GitHub has taken down the Cloudstream APK after receiving a complaint from the MPA.
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A request made by the Motion Picture Association (MPA), representing major Hollywood studios and Netflix, led to the successful removal of two repositories that hosted the open-source Android app Cloudstream on GitHub.
The Android app Cloudstream (APK) aggregates unauthorized content from external streaming sources.
Recently, this APK has gained traction as an unauthorized substitute for legal streaming services like Amazon, Disney, and Netflix.
Unlike these services, Cloudstream offers all popular titles for free, using sophisticated designs and user-friendly applications to appeal to a wide audience.
Cloudstream had previously been targeted by Sky UK and other companies, but it was the MPA’s notice in March that prompted the app’s developer, known as “Lag,” to voluntarily eliminate the Cloudstream.cf website and some of the app’s code.
In an effort to avoid legal issues with the MPA, Lag defended this action as a way to evade the “most atrocious anti-piracy coalition.”
Lag made the following statement about the MPA:
“Avoiding the most atrocious anti-piracy coalition is crucial. If necessary, they will undoubtedly pursue legal action against us. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I do not want to face Hollywood’s consequences due to a personal project.”
GitHub removed these extension files at the request of the MPA, but the repositories themselves are still accessible. The primary repository, containing only the basic app code without any extensions, remains available on GitHub and is still in active development.
Despite this initial victory, the MPA’s attention towards Cloudstream persists. They recently issued another takedown notice to GitHub, demanding the complete removal of two additional code repositories.
The MPA claimed that these repositories hosted and provided the APK software, CloudStream, for download, and that this software was used for “extensive infringement of copyrighted motion pictures and television shows.”
In response, GitHub removed the two repositories named “CloudStream-2,” including one owned by Lag.
Accessing these URLs now displays a notice stating “Repository unavailable due to DMCA takedown.”
Curiously, the code in these repositories is not new. It is from an older release that has been available on GitHub for years and is no longer actively supported.
Unlike the newer versions of Cloudstream, it does not rely on extensions and could potentially be used as a platform for pirated streaming right away.
Furthermore, these repositories included screenshots demonstrating how the APK could be utilized to stream pirated content, which likely did not help their case.
There is a significant distinction between the fully-loaded versions of Cloudstream, which are directly capable of streaming pirated content, and the bare versions that are not.
So far, the MPA’s efforts have primarily focused on extension files, leaving the basic Cloudstream repositories untouched.
The MPA’s actions suggest that they are willing to allow the extension-based app to remain on GitHub, at least for now.
However, the future of Cloudstream on GitHub remains uncertain, as there are no guarantees that the MPA’s stance will not change.
Irrespective, it is evident that copyright holders like the MPA are increasingly vigilant about potential sources of copyright infringement and are leveraging their legal authority to shut down these platforms.
For more details on this matter, please refer to the original report from TorrentFreak.
You can also watch the video below for more information on Cloudstream APK.