YouTube's Fine Bros. Attempt to Trademark Reactions

[The Republic of American Freedom]

Fuck them.

On the one hand, being copied can be quite frustrating and damaging to one's bottom line.

Who cares?

Giving people monopolies on ideas is outrageously stupid.

Monopolies in general are bullshit that corrupts the free market by stifling competition. YouTube has a monopoly thereby they can get away with shutting down channels unfairly. (See what happened to I Hate Everything)

[The Republic of American Freedom]

Even if they managed by some nonsense to trademark the word 'react' they likely wouldn't be able to ever actually get anything from it. Something like this happened When Rebellion Studios filed a lawsuit against Ironclad games back in 2012 because one of their games had 'Rebellion' in the title. Needless to say, the case was dropped because it was classed as expressive speech and is protected by the first amendment. I'd imagine the same would happen here if the F*ck Bros* tried to do get anything from such a trademark.

Honestly, I'm amazed anyone actually thought this would A: Be a good idea, and B: work. I think it's pretty obvious to anyone with more than two brain cells that this is quite silly of them.

*Not their actual name...it should be though.

And also, reaction channels and prank channels are pretty much the Cancer of the internet.

Reaction and Prank channels are the reason YouTube is dead to me.

[Fanosolia]

Even if they managed by some nonsense to trademark the word 'react' they likely wouldn't be able to ever actually get anything from it. Something like this happened When Rebellion Studios filed a lawsuit against Ironclad games back in 2012 because one of their games had 'Rebellion' in the title. Needless to say, the case was dropped because it was classed as expressive speech and is protected by the first amendment. I'd imagine the same would happen here if the F*ck Bros* tried to do get anything from such a trademark.

Honestly, I'm amazed anyone actually thought this would A: Be a good idea, and B: work. I think it's pretty obvious to anyone with more than two brain cells that this is quite silly of them.

*Not their actual name...it should be though.

And also, reaction channels and prank channels are pretty much the Cancer of the internet.

Reaction and Prank channels are the reason YouTube is dead to me.

I still don't understand why my bro watches reaction videos. And I don't mean something that's as polished as fine bros, I mean like they react to the whole episode more or less cut in. Something about those rub me the wrong way.

[The Republic of American Freedom]

Reaction and Prank channels are the reason YouTube is dead to me.

I still don't understand why my bro watches reaction videos. And I don't mean something that's as polished as fine bros, I mean like they react to a whole episode of something, with the full episode cut in. Something about those rub me the wrong way.

Does your brother watch Jinx? He is easily the worst of the Reaction channels.

[Ifreann]

Your insistence on confusing trademarks and copyrights is absolutely infuriating.

Calm down, geez... OK, fine...

http://www.lawmart.com/forms/difference.htm

... Now that I know the difference, it makes even LESS sense they tried to trademark the word "react".

A trademark is a word, name, symbol or device which is used in trade with goods to indicate the source of the goods and to distinguish them from the goods of others. A servicemark is the same as a trademark except that it identifies and distinguishes the source of a service rather than a product. The terms "trademark" and "mark" are commonly used to refer to both trademarks and servicemarks.

Trademark rights may be used to prevent others from using a confusingly similar mark, but not to prevent others from making the same goods or from selling the same goods or services under a clearly different mark. Trademarks which are used in interstate or foreign commerce may be registered with the Patent and Trademark Office. The registration procedure for trademarks and general information concerning trademarks is described in a separate pamphlet entitled "Basic Facts about Trademarks".

On this note... You should be infuriated at yourself. Or, preferably, not infuriated at all.

Then again... I've been noticing a lot of people are ridiculously pissed off about this.

I'm more disappointed and confused than... Angry.

Then again, I suppose it is rather annoying they tried this knowing they probably wouldn't succeed.

They definitely did "Screw up".

They do Kids React, and Teens React, and Seniors React, and probably a bunch of others that I've never heard of that end in React. You see how there's kind of a theme running there that someone might try to exploit when making their own series of reaction videos? Say, by calling it Adults React or Tweens React or Sheep Shaggers React?

[The Republic of American Freedom]

Calm down, geez... OK, fine...

http://www.lawmart.com/forms/difference.htm

... Now that I know the difference, it makes even LESS sense they tried to trademark the word "react".



