Sega threatens to sue YTMND!

SimBen

(Mods, if this is against regulations somehow, sorry; not my intention to pimp YTMND, just reporting and discussing this story)

http://ytmndsega.ytmnsfw.com/ (note: not actually NSFW, unless your work doesn't like you to listen to some guy swearing)

Basically, Sega sends a letter to YTMND, saying yo, delete all Sonic sites or we sue. YTMND jeers, is protected by 1st amendment.

It is almost like the corporates, they do not understand the internet peoples!

Does anyone even respect Sega anymore? (I don't mean 90s-Sega, I mean present-Sega). I can't imagine this will help their brand in any way. If it was illegal to make fun of Sega, half of the kids at my elementary school would be in jail now.

Thoughts?

Karf

I am so proud of the person who made that ytmnd you linked there.

That is awesome.

SimBen

That would be Max, creator and owner of YTMND. :P

Karf

SimBen wrote:

That would be Max, creator and owner of YTMND. :P

You will never diminish my love!

i will never love again

Flavabean

YTMND has come back into my life in a very big way.

Couscous

http://www.sonicgivesadviceonrape.ytmnsfw.com/?90aa166044990cleff26dab9408ed376
This is the website that they complained about.

SimBen

titmouse wrote:

http://www.sonicgivesadviceonrape.ytmnsfw.com/?90aa166044990cleff26dab9408ed376
This is the website that they complained about.

Yyyyup. I mean geez, since when is it illegal to parody a fictional character? It's not like Sonic himself can get up and say "YOU RUINED MY REPUTATION THOSE ALLEGATIONS ARE FALSE GIVE ME YOUR LAWYER'S NUMBER SO MY LAWYER CAN CALL HIM".

cooljammer00

ah yes! a new DZK song!

awesome.

cj iwakura

Obviously Sega is terrified at the damage YTMND might inflict on their beloved mascot's flawless reputation.

Of course, it couldn't be much worse than what they've already done to him..

Krunch XP

Defamation of character.Or something.
If I recall correctly, there's a law protecting things in the name of art and parody.

But here's the thing. That doesn't matter.
This isn't a game of who's right or wrong, it's about who can stay the longest in court.

Neva

I wonder if furry artist ever get sued along the lines of this.

BahamutZERO

Edit: Wait what am I doing, this isn't a "post ytmnds" thread.

SimBen

Krunch XP wrote:

Defamation of character.Or something.
If I recall correctly, there's a law protecting things in the name of art and parody.

But here's the thing. That doesn't matter.
This isn't a game of who's right or wrong, it's about who can stay the longest in court.

Defamation of character applies to actual people. If one of the thousands of people that's been mocked by YTMND wanted to sue them, they could probably build a case and have a shot at winning a settlement.

But parody is protected by the first amendment. As long as you don't claim the character as yours and make no profit from it, you're entitled to say all the stupid shit you want about Sonic.

Like so: Sonic's 3D games blow super monkey balls.

Kreutz

So, the guy who runs YTMND is a white rapper.

Who knew?

EDIT: Obligatory http://captainksandiego.ytmnd.com/

Endomatic

search for uglytits

Drez

HAHAH.

Treeloot

SimBen wrote:

Basically, Sega sends a letter to YTMND, saying yo, delete all Sonic sites or we sue. YTMND jeers, is protected by 1st amendment.

Isn't it technically illegal for YTMND to have pictures of a licensed character on their website?

MegaMan001

That's a great way to respond to a legal threat.

EDIT: "Man, Sega must need money...bad."

SimBen

Treeloot wrote:

SimBen wrote:

Basically, Sega sends a letter to YTMND, saying yo, delete all Sonic sites or we sue. YTMND jeers, is protected by 1st amendment.

Isn't it technically illegal for YTMND to have pictures of a licensed character on their website?

Not if they're not making profit from it.

Der Waffle Mous

This is slightly less amusing as the dramatic reading of the Ebaumsworld legal threat.

cooljammer00

Kreutz wrote:

So, the guy who runs YTMND is a white rapper.

Who knew?

EDIT: Obligatory http://captainksandiego.ytmnd.com/

no no, DZK is the resident YTMND MC

max is just some jewish guy from NYC who runs the site

Mordrack

SimBen wrote:

Treeloot wrote:

SimBen wrote:

Basically, Sega sends a letter to YTMND, saying yo, delete all Sonic sites or we sue. YTMND jeers, is protected by 1st amendment.

