So Hasbro is Claiming Fan-Made Videos Now. Thoughts?

[Krosp I 114]

The amount of bellyaching in this thread has given me an ulcer. Normally, I'd chalk things like this off to the Internet being the internet, Poe's Law and all that nonsense, but I have no reason to believe that the fair majority of you are actually bitching about Hasbro generating advertising revenue on their own intellectual property while simultaneously allowing for fan-created content (save for specific instances that breach copyright) to exist.
 

If Hasbro is monetizing fan-made vids themselves, then they're STEALING our money. They are trying dangerous shortcuts that could get them in trouble.

Get them into trouble? What trouble? The trouble of a handful of fans with an unwarranted sense of importance withholding their burger-flipping money that doesn't get spent on iTunes/Amazon/Play/physical DVDs (because why pay when you can torrent) because you don't get your way in someone else's house? They're not stealing your money. It wasn't ever your money to begin with. My Little Pony is not your franchise and judging by my experiences within the fandom, I highly doubt it will ever be any of the fans' franchise on any realistic time scale—complaining loudly only works for lobbyists.

 

Still, they are taking down stuff containing pony because they have been the seller of pony for over half a century. It is wrong for them to destroy animations, and other pony productions because they think they are the only ones who can sell it.

Newsflash: They ARE the only ones who can sell it.

 

The proper thing to do is to take the fans to court and sue if they're monetizing MLP, but of course that'd make them look even worse.

Look even worse to who? The people who have intellectual properties of their own, or the swarming horde of pissants that swells from the bowels of the internet whenever it doesn't get its way? Some of the users posting have even sympathized with Hasbro and an even larger number of dissidents' opinions boil down to "Hasbro is in the right, but I still don't like it boo hoo".

 

To be fair, if you're going to put a work of art out into the public (in this case a TV show), then it's no longer truly yours.

A rather astute opinion, but for one: The law doesn't agree with you. And two, such a logical fallacy would assume that you don't own it either.

 

Edit: Redundancy in my ranting. I have the attention span of a... Yeah. 

Edited May 24, 2014 by Krosp I

[RAGESTAR 479]

The way I see it, what their doing is no different than thievery or plagiarism. Taking credit and ownership of completely fan made videos AND getting the profit for them? Unless the owners agreed to it, then it's just the same as me trying to claim ownership over a piece of art that isn't mine, which would be stealing. If this is how far Hasbro is going just to squeeze more money out of us, then I'm extremely disappointed in them. Say I'm exaggerating all you want, but theft is theft, and what Hasbro is committing is practically just that.

[Thrashy 2,800]

There are fangames that literally look just like their source material. Take Pokemon fangames, for example. And those aren't taken down or destroyed by anyone.

 

People can argue that they're within their legal right to take down these videos, but I will continue to argue against Hasbro because I disagree with their actions and I do not believe it hurts them at all, nor does it cost them anything when it comes to their profits, to have these fan animations floating around.

 

I agree completely. Whilst others here blindly agree that "they're within their legal rights" - and they are correct - they're failing to acknowledge that this particular aspect of copyright law is fundamentally broken and is in dire need of reexamination.

 

Say, for example, I created my own original web toon and registered it at the USPTO. Then I see fan animations of my show pop up that not only promote my work, but also expand upon my original universe in new and creative ways. They're not making money off of it, and they're not damaging the good name of my show in any way. I myself may even find these fan works highly amusing.

 

And yet according to copyright law, I will LOSE my goddamn trademark on my IP simply because I don't "defend" it by sending out C&Ds to these people like a corporate asshat? Even though I am perfectly fine with these fan works existing? Bull. Shit.

 

Don't write Hasbro. Write Congress. Tell them copyright law, as is, is complete and utter tripe concocted by stick-up-the-ass bureaucrats.

Edited May 24, 2014 by The Thrashy One

[Rainblow H. Ash 5,091]

@, couldn't have said it better myself.

 

Remember folks, legal doesn't equal right, especially if the laws in questions are mired in corruption or unnecessarily trivial or complicated. And like I said before, even if something is legal, doesn't mean you can't protest or vote with your dollar.

[Scare Effect 312]

I think Hasbro has a right to do what ever they are doing.maybe you for got about this or something they are the ones who kept mlp alive for 30yrs or more.think about it if you had something for that long and some random guy just did the same thing you did.now tell me what would your reaction be.

Also using anything that was created by a big company the company can claim it as theirs.and for Hasbro claims a mlp fan animation it must have impressed them so stop complaining!

[nami438 90]

Look even worse to who? The people who have intellectual properties of their own, or the swarming horde of pissants that swells from the bowels of the internet whenever it doesn't get its way? Some of the users posting have even sympathized with Hasbro and an even larger number of dissidents' opinions boil down to "Hasbro is in the right, but I still don't like it boo hoo".

Worse to fans of various Hasbro properties, at least some. It would seem like a big bully greedily picking on a little kid, even though it's actually a kid trying to get back the money that was supposed to go to him, but instead went to the other kid.

[Shift 4,272]

Well hey, they're the ones who own MLP. I do suppose it gives them the right.

[Wolf Smith 12]

@, Being a youtuber and uploading Vids I know what it's like. I have Simcity vids up and freaking EA took them to get money.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@, Being a youtuber and uploading Vids I know what it's like. I have Simcity vids up and freaking EA took them to get money.

It sucks right? They're taking advantage of us. 

[Wolf Smith 12]

@, You don't even know....at least Valve doesn't do it 

[Freewave 1,145]

It sucks right? They're taking advantage of us. 

 

 

Maybe you guys should create a cartoon that will in turn create a fanbase that makes content about your show so that you can make ad money off them. Turn about is fair play.

Edited May 24, 2014 by Freewave

[DonShine 6]

Newsflash: They ARE the only ones who can sell it.

 

Why? Why do you say they can be the only ones to sell things that are pony. If you think that a company can own the rights of a species then you are a slaver sir. Anyone can sell pony stuff, just not My Little Pony stuff.

Well since you're acknowledging that you were wrong about the legalities at the time that's cool as ice.   No need to threaten or further escalate son.     Move on we shall.,

 

No, I never said I was wrong, I said the issue was resolved, as in I left this topic because it is shit. I Believe in all my mind that Hasbro is doing some very shady things to try and keep their money, which BTW they are loosing. Now there is wind that Hasbro is trying to copyright the word 'Brony' and you get one very suspicious man outa me. So ya, don't care what the lot of you have to say, but something is going down, and it isn't good.

[Ryzu 984]

I'm not sure its directly hasbro, I remember hearing it was by some company that I think its name was something like C&D Corporations. Anyway hasbro obviously supports the fandom and fananimations, the fact they put buttonmash in. They only have to remove things when It affects the show I believe. I heard they were getting bugged a ton about buttonmash appearing again in the show.

[Mr. Nutt™ 146]

I've now had a claim from Hasbro for Mo' Ponies 4. It's not even something you can mix up with the show, it's just me playing games that fans had made.