YouTube ripping sites MP3Juices.cc and YtMp3.cc block users from the UK

There are lots of sites and tools out there that can be used to rip content from YouTube, saving them either as videos or MP3s. Predictably, this is something that the content owners -- record labels in particular -- take issue with.

YouTube-MP3 recently shut up shop following pressure from the music industry, and a number of MP3 ripping sites were lined up as the next targets. Apparently pre-empting any legal action that might be taken against them, MP3Juices.cc and YtMp3.cc have started to block traffic from the UK.

See also:

• YouTube tests autoplaying videos -- but you can disable the feature
• YouTube bans bump stock videos after Las Vegas shooting
• Nintendo bans YouTubers from live streaming games through Nintendo Creators Program

If you try to access either site from within the UK, both display the same message: " This service is no longer available. Thanks for being a part of us. Goodbye!" No explanation has been given by the two sites, but as they both remain accessible in other parts of the world, it's clear that a complete shutdown is not on the cards -- for the time being at least.

This is not the first time something like this has happened. As TorrentFreak points out, YouTube-MP3 came to an agreement with the group BPI to block traffic from the UK, and it looks as though something similar is happening with MP3Juices.cc and YtMp3.cc.

It almost goes without saying that this form of geo-blocking is only going to have very limited success. There are not only plenty of alternatives to MP3Juices.cc and YtMp3.cc out there, but a simple proxy or VPN is all that's needed to access the sites anyway.