Skibidi Toilet DMCAs Garry's Mod But Legitimacy Remains Unclear

A DMCA takedown notice, allegedly from an entity connected to the Skibidi Toilet franchise, has targeted Garry's Mod, sparking controversy and raising questions about copyright ownership. This article explores the details of this unexpected dispute.

The Skibidi Toilet DMCA Claim

On July 30th, Garry Newman, the creator of Garry's Mod, reportedly received a DMCA claim demanding the removal of user-created Skibidi Toilet content within the game. The sender asserted that no official Skibidi Toilet content exists for Garry's Mod. Initial reports wrongly attributed the notice to Invisible Narratives, the studio behind Skibidi Toilet's film and TV adaptations. However, a Discord profile seemingly belonging to the Skibidi Toilet creator has since denied sending the notice, as reported by Dexerto.

Garry's Mod, a mod for Valve's Half-Life 2, allows users to create custom games and content. The Skibidi Toilet meme, popularized by Alexey Gerasimov's YouTube channel "DaFuq!?Boom!", uses assets from Garry's Mod. This meme's unexpected rise to viral fame led to merchandise and plans for a film and TV series by Invisible Narratives.

Challenges to the DMCA Claim

Newman shared the DMCA notice on the s&box Discord server, highlighting the irony of the situation, given Skibidi Toilet's origins within Garry's Mod. 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 original source.

The irony is amplified by the fact that Garry's Mod itself uses assets from Half-Life 2, yet Valve, the owner of those assets, approved its release. Valve's position would likely be stronger in any copyright dispute regarding the use of their assets than Invisible Narratives', as they hold the original copyright to Half-Life 2.

Following the public disclosure, DaFuq!?Boom! denied involvement in sending the DMCA notice via the s&box Discord, expressing confusion and a desire to resolve the situation.

The DMCA notice is currently attributed to an unknown source acting "on behalf of copyright holder: Invisible Narratives, LLC," citing copyright registration in 2023 for the characters mentioned above.

While DaFuq!?Boom!'s denial remains unverified, this isn't their first brush with copyright disputes.

Previous Copyright Disputes Involving DaFuq!?Boom!

Last September, DaFuq!?Boom! issued copyright strikes against other YouTube channels, including GameToons, leading to a temporary conflict that was eventually resolved through an undisclosed agreement.

The legitimacy of the DMCA notice sent to Garry's Mod remains unclear, adding another layer of complexity to this unfolding story. The situation highlights the complexities of copyright in the digital age, particularly concerning user-generated content and the evolution of internet memes.