Pluto TV, the free streaming service, is cracking down on users who create playlists on GitHub that allow people to access their service without advertisements. Users have reported receiving DMCA takedown requests from Pluto TV’s parent company, ViacomCBS, demanding that their GitHub repositories be removed. While Pluto TV has not commented on the takedowns, this move follows a similar trend among streaming services to protect their content.
Pluto TV is a streaming service that allows users to access a range of free channels that are supported by advertisements. The service is available in the US and several other countries, and it is one of the few streaming services that offers free content. However, it appears that the company is not happy with users creating playlists that allow people to access the service without advertisements.
The playlists in question allow users to bypass Pluto TV’s ad-supported content by offering a direct link to specific channels. The playlists were being shared on GitHub, a popular platform for developers to share code and collaborate on projects. However, ViacomCBS, the parent company of Pluto TV, has taken issue with these playlists and has issued DMCA takedown notices to GitHub to have the playlists removed.
This is not the first time that a streaming service has taken action against users who create playlists that allow people to access their content without advertisements. In 2022, YouTube and Spotify also took action against users who created playlists that allowed people to access their content without ads. However, this is the first time that Pluto TV has taken action against users who create playlists that allow people to access their service without ads.
It remains to be seen whether Pluto TV will continue to take action against users who create these playlists. However, it is clear that the company is not happy with users creating playlists that allow people to access their service without advertisements. This move is likely an attempt to protect the revenue that the company generates from advertisements on its platform. Overall, this move highlights the ongoing struggle between streaming services and users who seek to bypass the advertisements that support free content.
