(n.) copyrighted digital content that has been illegally obtained from the
internet and then re-uploaded without the consent of the
copyright owner.
(v.) the act of illegally downloading copyrighted digital content and re-uploading it to the
internet without the consent of the copyright owner.
While similar to file sharing, a ripload is often uploaded for online consumption, rather than download; sometimes under the pretense of appearing as the original creator.
This
guy is posing as the creator of the video, but it's clearly a ripload, it even has the original creator's logo on it.
Why would someone ripload to
Youtube? Just link to the original, it's easier (and more legal) than using KeepVid or some SWF decompiler and then re-uploading it to their own account.
What's really surprising about
Youtube is the amount of riploaded movie and television clips running ads. Who's approving these obvious riploads?