If you’ve been paying attention at all to social media over the past few days and somehow ignored the meanderings of Trump and his followers, you might have seen more than a few people talking about Fine Brothers Entertainment. The popular YouTube channel that collects and creates all manners of “React” videos tried to pull of what they see as a franchising initiative this weekend, but it stepped into some murky legal water that basically looked like exploitation.
And their fans really didn’t stand for it.
Before getting into that though, just what happened to cause such discomfort amongst YouTube viewers and creators alike. It’s a long story, but the tl;dr version is this: Fine Bros. created a program called React World, in which content creators from around the globe could subscribe to the program, receive branding support for their videos and essentially recreate any Fine Bros-styled content underneath their umbrella for a local audience. These new creators start off with an established platform, Fine Bros. takes a cut and everyone wins, right? Not so much.
In amongst all of this Fine Bros tried to trademark the word “React” in a bid to protect their content – content which as a concept isn’t remotely unique enough to try and protect legally. Considering the Fine Bros have a history of trying to take down other React videos that they deem too close to their formula (again, a concept that isn’t unique to them in any way), this made a lot of people unease about the whole thing.
Not only were the Fine Bros trying to exploit video-creating fans with illusions of brand success, they were trying to make sure that it was the only way to produce this content going forward. Whether they understood it or not (they’re not dumb, they probably did). The video below goes into more detail about how this all works, and it’s truly the best explanation out there.
So what exactly happened? Well fans who Fine Bros. seemed to assume were dumb enough to fall for such a scheme immediately banded together, driving the subscription numbers of the channel down drastically in a short space of time. The channel was bleeding subscribers by the thousands per minute, prompting an emergency reaction from the Fine Bros. This at first lead to more videos trying to explain the situation better, but it couldn’t cauterise the hemorrhaging wound that the Fine Bros. found themselves with. They ultimately just dropped it all.
Hello,
We’re here to apologize.
We realize we built a system that could easily be used for wrong. We are fixing that. The reality that trademarks like these could be used to theoretically give companies (including ours) the power to police and control online video is a valid concern, and though we can assert our intentions are pure, there’s no way to prove them.
We have decided to do the following:
1. Rescind all of our “React” trademarks and applications.*
2. Discontinue the React World program.
3. Release all past Content ID claims.**
The concerns people have about React World are understandable, and that people see a link between that and our past video takedowns, but those were mistakes from an earlier time. It makes perfect sense for people to distrust our motives here, but we are confident that our actions will speak louder than these words moving forward.
This has been a hard week. Our plan is to keep making great content with the help of our amazing staff. Thank you for your time and for hearing us out.
Sincerely,
Benny and Rafi Fine
And that’s that it seems. React World and the idea to try and control an entire concept on YouTube is no more, with the Fine Bros. suffering a massive blow to their fanbase and credibility in the process. Is it enough to take them down forever? Probably not, but it’s a strong warning to anyone else with the same idea.
Last Updated: February 2, 2016
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 2, 2016 at 08:47
They literally just saw Sony getting laughed out of town trying to pull the same shit with “Let’s Play” and they thought to themselves, “we should do that too!” Would love to see their immediate reaction to this. ;P
Captain JJ 'saurus
February 2, 2016 at 08:54
They’re not getting all those subscribers back, I’m sure.
Too late now.
Hammersteyn
February 2, 2016 at 08:54
https://media.giphy.com/media/5xtDarE6xDVfXhudrVK/giphy.gif
Hammersteyn
February 2, 2016 at 08:54
You can’t like own the internet man.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
February 2, 2016 at 09:05
*As he exhales the smoke and lowers his right arm, with the cannabis bud between his middle and index finger, the blue smoke clearing. He waits, five minutes. Looks over to his friend and asks, “Did you just say something?”
The Sten
February 2, 2016 at 09:12
I had no idea who they were until this article
Hammersteyn
February 2, 2016 at 09:15
That’s because like me you probably don’t watch shitty reaction videos.
Commander Admiral Chief
February 2, 2016 at 10:13
The ONLY reaction videos I am interested in are that of Matty playing FNAF or any other scary game
Hammersteyn
February 2, 2016 at 10:16
of course
HvR
February 2, 2016 at 09:15
Love it when trying to peddle shit just ends up covered in their own product, needs to happen more often.
Now if the gaming community can mobilize themselves in the same way. Get EA and Disney too loose a bunch of pre-orders instead of getting you are shit award.
O shit the squirrel is back.
BakedBagel
February 2, 2016 at 09:20
I have 2 trademarks that i own. “Lazy” and “Gamer”
GAVIN. AND Lazygamer.net PAY ME YOUR MONEY.
I OWN THIS PLACE NOW
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
February 2, 2016 at 14:46
I own “Baked Bagel”. I will be awaiting the first cheque…. 😛
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 2, 2016 at 15:16
But he’s BakedBagel, it looks the same but is pronounced differently.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
February 2, 2016 at 15:53
CEASE AND DESIST!!!!!
Ryanza
February 2, 2016 at 09:34
I have copyrighted the phrase, “Don’t Support DRM. The Witcher 3 is coming.”. I’m busy copyrighting the phrase, “Don’t Support DRM. Cyberpunk 2077 is coming.”
“Cyberpunk 2077 is coming. Don’t Support DRM.” is the knockoff.
No-one can use, Don’t Support DRM…
Ryanza
February 2, 2016 at 09:36
Don’t Support DRM. Fuck DRM, is coming.
miaau
February 2, 2016 at 10:01
Hi. Just asking. Is copyright a form of DRM?
I think I get the tongue in cheek nature of your post, though.
BakedBagel
February 2, 2016 at 11:06
DRM is a form of anti-piracy that normally relates to Always Online.
DRM doesnt say “Oh you signed up with the name Bagel and i own Bagels so pay me”
DRM says. Where is the internet connection? No connection no Play
Ryanza
February 2, 2016 at 11:14
Listen to this wise man
React
February 2, 2016 at 09:41
If that Geoff in the header?
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
February 2, 2016 at 14:44
Don’t you just love internet/youtube drama? This saga has delivered on all the lulz. The best part is watching their sub numbers freefall. It’s surprisingly cathartic.
http://www.livecounts.x10host.com/?channel=Fine%20Brothers%20Entertainment
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
February 2, 2016 at 14:50
This made me laugh!
https://kiwifar.ms/attachments/screenshot-vidstatsx-com-2016-02-02-12-42-22-png.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
February 2, 2016 at 14:53
It seems they deleted their “announcement” – sadly for them, the internet never forgets!
http://i.imgur.com/8UDYOWK.png
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
February 2, 2016 at 15:02
MundaneMatt discusses the issue after the Fine Bros apologised: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R4kGjl9pnw