Future of Fan Works! Copyright and Hasbro Discussion!

[TrunksXV 33]

Okay since we've had a big issue with Jan Animations receiving a C&D from Hasbro. I think it would be nice to discuss the issues surrounding future fan works. 

 

The biggest offenders seem to be so far:

 

1. Princess Molestia. - Blog/Webcomic - Very satirical 

 

2. Fighting Is Magic - Fan Game

 

3. Button's Adventures. - Fan Animation 

 

Each of these had some reason for Hasbro to take action on. 

 

If Hasbro becomes a copyright killer, than frankly its going to be a huge problem for their brand. I mean you don't alienate your customers or your fans or future employees by stepping in and stopping fans being creative and showcasing their work online. 

 

As long as there is no money involved than all three of these could've stayed up. The Constitution supports parodies. If it didn't standup comedy wouldn't exist. 

 

Now I understand that Hasbro execs have every right to control how the brand is marketed, produced and sold, and to benefit financially from those efforts. However we are now in a digital age, and fighting fan works will just result in a huge backlash among adult fans. 

 

Unfortunately lets take a look at the economy right now. Adults for the most part drive the toy industry, and the cartoon industry. Kids don't have the income to actively support Hasbro or any of the products Hasbro produces. That should be apparent. 

 

You start stepping on your fans, your going to turn off the base and eventually there will be an unspoken exodus. 

 

Take a look at what happened to the Gaming Industry after E.T for the Atari hit the shelves in 1983 for a whopping 50 dollars. The game was so bad that it has been pointed to as the reason for almost killing the game console industry.  

 

So what are your thoughts on Hasbro? Will this be the beginning of them becoming an enemy of their consumer base? Or will the execs at Hasbro lighten up and just let the fan base do its own thing, with minimal intervention, as long as no huge losses are projected in their sales. 

 

Hasbro has its bottom line, and so do the fans. 

 

The fans are what will help Hasbro and MLP survive. If not they are free to fail and fall by the wayside just like every other business that's come and gone.

 

We are under no obligation to buy anything or watch anything produced by Hasbro. The bottom line is while copyright has a legitimate function. It should never be used to destroy someone else's platform if that platform is not threatening your sales. 

 

Take a look at the forums. Most of the people who come here are adult fans and collectors. The ones who have the money that Hasbro needs.

 

That's one vote that does count. 

 

Any thoughts? 

Edited March 22, 2014 by TrunksXV

[Oblivion 20,265]

I think that people just need to be smarter when they are working on their own projects, their is a fair use act, so as long as no one actually gets paid for, or take full credit for the animations then I don't see what the big deal is, I think that as big as Hasbro is that the need to just kind of back off a little in terms of C&D, but of course they won't stop until all canon ponies are taken down and copyrighted, lets just hope to Celestia that they don't start going after individual fan art, that could be the final nail in the coffin so to speak.

 

In any case I am kinda just ranting and raving here and not really saying to much, or really even know what I am talking about so I shall go now, just kinda drives me nuts when big company's like Hasbro have to flex their nuts to the little guy...

[The Mane-iac 1,632]

Molestia was because of the crusaders and their false truths. You can't tell me they (Hasbro) didn't know about her until then. I mean come on, she ran for two years without a problem before that. She was within her bounds, no different than trollestia or tyrant celestia, and nowhere close to being R34 bad.

 

Fighting is Magic was because of the act of making the characters beat the magic out of each other. And again, Hasbro didn't seem to take issue until it got too big and was making the rounds at tournaments.

 

Body pillow producing places have also recently received C&Ds because of more crusaders filling reports against pony covers, sexual or not. Although these really did break copyright since they were not licensed and were not being offered for free.

 

I know nothing about Button's Adventures, but my guess is someone either felt the need to crusade some more. Or it got too big.

 

They can't do anything about individual fan art. They aren't going to start handing out C&Ds because you doodle a pony and stick it on Deviant Art. They can't do anything about the overwhelming R34 stuff. Someone isn't going to come up to you on the street and hand you a C&D as you walk out of the tattoo parlor with your shiny new RD cutie mark tattoo.

 

People need to relax. If you are making something big like a video game, even if it's going to be free, you need to play things smart and within your bounds.

Edited March 22, 2014 by The Mane-iac

[Adorkable 2,737]

Well, there's actually a lot of fan-made things about the background ponies.

 

Just throwing out a couple of things here, but there's a remake of "Llamas in Hats" called "Ponies in Hats", featuring Lyra and Bon Bon.

 

And there's actually several of Vinyl and Tavi ^^"

[Argumedies 1,748]

Y'all do realize that the haters are winning.. and they're doing it legally.

[King 5,625]

Honestly, Hasbro is one of the most lenient companies out there in regards to their brand. The have the legal right to remove everything that references their show in any way and yet they don't. This being said, you can't expect them to allow every piece of fan work out there, it just wouldn't be a good business practice. 

What this does of course, is make people more upset when they do actually file a cease and desist order. People just need to stop spouting Hasbro hate and all that nonsense because frankly it isn't true in the slightest. People need to open their eyes to the fact that Hasbro can't sit around and let every single bit of work through, and that sometimes they need to defend their property.

Hasbro have given us immense freedom to use certain aspects of their branding and we should be happy for it. 

Stop the Hasbro hate guys, it's just illogical.