\/p>\n<p>Domain Name Registrars: NameCheap, Tucows and others.<\/p>\n<p><em>Other Intermediaries: Telegram and Discord<\/em><\/p>\n<p>From: <a href=\"https:\/\/torrentfreak.com\/\">TF<\/a>, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wpematico_credit\"><small>Powered by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wpematico.com\" target=\"_blank\">WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every year, the US Trade Representative (USTR) issues an updated review of \u201cNotorious Markets\u201d that facilitate copyright infringement. This overview is put together with help from copyright holders and aims to motivate the targets, foreign authorities, and other stakeholders to take action. The RIAA typically represents the interests of the music industry, and that\u2019s no [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":85478,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[308],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-85477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-torrent"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=85477"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85477\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/85478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=85477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=85477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=85477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}