On this note... You should be infuriated at yourself. Or, preferably, not infuriated at all.

Then again... I've been noticing a lot of people are ridiculously pissed off about this.

I'm more disappointed and confused than... Angry.

Then again, I suppose it is rather annoying they tried this knowing they probably wouldn't succeed.

They definitely did "Screw up".

They do Kids React, and Teens React, and Seniors React, and probably a bunch of others that I've never heard of that end in React. You see how there's kind of a theme running there that someone might try to exploit when making their own series of reaction videos? Say, by calling it Adults React or Tweens React or Sheep Shaggers React?

Who the hell would watch those anyway? Also: The Fine Bro$ already have an Adults React

[Rusozak]

Really? Trying to trademark a single word used everywhere?

[Fanosolia]

I still don't understand why my bro watches reaction videos. And I don't mean something that's as polished as fine bros, I mean like they react to a whole episode of something, with the full episode cut in. Something about those rub me the wrong way.

Does your brother watch Jinx? He is easily the worst of the Reaction channels.

Nah it's mostly reactions to naruto issues and thinks like that. It's not really the content that bothers me (I watch let's play for gods sake, so I'm one to talk when it comes to over saturated videos that rely on good personalities), it's the presentation, editing, and host, and it feels like I'm listening to a plot summary of something while a teen is on a stimulant.

[Ifreann]

They do Kids React, and Teens React, and Seniors React, and probably a bunch of others that I've never heard of that end in React. You see how there's kind of a theme running there that someone might try to exploit when making their own series of reaction videos? Say, by calling it Adults React or Tweens React or Sheep Shaggers React?

Who the hell would watch those anyway?

I saw something on Cracked suggesting that the entire basis of the humour of those sorts of videos is mean-spiritedly laughing at people for not "getting" something that you "get". So presumably people who aren't adults, tweens, or sheep shaggers.

[Eol Sha]

Calm down, geez... OK, fine...

http://www.lawmart.com/forms/difference.htm

... Now that I know the difference, it makes even LESS sense they tried to trademark the word "react".



On this note... You should be infuriated at yourself. Or, preferably, not infuriated at all.

Then again... I've been noticing a lot of people are ridiculously pissed off about this.

I'm more disappointed and confused than... Angry.

Then again, I suppose it is rather annoying they tried this knowing they probably wouldn't succeed.

They definitely did "Screw up".

They do Kids React, and Teens React, and Seniors React, and probably a bunch of others that I've never heard of that end in React. You see how there's kind of a theme running there that someone might try to exploit when making their own series of reaction videos? Say, by calling it...Sheep Shaggers React?

It'd be simpler just to type in "Welshmen React".

[Eol Sha]

Fuck them.

On the one hand, being copied can be quite frustrating and damaging to one's bottom line.

Who cares?

Giving people monopolies on ideas is outrageously stupid.

I imagine the people monetizing their videos that they probably spent hours, even days, to create care. Granted, my sympathy isn't that high since I think copyright law is a little too strict and is heavily abused.

Giving people monopolies on ideas is outrageously stupid.

That's the whole point of things like trademarks and copyright. To make sure people are rewarded for their effort and have a legal recourse in cases where they are being copied without consent.



I know this isn't a copyright case, but the point is the same.

[The Republic of American Freedom]

They do Kids React, and Teens React, and Seniors React, and probably a bunch of others that I've never heard of that end in React. You see how there's kind of a theme running there that someone might try to exploit when making their own series of reaction videos? Say, by calling it...Sheep Shaggers React?

It'd be simpler just to type in "Welshmen React".

Where are Scotsmen React? Or Irishmen React? What about Welshwomen React? You misogynist cis scum!

[Eol Sha]

It'd be simpler just to type in "Welshmen React".

Where are Scotsmen React? Or Irishmen React? What about Welshwomen React? You misogynist cis scum!

Do Scotsmen and Irishmen screw sheep at the same rate as the Welsh or even the New Zealanders? Didn't think so.

[The Rich Port]

Who the hell would watch those anyway?

I saw something on Cracked suggesting that the entire basis of the humour of those sorts of videos is mean-spiritedly laughing at people for not "getting" something that you "get". So presumably people who aren't adults, tweens, or sheep shaggers.

