Skibidi's Toilet DMCA Hits Garry's Mod

Garry Newman, the creator of Garry's Mod, reportedly received a DMCA takedown notice targeting unauthorized Skibidi Toilet content within the game. The origin of the notice is currently uncertain, adding a layer of intrigue to the situation.

The DMCA and its Uncertain Origin

On July 30th, a copyright claim emerged, demanding the removal of Skibidi Toilet-related Garry's Mod creations. The notice asserted a lack of official licensing for Skibidi Toilet content within Garry's Mod, Steam, or Valve products.

Initial reports incorrectly attributed the notice to Invisible Narratives, the studio behind Skibidi Toilet's film and TV projects. However, a Discord profile seemingly belonging to the Skibidi Toilet creator has since denied sending the DMCA, as reported by Dexerto. This leaves the true source of the notice a mystery.

The Ironic Twist

The irony lies in the Skibidi Toilet series' origins. Created by Alexey Gerasimov (DaFuq!?Boom!) using Garry's Mod assets and Source Filmmaker (both Valve products), the series unexpectedly gained viral fame, spawning merchandise and future film/TV adaptations. The DMCA claim against Garry's Mod, therefore, targets a game that inadvertently birthed the very content now being claimed as copyrighted.

Responses and Counterarguments

Newman shared the DMCA notice on the s&box Discord, highlighting its absurdity. Invisible Narratives' notice claimed copyright ownership of characters like Titan Cameraman, Titan Speakerman, Titan TV Man, and Skibidi Toilet, citing DaFuq!?Boom! as the original source.

This claim is complex due to Garry's Mod's own reliance on Half-Life 2 assets. Valve, having authorized Garry's Mod's release, holds a stronger claim to the original assets used in the Skibidi Toilet series than Invisible Narratives.

DaFuq!?Boom! subsequently denied involvement in the DMCA on the s&box Discord, expressing confusion and seeking contact with Newman. The notice itself listed Invisible Narratives, LLC as the copyright holder, claiming copyright on the mentioned characters in 2023.

Previous Copyright Disputes

This isn't DaFuq!?Boom!'s first copyright controversy. Last September, they issued multiple copyright strikes against GameToons, a similar YouTuber, eventually reaching a settlement after escalating tensions. The details of this agreement remain undisclosed.

The situation surrounding the Skibidi Toilet DMCA against Garry's Mod remains unresolved, with the true sender and the validity of the claims still uncertain. The ongoing ambiguity highlights the complexities of copyright in the digital age, particularly concerning user-generated content and the unexpected consequences of viral success.