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Somebody call VH1: "The Fine Bros" are trying to trademark "reaction videos"

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PsychBat!

Banned
They said in their format. If nobody out right copies them I don't see the problem.
Unfortunately, the example you stated from their video was just one example. And while Benny (right) did say that there have been rip offs, Rafi (left) was still not clear on this entire thing works but at the same time he was saying that they are trademarking reaction videos. And he was lying, they are currently going after people with false DMCA take downs.
 

Ekai

Member
Unfortunately, the example you stated from their video was just one example. And while Benny (right) did say that there have been rip offs, Rafi (left) was still not clear but was saying that they are trademarking reaction videos. And he was lying, they are currently going after people with false DMCA take downs.

From what I've seen they've gone after random people for what seems to be no discernible reason just because they had videos with react in the title.
I mean, there's also the fact someone posted about in YT comments regarding how they took down a channel that did a show called Seniors React- prior to them ever launching a Elder's React show.
 

Ekai

Member
Proof of them stealing a show and attempting to pretty much erase the one they stole from off of the internet. Btw, this was years ago. These guys were already shady. And if they're still actively getting channels taken down-even ones that just have had videos with the word react in the title, then I find it very hard to believe their Note in the Update video.. If they're genuine here it's very odd that they have a history of getting channels taken down.....and have taken down videos upon videos even months and months ago. And that they somehow haven't 'reacted' til now to these actions.
 
Proof of them stealing a show and attempting to pretty much erase the one they stole from off of the internet. Btw, this was years ago. These guys were already shady. And if they're still actively getting channels taken down-even ones that just have had videos with the word react in the title, then I find it very hard to believe their Note in the Update video.. If they're genuine here it's very odd that they have a history of getting channels taken down.....and have taken down videos upon videos even months and months ago. And that they somehow haven't 'reacted' til now to these actions.

Oh man. Here's the series of events as it happened:

D91v6bM.png
 
They said in their format. If nobody out right copies them I don't see the problem. Yes they should have gone into more detail about their format but you should notice when you have the same thing as someone else.
And yet they've (company is Fullscreen Inc) filed takedowns of videos that haven't copied them.

And as you see above with Seniors React, they've taken their format wholesale from others before.
 

Einchy

semen stains the mountaintops
And yet they've (company is Fullscreen Inc) filed takedowns of videos that haven't copied them.

And as you see above with Seniors React, they've taken their format wholesale from others before.

Not to mention that they've yet to explain what their format is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CMS9xnBRkc

This video was so close to whatever their format was that they got their fine bro brand painties in a bunch. Goddamn bros, what else falls under "your" format?
 
GradeA confirms he's doing a video on Tyrone Magnus and Fine Bros next week.

Can't wait. Grade makes fantastic points.

Tyrone also posted a video about it claiming he's unsure as to what he has supposedly done, with the only possible thing being that he reacted to one of GradAUnderA's videos which he subsequently deleted after Akasan (who knows both) told him he didn't like it.
 

doop_

Banned
And yet they've (company is Fullscreen Inc) filed takedowns of videos that haven't copied them.

And as you see above with Seniors React, they've taken their format wholesale from others before.
Well then I guess they are pretty shitty. 20k a day wtf
 

PsychBat!

Banned
And Buzzfeed.

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Tyrone also posted a video about it claiming he's unsure as to what he has supposedly done, with the only possible thing being that he reacted to one of GradAUnderA's videos which he subsequently deleted after Akasan (who knows both) told him he didn't like it.
Only thing I find weird is the Tyrone made a video first, without knowing what Grade was going to say. I'm sure it has something to do with Akasan but it doesn't seem like Grade would get too petty over that.
 
Buzzfeed do a ton of people react to something videos. More often than not they aren't even reacting to a video, but trying out food from a different country and other things. It's not a rip-off format just because they're a large scale website.

"But, just because we have, or might get, trademarks, doesn't mean we're going to run around and start taking down videos!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmLAj9iIfQk
These guys are actively encouraging their subscribers to tell if they see anyone copying their format. Flagging these people could easily result in their channels being taken down.
 

