Garry Newman, the creator of the popular game modification Garry's Mod, reportedly received a DMCA takedown notice related to Skibidi Toilet content within the game. The situation is shrouded in confusion, as the source of the notice and the legitimacy of the claim are both currently unclear.
The Initial Claim and Subsequent Denials
On July 30th, a copyright claim was filed, demanding the removal of unauthorized Skibidi Toilet Garry's Mod creations. The initial reports suggested Invisible Narratives, the studio behind the Skibidi Toilet film and television projects, was behind the notice. However, this has been disputed. A Discord profile allegedly belonging to the Skibidi Toilet creator denied sending the DMCA, as reported by Dexerto.
The Ironic Twist
The irony lies in the origins of Skibidi Toilet itself. The viral YouTube series, created by Alexey Gerasimov (DaFuq!?Boom!), uses assets from Garry's Mod, ported into Source Filmmaker. This unexpected copyright claim against Garry's Mod, a platform that facilitated the creation of Skibidi Toilet, has sparked considerable debate.
Counterarguments and the Role of Valve
Garry Newman shared the DMCA notice on the s&box Discord server, expressing disbelief. Invisible Narratives' claim centers on the copyright of characters like Titan Cameraman, Titan Speakerman, Titan TV Man, and Skibidi Toilet, citing DaFuq!?Boom! as the source. However, the situation is complex. While Garry's Mod uses assets from Valve's Half-Life 2, Valve has authorized its standalone release. Therefore, Valve, as the original copyright holder of the underlying assets, might have a stronger legal position than Invisible Narratives.
DaFuq!?Boom!'s Response and Previous Copyright Disputes
Following the public disclosure, DaFuq!?Boom! denied involvement in the DMCA notice on the s&box Discord, expressing a desire to resolve the misunderstanding. This isn't the first time DaFuq!?Boom! has faced copyright scrutiny. Last September, they issued multiple copyright strikes against GameToons, another YouTuber creating similar content, eventually reaching a settlement.
The Unresolved Mystery
The current understanding is that the DMCA notice came from an unknown source, acting on behalf of Invisible Narratives. The copyright registration for "Titan Cameraman and 3 Other Unpublished Works" (including the other characters) dates to 2023. Whether DaFuq!?Boom!'s denial is accurate remains unconfirmed, adding to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding this unusual copyright dispute. The situation highlights the complexities of copyright in the digital age, especially concerning user-generated content and derivative works.