... Or, you know, maybe you just like seeing what other people thought of something.

Or maybe, just maybe, what they do in general is amusing, and, sometimes they might even be something called "comedians" who make things called "jokes" about what they're doing.

I personally like watching them to see just how different peoples' thoughts can be... Or how similar, in other instances.

You know... Empathy and all those good things.

Calm down, geez... OK, fine...

http://www.lawmart.com/forms/difference.htm

... Now that I know the difference, it makes even LESS sense they tried to trademark the word "react".



On this note... You should be infuriated at yourself. Or, preferably, not infuriated at all.

Then again... I've been noticing a lot of people are ridiculously pissed off about this.

I'm more disappointed and confused than... Angry.

Then again, I suppose it is rather annoying they tried this knowing they probably wouldn't succeed.

They definitely did "Screw up".

They do Kids React, and Teens React, and Seniors React, and probably a bunch of others that I've never heard of that end in React. You see how there's kind of a theme running there that someone might try to exploit when making their own series of reaction videos? Say, by calling it Adults React or Tweens React or Sheep Shaggers React?

... And as other people, myself included, have pointed out, the Fine Bros. are standing on the shoulders of really memetic colossi.

It's incredibly hypocritical of them to take something so widespread for themselves. "Reactions" is not something they do exclusively, anyway! They have other different kinds of videos. I get them trademarking, say... "TheReactChannel", because that's THEIR channel and THEIR brand. The word "react" is not their brand, nor is it their own domain.

... AGAIN... So. Fucking. What? Should they fucking trademark "Adults React To X" as well? It's a FORMAT. A GENRE. The Fine Bros. did not invent the concept of reaction videos, filed under "critical analysis" since some reaction videos actually contain immediate thoughts occurring right after experiencing something. AGAIN, that would be like Stephanie Meyer trademarking

It's RIDICULOUSLY unreasonable to attempt such a thing and not expect a backlash from it, but more unreasonable is to think it's logical.

Iffy, your logic is extremely deniable.

Even if they managed by some nonsense to trademark the word 'react' they likely wouldn't be able to ever actually get anything from it. Something like this happened When Rebellion Studios filed a lawsuit against Ironclad games back in 2012 because one of their games had 'Rebellion' in the title. Needless to say, the case was dropped because it was classed as expressive speech and is protected by the first amendment. I'd imagine the same would happen here if the F*ck Bros* tried to do get anything from such a trademark.

Honestly, I'm amazed anyone actually thought this would A: Be a good idea, and B: work. I think it's pretty obvious to anyone with more than two brain cells that this is quite silly of them.

*Not their actual name...it should be though.

And also, reaction channels and prank channels are pretty much the Cancer of the internet.

Reaction and Prank channels are the reason YouTube is dead to me.

... YouTube was built on clips of animals looking funny or drinking their own piss, a guy dancing to many different dances, and a fat guy dancing to a copyrighted song in it's entirety, among other masterpieces.

http://www.realclear.com/tech/2013/08/0 ... _2504.html

Truly, a legacy that doesn't deserve such things as people's thoughts on something.

Even if they managed by some nonsense to trademark the word 'react' they likely wouldn't be able to ever actually get anything from it. Something like this happened When Rebellion Studios filed a lawsuit against Ironclad games back in 2012 because one of their games had 'Rebellion' in the title. Needless to say, the case was dropped because it was classed as expressive speech and is protected by the first amendment. I'd imagine the same would happen here if the F*ck Bros* tried to do get anything from such a trademark.

Honestly, I'm amazed anyone actually thought this would A: Be a good idea, and B: work. I think it's pretty obvious to anyone with more than two brain cells that this is quite silly of them.

*Not their actual name...it should be though.

And also, reaction channels and prank channels are pretty much the Cancer of the internet.

As the links in my OP and Ifreann show, some people sadly think they're a good idea... And so have some judges, because you can really twist the law to your favor if you really, seriously think you're the logical one.

Also, meh, I don't like the over-saturation of prank videos either, but sometimes you have to give props.

Fuck them.

On the one hand, being copied can be quite frustrating and damaging to one's bottom line.

Who cares?

Giving people monopolies on ideas is outrageously stupid.

They're not even the first people to make reaction videos, for crissakes...

