Salt on the wound: Samsung censors popular Note 7 parody

[Suckfest 9001]

Samsung apparently doesn't see much humor in a Grand Theft Auto V mod that turns the recalled, hazardous Galaxy Note 7 into an in-game weapon. In fact, the company is trying to erase it from the internet completely. Samsung has issued a DMCA takedown targeting a YouTube video that showcased the mod, which gives the Note 7 explosive, grenade-like capabilities. It was a pretty great way of poking fun at Samsung's ongoing PR crisis — and now the company is responding in a terrible way: ridiculous overreach and misuse of the DMCA tool.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/19/13333386/samsung-galaxy-note-7-gta-mod-youtube-takedown


Things like this (pretty much the Streisand effect) will make it just take much longer for people to forget.

Mirrors for the video because apparently Samsung forgot how the Internet works:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Samsung+Note+GTA+mod

 

[Roadstar]

http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/19/13333386/samsung-galaxy-note-7-gta-mod-youtube-takedown


Things like this (pretty much the Streisand effect) will make it just take much longer for people to forget.

Mirrors for the video because apparently Samsung forgot how the Internet works:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Samsung+Note+GTA+mod

Yep, if they're really trying to take down all Note 7 parodies and memes, all I can say is good luck with that. Wonder how long it'll take for them to get a clue.

 

[mrex]

i quess any other company would do the same.

 

[Suckfest 9001]

i quess any other company would do the same.

No, they wouldn't.

 

[kasakka]

The problem is more likely because the Samsung brand name was used in the game graphics. Their legal department pretty much has to act on things like these.

 

[mrex]

No, they wouldn't.

im pretty sure any company would to protect their name.

and, imho, i think it is not only their legal action but also good for "where is the line what you can do and what you cant do" generally.


Let see, what happens if you only write something not only positive about apple for example:
http://www.cultofmac.com/298249/german-magazine-apple-bend-test/ and this is not the only and the last case. few years ago there was debate how apple demands certain reviews from writers or else...
http://www.cultofmac.com/255618/how-apples-blacklist-manipulates-the-press/ quess what happens if you start making same vids but put iphone and apple to the vids instead of samsung.

 

[I7guy]

im pretty sure any company would to protect their name.

and, imho, i think it is not only their legal action but also good for "where is the line what you can do and what you cant do" generally.


Let see, what happens if you only write something not only positive about apple for example:
http://www.cultofmac.com/298249/german-magazine-apple-bend-test/ and this is not the only and the last case. few years ago there was debate how apple demands certain reviews from writers or else...
http://www.cultofmac.com/255618/how-apples-blacklist-manipulates-the-press/ quess what happens if you start making same vids but put iphone and apple to the vids instead of samsung.

I am pretty sure Samsung can't stop this as goes against the first amendment, similar to snl satires of trump and Clinton. And those articles are exactly an equivalent situation from Apple. Good job on the deflection.

 

[Hanzu Lao]

Not too much hyperbole in this fine specimen of a post. Pot meet kettle kettle meet pot.
[doublepost=1476963260][/doublepost]
I am pretty sure Samsung can't stop this as goes against the first amendment, similar to snl satires of trump and Clinton. And those articles are exactly an equivalent situation from Apple. Good job on the deflection.

Karma is a bitch, isn't she?

 

[Radon87000]

It is funny but Samsung has every right to take that crap down.

 

[Radon87000]

I am pretty sure Samsung can't stop this as goes against the first amendment, similar to snl satires of trump and Clinton. And those articles are exactly an equivalent situation from Apple. Good job on the deflection.

Yes they can stop it. It's their product being used without their permission.

 

[I7guy]

It is funny but Samsung has every right to take that crap down.

Actually no they don't, is the point not in the US. It might get to a court case challenging first amendment rights. Dcma takedown abridging freedom of speech could be a court case.

 

[Roadstar]

Yes they can stop it. It's their product being used without their permission.

They'll understandably want to stop it and surely they'll also try, but with the nature of such things on the Internet, I wouldn't bet on their success. And just for the record, I'm about to get an S7 Edge.

