Copyright issues are always a contentious matter. When the material in question is not physical, it gets even more complex. For example, whether a comedian can file a copyrights violation against another one who uses his material or catchphrase is an extremely mirky matter.
The same can be said about famous movie lines, and Disney is learning this lesson the hard way. Social media users have accused Disney of trying to claim ownership over a hashtag that itself stems from one of the most popular movie series of all time – Star Wars.
For a long time, May 4th has been dubbed Star Wars day among the fans of the epic saga. This is a wordplay on the famous line from the series ‘May the force be with you’. Fans around the globe can be found cosplaying or engaging in various Star Wars related activities.
On Monday, Disney Plus uploaded a tweet that urged fans to participate by uploading tweets with the hashtag #MayThe4th. Disney Plus is the official streaming service for the entertainment giants that launched late last year in the US.
The problem began when Disney said that everyone who uses the hashtag are agreeing to their terms of use. This meant that any social media post that used the popular hashtag could be reproduced by Disney for whatever purposes it deems necessary.
Fans and bemused Twitter users mocked and made satirical comments on this announcement. Many pointed to the absurdity of claiming ownership over a movement that had started before Disney Plus was even launched. In fact, the movement goes even beyond when Disney acquired the Star Wars IP.
Lawyers explained that the ownership of individual tweets belong to the user. While it is possible for users to grant permission for a third party to use their tweets, many doubted that everyone who uses the hashtag will be aware of Disney’s stance.
As the controversy continued to increase, Disney Plus uploaded an additional tweet that clarified their stance on the issue. They explained that only tweets that both used the said hashtag and tagged the Disney Plus account will be affected by the legal wording.
All in all, the relationship between Disney and diehard Star Wars fans continues to be a rocky one after the newest trilogy received mixed to negative reviews. Share your thoughts on this story in the comments, and follow us on Facebook for more news.
Replaced!