[The Republic of American Freedom]

Where are Scotsmen React? Or Irishmen React? What about Welshwomen React? You misogynist cis scum!

Do Scotsmen and Irishmen screw sheep at the same rate as the Welsh or even the New Zealanders? Didn't think so.

Stop stereotyping foreigners you xenophobic Amerikkkan! You have no right to judge their culture! Literally Hitler.

[Eol Sha]

Fuck them.



Who cares?

Giving people monopolies on ideas is outrageously stupid.

They're not even the first people to make reaction videos, for crissakes...

It's not like I agree with their decision. Just that I understand it and that it makes a certain degree of sense.

[The Rich Port]

Fuck them.



Who cares?

Giving people monopolies on ideas is outrageously stupid.

I imagine the people monetizing their videos that they probably spent hours, even days, to create care. Granted, my sympathy isn't that high since I think copyright law is a little too strict and is heavily abused.

Giving people monopolies on ideas is outrageously stupid.

That's the whole point of things like trademarks and copyright. To make sure people are rewarded for their effort and have a legal recourse in cases where they are being copied without consent.



I know this isn't a copyright case, but the point is the same.

People posting videos that aren't theirs and making money off it has actually become near impossible thanks to Content ID.

Actually, with Content ID, the only people that loose are advertisers. If 10 different channels post the same video, they can all be monetized, with a cut going to the original creators.

Those poor advertisers. :'(

Trademarks are somewhat similar to copyrights; the main difference is that they're protected so that people can't pass off one person's product as their own.

a trademark protects "words, names, symbols, sounds or colors that distinguish goods and services from those manufactured or sold by others and to indicate the source of the goods."

"React videos" are not the exclusive domain of the Fine Bros., so even Iffy twisting the law to fit it, trademarking the word "react" or anything having to do with the genre of "reaction videos" would protect their brand.

On the other hand, their CURRENT trademark of "Fine Bros. Entertainment" does.

In much the same way, say, Post-Its can. The word "Post-Its" is trademarked... Doesn't mean you have to pay someone to use it in common parlance or to refer to the product itself.

Or, for that matter, to refer to sticky notes in general... Other people have created their own sticky note versions. Patents are what protects actual designs and ideas... And those run out very quickly compared to trademarks and copyright.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-it_note

[The Rich Port]

They're not even the first people to make reaction videos, for crissakes...

It's not like I agree with their decision. Just that I understand it and that it makes a certain degree of sense.

I understand the feeling too... But what Iffy and probably what the Fine Bros. lawyers suggested is unreasonable and selfish.

Even as an artist myself to some degree, I'm not so selfish I would corrupt the government to keep making money off something...

For example, like Disney has.

[The Rich Port]

It'd be simpler just to type in "Welshmen React".

Where are Scotsmen React? Or Irishmen React? What about Welshwomen React? You misogynist cis scum!

Here's some Irish people reacting to something and criticizing it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUc2fsZDZZk

If you know some Scottish people, maybe you can corner the highly competitive market of Scottish people reacting to things.

Huh, wonder why the Fines didn't do a series like this... Oh, right, because they're not the only ones to come up with this shit.

[Eol Sha]

They're not even the first people to make reaction videos, for crissakes...

It's not like I agree with their decision. Just that I understand it and that it makes a certain degree of sense.

Personally, I'm not a fan of react videos. I don't watch them enough to have a positive or negative opinion, but they just seem subsatanceless. Like, one of my favorite Youtubers, Black Nerd Comedy, has done a react video or two recently, which is a departure from his normal material of tv show reviews, rants, movie reviews, and discussion videos. The first one was reasonably funny since he was reacting to the new Suicide Squad trailer. But when he did it again, well, it got old really quick.

[New Rogernomics]

Think they got too greedy and got burned by reality. Enough said.

[New haven america]

Calm down, geez... OK, fine...

http://www.lawmart.com/forms/difference.htm

... Now that I know the difference, it makes even LESS sense they tried to trademark the word "react".



On this note... You should be infuriated at yourself. Or, preferably, not infuriated at all.

Then again... I've been noticing a lot of people are ridiculously pissed off about this.

I'm more disappointed and confused than... Angry.

Then again, I suppose it is rather annoying they tried this knowing they probably wouldn't succeed.