 

[Radon87000]

Actually no they don't, is the point not in the US. It might get to a court case challenging first amendment rights. Dcma takedown abridging freedom of speech could be a court case.
[doublepost=1476973765][/doublepost]
There is plenty of hyperbole because what is being said is akin to trolling.

You can't use an exact copy of a flagship smartphone in a game and try to malign the company with it.In case you didnt know,Rockstar games gave the 3 protagonists in this title each a Windows 10 Mobile,an iPhone and an Samsung which you can operate ingame and they had to do changes in the designs of the phones to avoid getting sued although its obvious what phone they copied.Samsung will win this

No its not.Any news on MR coming up has pages full of the same guys making snide retorts trying to get more likes.The comments are anything but impartial.

 

[rjohnstone]

Actually no they don't, is the point not in the US. It might get to a court case challenging first amendment rights. Dcma takedown abridging freedom of speech could be a court case.

Unauthorized use of a Trademark is not covered under DMCA, so a DMCA take down is notice is not appropriate for this.

Using someone's trademark without permission is not protected speech. (Exemptions for news reporting and other "fair use" scenarios).

Trademark violations usually start with a cease and desist request and then on to legal action.
Samsung has every legal right to demand the creator of the video to stop using Samsung's name.
That is the whole purpose of trademark law.
If the creator of the video and mod are making money off the unauthorized use (i.e., Ad revenue), Samsung can sue to recover those funds.

 

[I7guy]

Unauthorized use of a Trademark is not covered under DMCA, so a DMCA take down is notice is not appropriate for this.

Using someone's trademark without permission is not protected speech. (Exemptions for news reporting and other "fair use" scenarios).

Trademark violations usually start with a cease and desist request and then on to legal action.
Samsung has every legal right to demand the creator of the video to stop using Samsung's name.
That is the whole purpose of trademark law.
If the creator of the video and mod are making money off the unauthorized use (i.e., Ad revenue), Samsung can sue to recover those funds.

Parodys are probably fair use scenarios. I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on tv, but we will see. I didnt see samsungs name in the videos of the mod, nor note 7. Only a digital rendering of what appears to be a phone. But we will se about further developments.
[doublepost=1476986170][/doublepost]

You can't use an exact copy of a flagship smartphone in a game and try to malign the company with it.In case you didnt know,Rockstar games gave the 3 protagonists in this title each a Windows 10 Mobile,an iPhone and an Samsung which you can operate ingame and they had to do changes in the designs of the phones to avoid getting sued although its obvious what phone they copied.Samsung will win this

No its not.Any news on MR coming up has pages full of the same guys making snide retorts trying to get more likes.The comments are anything but impartial

Sure you can. As the poster above states a fair use scenario; of which a parody is.(tbd by the courts). Samsung will lose, especially if the digital rendering doesnt really look exactly like a note 7; not to mention the distaste in people's eyes about this entire thing.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I'd be lying if I said I didn't find the GTA thing amusing. Plenty of bending parodies went round when another smartphone brand was bending in people's pockets etc so with any goof I think companies have to expect a viral style Micky take.

Samsung have certainly made the headlines plenty of times of late but for the wrong reasons. They are keen to protect their brand and that is understandable IMO. Unfortunately for them though in this day and age it's not so easy to silence critics or social media trends. By having videos pulled from YouTube and Facebook shares deleted, it just makes people more determined to do it.

 

[apolloa]

http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/19/13333386/samsung-galaxy-note-7-gta-mod-youtube-takedown


Things like this (pretty much the Streisand effect) will make it just take much longer for people to forget.

Mirrors for the video because apparently Samsung forgot how the Internet works:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Samsung+Note+GTA+mod

So Apple gets paranoid about tiny little coffee shop logos:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/8858333/Apple-takes-on-German-cafe-over-logo.html

(Which Apple lost by the way)

And you have made a post attempting to attack Samsung because it's trademarked name and device is being used in a computer game and it's available to millions, to use as a hand grenade.. and they rightfully and correctly demanded its removal from the game.

Yeah good one...

