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Fine Brothers File For Trademark On Word "React"
DewDude writes: You've probably seen them on YouTube: Fine Brothers are the two behind the video series Teens React, Kids React, and Elders React. Well, the two seem to feel they somehow invented this whole thing and have now filed for a very broad trademark. The USPTO filing says the trademark will be published tomorrow and looking at the filing; it is literally for the word "react" and simply shows a screenshot of their YouTube page. They have also apparently gotten approval for "Parents React," "Celebrities React," and "Parents React"; as well as filed applications for things such as "Do They Know It," "Lyric Breakdown," "People v. Technology," and "Try Not To Smile Or Laugh."
That the trademark office had 300+ applications for the word "react" on file. Eli the Computer Guy did a fine a video on this controversy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byy8e37spOg
No, it's worse than that. They want to pay a license fee for use of their trademark, otherwise they'll see to it that the video is taken down. They're basically looking to extort people for using something that is utterly generic ("X reacts to Y").
Many Youtube videos have already been taken down because they have mentioned the words "react" or "reaction" over this. They're also quickly tracking down Youtube videos that use the base word "react" in any way and asking for a cut of ad revenue or be taken down. It's not only an overreaching trademark, but it's being quickly abused.
Evidently, enough people have said they are stupid dumb fucks that they have actually withdrawn the application and shut down their website where they were offering to license the use of this trademark to other people doing this. And are now also withdrawing takedown notices [I guess youtube content id, not DMCA].
Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
You have no clue what you're talking about. I wish people would take the time to be informed before posting to Slashdot.
The Fine Brothers didn't request the trademarks for webisodes. That's factually incorrect. They requested the trademark for "observing and interviewing groups of people." That's overly broad and encompasses a lot of things, including in science and psychology. A lot of news outlets interview people for their reactions to big news. That, too, was seemingly covered by the trademark applications.
There are also things called exclusive trademarks, which cover things like the Olympics. If you have a business or a product with the word "olympic" in it, you may very well get contacted by the IOC. It doesn't matter that you're clearly not related to athletic competitions. Most trademarks aren't exclusive, but there is such a thing. Your post is wrong in that respect, too.
The backlash was significant enough that the Fine Brothers have rescinded their trademark claims and applications (http://arstechnica.com/business/2016/02/fine-bros-back-down-rescind-trademark-claim-on-the-word-react/). Infringement claims were already made on their behalf, which angered a lot of people. They had plans to create something called "React World" where people would need to license the format of their videos to produce similar things. All references to React World have been removed. They're begging for forgiveness now. They don't deserve it, though. This wasn't an honest mistake. Windows Vista was a horrible mistake. Apple adding a U2 album to everyone's library was a well-intentioned but big mistake. Infringing on a patent or trademark you didn't know about is a mistake. This was no mistake. This was pure greed and people need to punish greed by not doing supporting greedy businesses.
You are so right. I am a volunteer fire fighter and posted a training video of my team putting out a fire at a training facility. I was contacted by youtube and informed that the music in the video was a violation and the video was removed.
The only sound in the video? The roar of the fire and the spray of the water being made by, you guessed it, the live fire and then water coming out of the hose nozzle!
Filled out their form explaining that there was no music in the video only the naturally occurring sound of fire and water. Guess what happened? I bet you did, youtube didn't care and never responded and my video never went back up!