Zalman

Member
So they're fine with other reaction videos, but they're not okay with people doing it in "their format". What does that mean? What separates their videos from other reaction videos? The Buzzfeed and Ellen examples above don't even use the "Kids/Teens React" name, so what's the problem?
 

Easy_D

never left the stone age
So they're fine with other reaction videos, but they're not okay with people doing it in "their format". What does that mean? What separates their videos from other reaction videos? The Buzzfeed and Ellen examples above don't even use the "Kids/Teens React" name, so what's the problem?

It's incredibly clear they're being intentionally vague :lol.
 

TheBowen

Sat alone in a boggy marsh
So they're fine with other reaction videos, but they're not okay with people doing it in "their format". What does that mean? What separates their videos from other reaction videos? The Buzzfeed and Ellen examples above don't even use the "Kids/Teens React" name, so what's the problem?

It seems as if they want to prevent identical video themes e.g Kids react to nineties music , elder react to gta etc, which I can understand but that line is extremely thin
 

moggio

Banned
I don't follow him but his videos are fine..actually, among the top YT earners, The Fine bros. are probably the ones with the most worthless laziest content (reaction videos with some trivia stamps). The other "millionaires"-who I don't follow either- are video games players/commentators, comedians, a make-up artist and a musician..you know, people who actually do stuff.

I mean, take or leave PewDiePie's output (and it's certainly not for me) but he seems to have remained pretty level-headed in spite of his massive success and lots of money.

Take their different approaches. A couple of weeks ago PewDiePie launched his own network, Revelmode, where he has cherry-picked a small group of YouTube "talents" to collaborate with focusing on high-quality output (in Youtube terms) and charitable fund-raising.

And he did all that without looking like a mercenary, money-grubbing lizard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpOSIjd433Q

And, as far as I'm aware, he doesn't issue DMCA takedowns on other YouTubers who act like idiots while playing videogames.
 
It seems clear to me they're more interested in going after big fish who are looking to ape their exact formats. Not the random youtuber sitting on his bed reacting to stuff. None of these small time guys can really compete with the professional level of Finebros videos anyway. They're look at big media companies, tv companies etc.

And licensing their shows for use in other countries seems like a totally valid route to go.

The response here seems totally overblown.
 

PsychBat!

Banned
It seems clear to me they're more interested in going after big fish who are looking to ape their exact formats. Not the random youtuber sitting on his bed reacting to stuff. None of these small time guys can really compete with the professional level of Finebros videos anyway. They're look at big media companies, tv companies etc.
If you look at the thread, it's clear it doesn't matter what they're interested in.
 

Fbh

Member
Honestly.... how is this even fucking legal?
Words and names are one thing, but "their format"? What the hell is their format?
I think some of their videos are fun but there is literally nothing unique or creative about the format. It's basically "show something to someone and then ask them questions about it".
They say they are fine with react videos as long as they don't follow the same format, but how the hell are you not going to same format when it's so basic.

It's like someone trying to trademark "interviews" claiming their format is "having a host asking questions to a guest about his profesional and or personal life" or having a game publisher trying to trademark "racing game" claiming their format is "taking part in a car race where the objective is to reach the end line before the other players"

It seems clear to me they're more interested in going after big fish who are looking to ape their exact formats. Not the random youtuber sitting on his bed reacting to stuff. None of these small time guys can really compete with the professional level of Finebros videos anyway. They're look at big media companies, tv companies etc.

And licensing their shows for use in other countries seems like a totally valid route to go.

The response here seems totally overblown.

What is their format? Showing things to kids and asking them questions about it? Might as well go and trademark the concept of asking questions on cammera then
 
What is their format? Showing things to kids and asking them questions about it? Might as well go and trademark the concept of asking questions on cammera then

Format is concept + branding. But the only way to really protect it is through copyright. So the way I see it they can't actually do anything about the Buzzfeed or Ellen examples in this thread, even though they may feel they're being copied. They can only really protect the names of their shows. Which is why they're trademarking the name of their channel, React. That doesn't mean you can't use the word react in the title of your video. I might be wrong though.
 