 

[I7guy]

So Apple gets paranoid about tiny little coffee shop logos:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/8858333/Apple-takes-on-German-cafe-over-logo.html

(Which Apple lost by the way)

And you have made a post attempting to attack Samsung because it's trademarked name and device is being used in a computer game and it available to millions, to use as a hand grenade.. and they rightfully and correctly demanded its removal from the game.

Yeah good one...

As Samsung will lose this. There are laws in the United States that allow limited use of trademarked items. Parodies being one of them.

And what does Apple have to do with this other than a deflection?

 

[apolloa]

As Samsung will lose this. There are laws in the United States that allow limited use of trademarked items. Parodies being one of them.

And what does Apple have to do with this other than a deflection?

What will Samsung lose when You Tube has already removed the offending video?
And I added the Apple story to highlight how all companies protect intellectual property and public image.

 

[sinsin07]

The hits keep coming:

 

[I7guy]

What will Samsung lose when You Tube has already removed the offending video?
And I added the Apple story to highlight how all companies protect intellectual property and public image.

Samsung has already lost because they can't shut down or sue the internet. Sure let's drag Apple in here also; why not choose another company if you are trying to put forth a cogent argument?

 

[Radon87000]

As Samsung will lose this. There are laws in the United States that allow limited use of trademarked items. Parodies being one of them.

And what does Apple have to do with this other than a deflection?

Then why didn't Rockstar Games use an exact copy of the iPhone in game and did some subtle variations to avoid getting sued?

 

[maxsix]

im pretty sure any company would to protect their name.

and, imho, i think it is not only their legal action but also good for "where is the line what you can do and what you cant do" generally.


Let see, what happens if you only write something not only positive about apple for example:
http://www.cultofmac.com/298249/german-magazine-apple-bend-test/ and this is not the only and the last case. few years ago there was debate how apple demands certain reviews from writers or else...
http://www.cultofmac.com/255618/how-apples-blacklist-manipulates-the-press/ quess what happens if you start making same vids but put iphone and apple to the vids instead of samsung.

I did see this article upon its release:

http://www.cultofmac.com/255618/how-apples-blacklist-manipulates-the-press/

What's particularly revealing is how quickly it "disappeared" from the comments and postings in various Apple enthusiast forums on the Internet.

Just one more example of how tightly Apple controls the media and how afraid of offending Apple the mainstream tech media are. Power Influence and the Silent Treatment remain the tools the Cupertino Company use to intimidate anyone that speaks up.

 

[I7guy]

Then why didn't Rockstar Games use an exact copy of the iPhone in game and did some subtle variations to avoid getting sued?

Because it wasnt a parody? This(gta) is clearly a parody, no? Anyway this is US law; we'll see.
[doublepost=1477017607][/doublepost]

I did see this article upon its release:

http://www.cultofmac.com/255618/how-apples-blacklist-manipulates-the-press/

What's particularly revealing is how quickly it "disappeared" from the comments and postings in various Apple enthusiast forums on the Internet.

Just one more example of how tightly Apple controls the media and how afraid of offending Apple the mainstream tech media are. Power Influence and the Silent Treatment remain the tools the Cupertino Company use to intimidate anyone that speaks up.

Ok and?

 

[Radon87000]

I did see this article upon its release:

http://www.cultofmac.com/255618/how-apples-blacklist-manipulates-the-press/

What's particularly revealing is how quickly it "disappeared" from the comments and postings in various Apple enthusiast forums on the Internet.

Just one more example of how tightly Apple controls the media and how afraid of offending Apple the mainstream tech media are. Power Influence and the Silent Treatment remain the tools the Cupertino Company use to intimidate anyone that speaks up.

Apple has almost all the review sites under its control.Hence I sometimes refer certain Android websites for iPhone reviews

Because it wasnt a parody? This(gta) is clearly a parody, no? Anyway this is US law; we'll see.
[doublepost=1477017607][/doublepost]
Ok and?

Even the iphone in that game is used to blow up another person's phone in a mission.GTA has missions which could all be called parodies yet they did subtle changes in all phone models.