It turns out that TikTok's live distribution software 'TikTok Live Studio' was diverting the OBS source code without permission

TikTok has released a beta version of the software 'TikTok Live Studio' for live distribution from a Windows PC to some users. However, it turned out that part of the source code of the live distribution software 'OBS ' developed in open source at this TikTok Live Studio was diverted without complying with the license, and criticism has been raised.

TikTok streaming software is an illegal fork of OBS | Hacker News
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29592103

According to TechCrunch , an IT news site, TikTok allows only a few thousand Western users to use TikTok Live Studio. The TikTok Live Studio can be streamed directly on the TikTok Live platform, communicate with viewers via chat, and stream gameplay screens from PCs, smartphones, and game consoles. I can do it.

It's super basic in its current state.

Has both Landscape and Portrait Scenes.

Sources include Game Capture, Mobile Capture, Video Capture, Program Capture, and some text / images. No browser sources, or alerts.

Emojis are limited to the stock ones. Pic.twitter.com/oOHwUbSdUF

— Zach Bussey (@zachbussey) December 15, 2021

According to a post by social news site Hacker News, the DLL and EXE files used in TikTok Live Studio were very similar to those used in OBS, so one of the OBS development teams. When a person reverse-compiled Tik Tok Live Studio, it turned out that the OBS source code was diverted.

The OBS license is GNU GPL version 2 , which is available for commercial use, but is subject to copyright notices, presentation of license terms, and obligation to disclose source code and modified parts. Therefore, it was pointed out that TikTok Live Studio violates this OBS license.

Remember yesterday's news about TikTok releasing a go live platform? Turns out it's a fork of @OBSProject

Shoutout to @ HunterAP23 for pointing this out

STOP STEALING FROM OBS JESUS pic.twitter.com/kx8ckK3MXS

— Naaackers (@Naaackers) December 16, 2021

OBS developer Ben Torell said, 'Technically, TikTok Live Studio isn't a fork of OBS, it just uses some of the OBS code internally, but in any case it's licensed. Applies. '

Technically they may just be using pieces of OBS code under the hood without being a full fork. That said, the GPL applies to them either way.

— Ben Torell (@dodgepong) December 16, 2021

In addition, Torell acknowledged the view that 'the diversion of source code ignoring the OBS license is illegal', but 'although we promise to deal with GPL violations in good faith, TikTok. And its operation, Bytedance, wants to build amicable partnerships as long as it adheres to the license. '

This is the correct answer. That said, we have a commitment to dealing with GPL violations in good faith, and in the case of TikTok / Bytedance we would be happy to have a friendly working relationship with them as long as they comply with the license . https://t.co/w9jcT4pUQL

— Ben Torell (@dodgepong) December 16, 2021