Isn't it technically illegal for YTMND to have pictures of a licensed character on their website?

Not if they're not making profit from it.

No monetary reasoning at all, actually. Parody has been protected via precedent repeatedly by the U.S. Supreme Court.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parody#Copyright_issues

Wikipedia'd for ease of digging through the library of congress' web.

Henroid

Another threat at YTMND to be sued? :roll:

Zek

I laughed when that rap implies thay YTMND is what supplies the Sonic franchise with the hype it needs to stay afloat.

FreddyD

Anybody remember Black Shadow?

JWFokker

Cosby for great justice!

http://pokepokeyourpeepee.ytmnd.com/
http://nazicosby.ytmnsfw.com/
http://cosbybebop.ytmnd.com/
http://drecosby.ytmnd.com/
http://whatiscosby.ytmnd.com/
http://cosbystrikesback.ytmnd.com/
http://cosbyclassic.ytmnd.com/

Lewisham

SimBen wrote:

Treeloot wrote:

SimBen wrote:

Basically, Sega sends a letter to YTMND, saying yo, delete all Sonic sites or we sue. YTMND jeers, is protected by 1st amendment.

Isn't it technically illegal for YTMND to have pictures of a licensed character on their website?

Not if they're not making profit from it.

Infringment is infrindgement, money or no.

I believe that YTMND is protected by parody.

Superunknown

WHY wrote:

This is slightly less amusing as the dramatic reading of the Ebaumsworld legal threat.

Link? Please.

SimBen

Superunknown wrote:

WHY wrote:

This is slightly less amusing as the dramatic reading of the Ebaumsworld legal threat.

Link? Please.

http://baumanletters.ytmnd.com/

LordOfMeep

The Sonic Gives Advice fad is still one of my favorites. Fuck SEGA for trying to sue over it. :P

Superunknown

SimBen wrote:

Superunknown wrote:

WHY wrote:

This is slightly less amusing as the dramatic reading of the Ebaumsworld legal threat.

Link? Please.

http://baumanletters.ytmnd.com/

Holy crap that was divine.

s3rial one

http://endgamewowraidinglol.ytmnd.com/

Crashmo

I will always hold a special place in my heart for SEGA, no matter how much they disappoint me. They're like a favorite relative that gets in a horrible wreck that makes him disfigured and/or retarded.

cj iwakura

Crashmo wrote:

I will always hold a special place in my heart for SEGA, no matter how much they disappoint me. They're like a favorite relative that gets in a horrible wreck that makes him disfigured and/or retarded.

That's how I feel, except now I just figure said relative has gone insane and lost any semblance of what they used to be.

Aumni

I was just about to Post this.....but you beat me!


Anyways this is the best reply to legal action I've ever heard.


*clap*

The Wolfman

Zek wrote:

I laughed when that rap implies thay YTMND is what supplies the Sonic franchise with the hype it needs to stay afloat.

Isn't it though? New Sonic game comes out. Turns out to be shit. Cue YTMND stuff to make it enjoyable.

I mean, it's the only way we squeezed ANY enjoyment out of Shadow the Hedgehog.

eternalbl

Sega has to pursue the matter or risk losing the trademark. Thats just the way it is.

Silpheed

eternalbl wrote:

Sega has to pursue the matter or risk losing the trademark. Thats just the way it is.

SEGA is handling the matter of losing the Sonic trademark quite nicely themselves. Give them a little more time and they will have pissed away the rest of their franchises aswell..

cj iwakura

Silpheed wrote:

eternalbl wrote:

Sega has to pursue the matter or risk losing the trademark. Thats just the way it is.

SEGA is handling the matter of losing the Sonic trademark quite nicely themselves. Give them a little more time and they will have pissed away the rest of their franchises aswell..

Space Channel 5, Jet Set Radio, NiGHTS, and Shenmue seem pretty safe.
(Well, NiGHTS took a few injuries, but it's getting better.)

I think that's all I care about.

SimBen

eternalbl wrote:

Sega has to pursue the matter or risk losing the trademark. Thats just the way it is.

The fuck. Sega isn't in any risk of losing the Sonic trademark. It's not like anyone is trying to steal Sonic from them. They made Sonic and it'll always belong to them. The only way it could ever go away is if they somehow decided to sell the franchise to another company. Which will never happen.

eternalbl

Trademark law is pretty strict in that you have to keep tight reigns on a trademark or lose it. You think these companies are dumb twats for not knowing how to act, but really they have no other choice. Look up trademark law if you need some proof.