KEY POINTS

  • Groovy will shut down by the end of August as per YouTube's order
  • The bot was discovered to be violating YouTube's terms of service
  • Other music bots have not yet received an order from the streaming platform

The owners of the popular Discord bot Groovy has been asked to cease operations by YouTube over an apparent breach in the streaming platform’s terms of service.

YouTube, a company owned by Google, issued a cease and desist to Groovy’s owners over TOS violations, according to The Verge. Google said that Groovy’s owners were “modifying [YouTube] and using it for commercial purposes,” which goes against YouTube’s rules. A YouTube spokesperson emphasized that the platform’s APIs are reserved for users who comply with their terms of service.

Groovy’s owners complied with the order and they confirmed that the bot will permanently shut down on Aug. 30. The bot is currently present in over 16 million Discord servers, providing quick and easy access to music on YouTube via Discord’s voice lobbies and chat commands.

YouTube is owned by Google parent company Alphabet
YouTube is owned by Google parent company Alphabet AFP / Robyn Beck

“I’m not sure why they decided to send [a cease-and-desist order] now. They probably just didn’t know about it, to be honest,” Nik Ammerlaan, one of Groovy’s owners, told The Verge.

YouTube normally allows API-based services like Groovy to stream the platform’s content, but as the YouTube spokesperson previously mentioned, modifying or monetizing the service for commercial gain is not allowed. Engadget argued that Groovy may have gotten away with using YouTube’s API if not for the optional $3.99 monthly premium subscription that the bot’s owners offered to their followers.

Groovy is able to bypass ads that are normally seen in YouTube videos. This can be seen as a potential threat to the platform’s ad revenue, and Discord users can use Groovy as a means to enjoy ad-free music.

There are plenty of other music bots that Discord users can invite to their servers as an alternative to Groovy. However, they may soon encounter the same fate should YouTube choose to completely outlaw music bots as part of its terms of service.

Rythm, the most popular music bot on Discord, has not yet received a cease and desist from YouTube so far since its co-owner, Jet, said in a message to its community of users that they are not shutting down. However, it might be a matter of time before YouTube sets its sights on Rythm as the bot’s owners also have a premium subscription plan, just like Groovy.

RELATED STORIES