On the Ownership of Ideas

[@silenntking6414]

Copyright is a touchy subject though, because while there's the good of collaboration, and enthusiasm there is the inevitable evil of theft. Simply copy pasting an item is, definitely wrong, especially when you don't credit the creator. If you're going to use something you need to put at least put a decent effort into altering it to be your own. Of course there's always the opposite. People who cover make videos of and spin-offs creating new and good content that we can all enjoy without invading and stealing.

[@ashleyfwtx]

This is such a refreshing take on the copyright issue. You know, as opposed to "I'll do whatever is possible to make as much money as I can" thing.

[@markisabelle7003]

Why did the bunny in the description vanish?

[@jmac217x]

Hey, Hank, it's nice to see the annotation for CGPGrey's copyright video. More people should know about that sort of thing. :3

[@herranton]

Both TFIOS movie and Paper Towns movie had a budget of around $12 million dollars(imdb). What if the theaters just downloaded a copy and started screening that without giving the studio/distributer/creators any money? What if we all just downloaded it from the internet instead of buying the blurays? What if we I started selling copies of the bluray for cheaper than the studio? I will tell you what would happen... there would be no more John Green movies. Sure copyright laws are getting out of control, but the idea of them isn't evil. What is evil are people that abuse them at the expense of others.

[@herranton]

Derivative works *can be* (and many many times are) a form of piracy. You can't make the statement that it isn't about piracy because, one person's derivative work is another person's piracy.

[@ImogenW]

I've just finished watching every single Vlogbrothers video so far. Thank you Hank and John Green, I've learned so much about American politics, weird animal sex, Harry Potter bands and over 100 jokes that I've starting repeating like a parrot. DFTBA.

[@rachelisagrapefruit]

Where's the bunny in the doobly doo

[@DynamicUnreality]

It's not just corporations unilaterally deciding what's ok and what isn't, it is the free market. You and I are all deciding together. What an awesome example of the invisible hand working for the benefit of intellectual property and people in general.

[@andrewxc1335]

3:00 - "One Direction gets to make money..." Hahahahahaha! «sigh»

[@mackenziet1463]

I literally just had someone steal my idea for a project at school and was going to be all upset about it, but this helped me to let go of my copyright anger :) thanks hank, you and your brother always seem to make me feel and be better

[@franciscofrancesconi8134]

Just if the FineBros had watched this video.

[@IoEstasCedonta]

From Snow White's publication to Disney's film, eighty years. From Steamboat Willie to today, 84 years. Good luck!

[@Janae.citizenofearth]

More lip sync videos please.

[@ColemanConnell]

It's my birthday and Hank makes a video about a subject I love? Very awesome! I also recommend the "Everything is a Remix" series, it's a great deconstruction of how creativity is often dependent on the ability to "steal" previous made work and turn it into some new.

[@paigeaalbers]

I graduated, but I'll try to get my sister to do it. I'm sure he wouldn't mind. He stopped teaching history and now he works with the life skills students. Truly an awesome person. :)

[@AdamHeathImage]

this is great. as a photographer in a world that is saturated with soooooo mannnnnyy photographs, it is often daunting feeling like no matter where I point my camera "this image has already been done" its nice to be reminded that there is nothing that hasn't been done before so just shoot!

[@theresaloop]

Hank please, please, please! Make a follow up video featuring the video series "Everything is a Remix" because the way it articulates the ideas of open sources and the origin of patents and copyrights is utterly fantastic and something that we should all adopt.

[@EmiliaNobrega]

I feel like being in a fandom itself raises a lot of copyright law questions due to all the fan art and fan fiction and other fan created things but i think that its amazing that nobody has flipped out on us yet and i think thats because so many creators have embraced those works as what they are: FAN work. some creators like hussie have even gone so far as to make the fan work canon. overall, i believe that everybody should be able to make something that shows what they love.

