Garry's Mod Faces Copyright Dispute with TikTok Track 'Skibidi'

Garry Newman, the creator of Garry's Mod, reportedly received a DMCA takedown notice targeting unauthorized Skibidi Toilet content within the game. The sender's identity is currently unclear, despite initial reports linking it to Invisible Narratives, the studio behind Skibidi Toilet's film and TV projects. A Discord profile purportedly belonging to the Skibidi Toilet creator has since denied sending the notice, as reported by Dexerto.

The DMCA Dispute and its Ironic Twist

The DMCA notice demanded the removal of Garry's Mod games featuring Skibidi Toilet characters, claiming a lack of licensing. This is ironic, considering the Skibidi Toilet series itself originated using assets from Garry's Mod, as created by Alexey Gerasimov's YouTube channel, DaFuq!?Boom!, which uses Valve's Source Filmmaker. The series' viral success led to merchandise and planned film/TV adaptations by Invisible Narratives.

Counterarguments and the Role of Valve

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

The situation is complex. While Garry's Mod utilizes assets from Valve's Half-Life 2 (with Valve's approval), Valve's stronger claim to the original assets used by DaFuq!?Boom! makes Invisible Narratives' position questionable. Valve's publishing of Garry's Mod in 2006 further complicates the matter.

Following the public disclosure, DaFuq!?Boom! denied involvement in the DMCA on the s&box Discord, expressing confusion and a desire to contact Newman. The notice itself lists "Invisible Narratives, LLC" as the copyright holder, claiming copyright on the characters in 2023.

Previous Copyright Disputes by DaFuq!?Boom!

This isn't DaFuq!?Boom!'s first brush with copyright issues. Last September, they issued multiple copyright strikes against GameToons, a similar YouTube channel, ultimately reaching an undisclosed settlement.

The legitimacy of the DMCA notice remains uncertain, highlighting the complexities of copyright in the age of user-generated content and viral memes. The situation underscores the potential for misuse of DMCA procedures and the ongoing debate surrounding intellectual property rights in online communities.