Kolx

Member
It's really funny when you think about how they're using other people's work in their videos and react to it. Now they want to license other people's work which is using other people work as well?! that's a new form of laziness.

Why is there a defence force for that?

There's a defence force for everything in the Internet.
 

ZoddGutts

Member
Format is concept + branding. But the only way to really protect it is through copyright. So the way I see it they can't actually do anything about the Buzzfeed or Ellen examples in this thread, even though they may feel they're being copied. They can only really protect the names of their shows. Which is why they're trademarking the name of their channel, React. That doesn't mean you can't use the word react in the title of your video. I might be wrong though.

"You can't call a show 'Kids React' just like you can't call a show 'American Idol'"
 
It's really funny when you think about how they're using other people's work in their videos and react to it. Now they want to license other people's work which is using other people work as well?! that's a new form of laziness.

That's more or less the quintessence of internet humor.
 
It seems clear to me they're more interested in going after big fish who are looking to ape their exact formats. Not the random youtuber sitting on his bed reacting to stuff. None of these small time guys can really compete with the professional level of Finebros videos anyway. They're look at big media companies, tv companies etc.

And licensing their shows for use in other countries seems like a totally valid route to go.

The response here seems totally overblown.

Then why did they file a takedown of a LeKevPlays video with 8 views whose channel has only 10 subscribers?

Recent vid that they took down despite being a parody/fair use vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHhHP_zCch0&ab_channel=LeKevPlays
 

Majin Boo

Member
Honestly.... how is this even fucking legal?
Words and names are one thing, but "their format"? What the hell is their format?
I think some of their videos are fun but there is literally nothing unique or creative about the format. It's basically "show something to someone and then ask them questions about it".
They say they are fine with react videos as long as they don't follow the same format, but how the hell are you not going to same format when it's so basic.

It's like someone trying to trademark "interviews" claiming their format is "having a host asking questions to a guest about his profesional and or personal life" or having a game publisher trying to trademark "racing game" claiming their format is "taking part in a car race where the objective is to reach the end line before the other players"

This is what I don't get as well, if they can get away with this, why not just protect prank videos, late night talk shows (or talk shows in general?!), tutorial videos, quiz shows etc. It really depends on the definition of a format, and the category of reaction videos is just way too broad in my opinion.
 
Then why did they file a takedown of a LeKevPlays video with 8 views whose channel has only 10 subscribers?

That's just a guy who is playing their video and talking over it. That's a totally separate issue. Their actual video is on the screen. As someone points out, it probably got immediately blocked because the Finebros' jingle is being played at the start or whatever.

Yet it's got hundreds of thousands of views now and is supposed to be evidence of what terrible money-grubbing jews these guys are. Go internet.
 

Kurdel

Banned
That's just a guy who is playing their video and talking over it. That's a totally separate issue. Their actual video is on the screen. As someone points out, it probably got immediately blocked because the Finebros' jingle is being played at the start or whatever.

Yet it's got hundreds of thousands of views now and is supposed to be evidence of what terrible money-grubbing jews these guys are. Go internet.

Really?
 
That's just a guy who is playing their video and talking over it. That's a totally separate issue. Their actual video is on the screen. As someone points out, it probably got immediately blocked because the Finebros' jingle is being played at the start or whatever.

Yet it's got hundreds of thousands of views now and is supposed to be evidence of what terrible money-grubbing jews these guys are. Go internet.

hmmmm...

Why is there a defence force for that?
 

Beefy

Member
That's just a guy who is playing their video and talking over it. That's a totally separate issue. Their actual video is on the screen. As someone points out, it probably got immediately blocked because the Finebros' jingle is being played at the start or whatever.

Yet it's got hundreds of thousands of views now and is supposed to be evidence of what terrible money-grubbing jews these guys are. Go internet.

No one has talked about them being Jewish? But they certainly are money grabbing.
 
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