They definitely did "Screw up".

They do Kids React, and Teens React, and Seniors React, and probably a bunch of others that I've never heard of that end in React. You see how there's kind of a theme running there that someone might try to exploit when making their own series of reaction videos? Say, by calling it Adults React or Tweens React or Sheep Shaggers React?

So what? Youtubers consistantly take and edit/adapt other creators content to fit their channel, and have been doing so for years, that's how the site works and evolves.

Reacation videos aren't a unique (Or smart) idea, people have been doing them for years, and there've been quite a few videos with "(Enter group here) React" before the Fine Bros. became popular.

[United Marxist Nations]

This is why you must abandon your subscriptions and subscribe to the Historical Trinity of Lindybeige, Scholagladiatoria, and Skallagrim (the last is the least important, tbh).

[The Rich Port]

It's not like I agree with their decision. Just that I understand it and that it makes a certain degree of sense.

Personally, I'm not a fan of react videos. I don't watch them enough to have a positive or negative opinion, but they just seem subsatanceless. Like, one of my favorite Youtubers, Black Nerd Comedy, has done a react video or two recently, which is a departure from his normal material of tv show reviews, rants, movie reviews, and discussion videos. The first one was reasonably funny since he was reacting to the new Suicide Squad trailer. But when he did it again, well, it got old really quick.

One person's trash is another person's treasure. Your opinion on someone's work should not affect the law.

Ah, but seriously... Really, you like the Black Nerd?

He's such a bad actor and not funny and his videos are all gags and no opinion.

Ah, but totally seriously... See? Feels arbitrary, don't it? That's because it IS arbitrary. :D

Also, how do you think Buzzfeed felt when they came up with children eating gross things... Several months before the Fine Bros.?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWgqfYdQ0GI

This came out January 31, 2014.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=449f8nz6q2U

This came out JUNE 31, of the same year.

Might seem like a long time... But, seriously. Come on. There's a double standard going on here. Ya know?

[Ifreann]

I saw something on Cracked suggesting that the entire basis of the humour of those sorts of videos is mean-spiritedly laughing at people for not "getting" something that you "get". So presumably people who aren't adults, tweens, or sheep shaggers.

... Or, you know, maybe you just like seeing what other people thought of something.

Or maybe, just maybe, what they do in general is amusing, and, sometimes they might even be something called "comedians" who make things called "jokes" about what they're doing.

I personally like watching them to see just how different peoples' thoughts can be... Or how similar, in other instances.

You know... Empathy and all those good things.

Of course. And small kids tend to be funny when they do almost anything.

They do Kids React, and Teens React, and Seniors React, and probably a bunch of others that I've never heard of that end in React. You see how there's kind of a theme running there that someone might try to exploit when making their own series of reaction videos? Say, by calling it Adults React or Tweens React or Sheep Shaggers React?

... And as other people, myself included, have pointed out, the Fine Bros. are standing on the shoulders of really memetic colossi.

It's incredibly hypocritical of them to take something so widespread for themselves. "Reactions" is not something they do exclusively, anyway! They have other different kinds of videos. I get them trademarking, say... "TheReactChannel", because that's THEIR channel and THEIR brand. The word "react" is not their brand, nor is it their own domain.

... AGAIN... So. Fucking. What? Should they fucking trademark "Adults React To X" as well? It's a FORMAT. A GENRE. The Fine Bros. did not invent the concept of reaction videos, filed under "critical analysis" since some reaction videos actually contain immediate thoughts occurring right after experiencing something.

I will repeat again that they did not try to trademark reactions, nor did they try to lay any kind of claim to inventing the genre. Trademarking the word react wouldn't mean that no one else could make reaction videos, just as the various trademarks owned by Coca Cola, which cover more than just the words Coca Cola, do not prevent Pepsi from selling their own cola drinks, among other things.

AGAIN, that would be like Stephanie Meyer trademarking

What?

It's RIDICULOUSLY unreasonable to attempt such a thing and not expect a backlash from it, but more unreasonable is to think it's logical.

Iffy, your logic is extremely deniable.

There is nothing illogical about wanting to keep other people from profiting from their brand. Though they should have realised that the internet, hive of scum and villainy that it is, would absolutely lose its mind if they found out about them trying to do that.