Anna's Archive loses .org domain, says suspension unrelated to Spotify piracy (arstechnica.com)

Anna's Archive, a prominent shadow library known for archiving written materials and recently venturing into music piracy by scraping Spotify, has lost its primary domain, annas-archive.org, which has been placed under serverHold status. The operator of Anna’s Archive stated that the suspension is unrelated to their music piracy activities and emphasized that the site remains accessible through various other domains. This incident highlights ongoing challenges faced by shadow libraries, which often grapple with domain seizures and suspensions. Launched in 2022 following the seizure of domains from Z-Library, Anna's Archive serves as a vital resource for archiving and distributing literary works. Its datasets have become instrumental for AI companies in the training of large language models. By mirroring other shadow libraries and expanding its repertoire to include music, the site underscores the tension between copyright enforcement and the push for accessible information. Furthermore, the serverHold status, a designation that prevents domain activation as per ICANN guidelines, raises questions about the future of digital resources that operate in the gray area of copyright law.