After its founding in 2006, RLSLOG grew to become the largest and most recognized pirate 'launch blog' on the internet. In the years that followed, RLSLOG weathered many legal storms and even references to the USTR, but today the founder of RLSLOG confirms that after 15 years, the site has thrown in the towel.
Founded in 2006, RLSLOG.net was one of the pioneers of the 'blog post' format. When it was first released, visitors were able to read about the latest pirate releases, who had put them online, and most importantly, what the files were called.
Unlike so-called 'previous databases' which only displayed raw information, new releases in RLSLOG were presented in an article format with comments on quality, source (such as DVDSCR or Telecine, now largely defunct), runtime, IMDB classification and format (Xvid, for example). Music was also widely covered alongside pirated apps, games, and other content.
These articles were also linked to the Scene 'NFO' files, but where the site broke a relatively new path was the addition of links where the files could be found on torrent sites, including Mininova, who is long dead. This information was well received by millions of pirates and in a remarkable moment, it was even appreciated by a prominent filmmaker.
In November 2007, Eric Wilkinson, the producer of the indie film 'The Man from Earth', wrote an email to RLSlog thanking them for the free promotion on the site. "In the future, I will not complain about file sharing", he wrote, "When I make my next image, I can upload the film myself!"
However, more than ten years later, Wilkinson I was describing pirates as an "existential threat" to all creators. That position was also filled by the entertainment industries in general a decade earlier, so with a growing number of visitors to RLSLOG, the site received a lot of attention from copyright holders.
RLSLOG Reported to USTR
While it is a particularly nasty state, any site reported to the United States Trade Representative by copyright holders can be well and truly considered on the map. In 2010, the RLSLOG was reported to the USTR by the RIAA, labeled a 'notorious market' worthy of enforcement action. By this time, RLSLOG had become the world's most popular launch news site, a position that was not lost in the music industry.
โWww.rlslog.net has thousands of preview or recently released music titles available on the site. For each title there are several one-click download links known as "mirrors", RIAA told the USTR.
"Due to the speed with which content and mirror links are added, this site allows users to download draft titles quickly, but also to request new links if old ones have been removed."
Copyright pressures on the rise
During the same year that the RIAA filed its complaint with the USTR, RLSLOG was taken offline by your German hosting company following a removal request from Universal Music. A couple of months later he went down again, this time fired by his new Dutch-based host. Even more pressure was expected.
Late 2012, RLSLOG received threats from prominent law firm Wiggin LLC acting on behalf of Hollywood Studios. They claimed that around 94% of all content listed by RLSLOG was copyrighted material. The owner of RLSLOG contested that, but nonetheless considered action in response, including removing third-party download links.
The following February, RLSLOG confirmed that all direct links to movies and TV shows would be removed. However, these were replaced by preloaded Google searches, allowing the search engine direct people to content instead.
The beginning of the end
For many of the years that followed, RLSLOG continued to serve its user base while mostly staying out of the headlines, but with millions of users turning to legal services like Netflix, the site's position in the general market changed.
The site still enjoys considerable traffic even today, but this morning RLSLOG founder Martin revealed that the site had been shut down for good.
Martin informs TorrentFreak that it was time to get away.
"There is no big reason behind the announcement, we just decided to focus on other projects and move on, to close this incredible chapter," he explains.
โWe have been and always will be the first and also the most visited file-sharing blog in the world with hundreds of thousands of loyal readers. For 15 years in a row we have been providing the fastest and most comprehensive information on onstage and offstage releases. "
Martin also cites content delivery changes as a factor, noting that the current emphasis on streaming played a role in his decision to shut down RLSLOG.
โThe file-sharing environment has changed a lot in recent years with more and more users paying for content through Netflix, Amazon Prime and other services, or switching to streaming online, which also influenced our decision. Anyway, after this incredible chapter, beautiful memories and strong friendships will prevail and RLSLOG will always be part of the history of file sharing. "
According to a post on RLSLOG, the site is currently for sale. It is unknown if any potential buyers will attempt to pick up where RLSLOG left off, but they will have great boots to fill and a long history that in today's environment will be nearly impossible to replicate.
