YouTube is a fantastic source for knowledge - from explainers on the latest Game of Thrones theories, to slow-motion balloons being popped, there is an unprecedented amount of both brilliant and awful content available to anyone with access to the internet.
Unfortunately, that ease of accessibility has also led to a lot of copyright infringement, with entire seasons of popular shows being illegally uploaded to the hosting website. It’s easy to understand why any broadcaster would be stringent on people uploading their shows without permission.
However, in a strange turn of events, Fox managed to get a seven-year-old video they allegedly ‘stole’ removed from the website for violating copyright law.
In an episode of Family Guy, Peter and Cleveland play the NES game Double Dribble, with Peter abusing a technical glitch in the game to win.
Instead of creating their own gameplay footage, the guys over at Family Guy pulled some footage from Youtube user sw1tched, uploaded in 2009.
The only change between the two clips is that, where in the original (below) it reads CPU, in Family Guy it now reads 2UP.
Hours after the episode aired, the original YouTube clip was taken down, a message reading “This video contains content from FOX, who has blocked it on copyright grounds”.
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The clip was down for a few days, likely thanks to an automated bot that sourced videos that actually breach copyright. Eventually, Family Guy’s creator Seth MacFarlane got involved, sending out a Tweet stating he will look into the matter.
Soon enough, the original clip was restored online, with Fox issuing a statement (via Kotaku), saying: “The video in question was removed as a result of Fox’s routine efforts to protect its television show Family Guy from piracy. As soon as we became aware of the circumstances, the content was restored.”
The original uploader also wrote a message to fans: “This footage of my playing was used in an episode of Family Guy that aired on Monday May 15th, 2016 without my knowledge or consent. I was subsequently hit with a copyright claim and the video was taken down. After a few days the story broke across the internet and the video was restored on May 20th, 2016 without any of my doing. That is all that I wanted was my own video back.
“Thank you to any party involved that resolved the issue and thank you Family Guy for the exposure of such a small video! I also want to thank Seth McFarlane for tweeting about the issue and looking into it!”
When The Simpsons met Family Guy Show all 7 1 /7 When The Simpsons met Family Guy When The Simpsons met Family Guy When The Simpsons met Family Guy Homer gives the Griffins some of Apu’s donuts as a welcome present FOX When The Simpsons met Family Guy When The Simpsons met Family Guy Peter Griffin holds forth at dinner with the Simpsons FOX When The Simpsons met Family Guy When The Simpsons met Family Guy Homer introduces the Griffins to Springfield’s finest attractions: Donuts and Duff beer FOX When The Simpsons met Family Guy When The Simpsons met Family Guy Stewie and Brian watch as Bart prank phones Moe’s Tavern When The Simpsons met Family Guy When The Simpsons met Family Guy Stewie tries desperately to keep up with Bart on the skateboard FOX When The Simpsons met Family Guy When The Simpsons met Family Guy Homer and Moe row with Peter about Duff being the best beer FOX When The Simpsons met Family Guy When The Simpsons met Family Guy Things turn sour for Homer and Peter FOX
bigbangbilly on December 23rd, 2020 at 00:52 UTC »
So basically if you have enough money you can accuse the victim for their own death
TenDollarTicket on December 23rd, 2020 at 00:31 UTC »
Here's the clip if anyone is wondering.
Yanrogue on December 22nd, 2020 at 23:54 UTC »
Mega companies like fox should get huge fines and pay damages for false copy right strikes. The current system puts too much power in the hands of billion dollar companies.