[@jemie1190]

It's more like ideas aren't yours in the first place, but you're the authorized owner of it for your work to make it well-known to them, it's really up to the time and how you and society perceive it

[@NeglectedApples]

The story of the periodic table is fascinating to me, for the very reason that you explained at the beginning of the video. I find it very interesting that Meyer and Mendeleev came up with such similar ideas independent of each other at exactly the same time

[@xiolinorchdork]

There's this really good online video series called "Everything is a Remix" that talks about copyright and how the majority of ideas (particularly the extremely profitable ones) were borrowed/stolen from someone else. It's quite fascinating.

[@AlexisTheSurfinBear]

YES! this SOOO needed to be addressed! Like for example, People who watch pewdiepie and Tobuscus tell each of them "Hey you stole that from Toby!" or "you stole that from Pewds!" NO! they didn't! It is them seeing a cool idea or voice or something and adding it onto their usual lingo to spice up their words. And this goes for SOO much more stuff!! Thank you, Hank!! :D

[@daenamusic]

Looking very spiffy with your new haircut Hank! Now brb literally crying because I cannot see you guys neither Monday nor Tuesday :'(

[@JenSmithlaurelqueen]

ha, funny no advertisement popped up at the one direction part, but that was awesome i think it's interesting that copyright is the one subject that is constantly changing and developing with the times. I appreciate that it happens and when it's necessary. Whatever happens the money goes into the most appropriate coffers.I appreciate that part. I hate that when people don't take it responsibly or seriousness of it, when they feel they can get away with copying a whole book without buying it.

[@CaitysRAWR]

I actually own that blue "don't forget to be awesome" pencil case (and so do many of the other Nerdfighters I'm friends with). I'm kind of happy that a company outside of Nerdfighteria made something like that because my ways of been able to express myself as a Nerdfighter at places like my school are very limited and subtle things like having a pencil case with "don't forget to be awesome" printed on it helps me do that

[@TheGFeather]

I found it very difficult when I moved from the classical music world to the folk music/fiddle world to accept that there was no single definitive version of a song/tune. Letting go of that hang up has allowed me to enjoy the variations so much more and subsequently enjoy the music even more. Derivitive works are like that. If you let go 'the one true version' mentality, you can enjoy all the creations based on that idea so much more.

[@idontdoquiet22]

We actually brought this up at a DC Nerdfighter gathering today about a green technology/ environmental policy idea I had. I came up with this idea, and then did some research and found out that a country had not only had my idea but already implemented it! We are a collective society, so it's useful for everyone in the society to share and build upon others ideas... something I'm still working on.

[@brahnuh]

One of the other things as well is like fanfiction and stuff. It's all coming from someone's original idea, branching off into other people's ideas and their own stories from stories and it's like this never-ending cycle and I really love it. As I love this video. DFTBA, Hank!

[@GnashMash]

The thing about creative content on the internet like this that I like the most is that historians, when this is a bygone era by a looonggg time are going to have a lot of stuff to work with.

[@calebyanezglickman]

Why can't everyone else realize these things? Thank you Hank, for showing the realities about this.

[@LaLuneEstJolie]

I agree with this sentiment, but advertisement is how youtube makes money. If a company is paying you or allowing you to use a service for free, you are the product or the employee. That said the free exchange of ideas is incredibly important, this video made me think, thanks, Hank!

[@rareroe305]

The two things open in my browser right now: This video, in which Hank is wearing a Video Game High School t-shirt. And freddiew talking about the VGHS season 2 kickstarter. Mindfreak.

[@lurkie-o]

I *think* this may be the first video without "A Bunny (\(\ ( - -) ((') (')" in the description. It's almost certainly the first video in the longest series of consecutive videos without it in the description. Found this out by using the new(ish) channel search bar thing to search for "a bunny", scrolling all the way down, pressing Ctrl f & searching for "x years" ago gradually lowering the amount till the last year with results, clicking on each video & finding the most recent, finding the video after it... & now we're here.

[@Karky1000]

Hank´s lip-singing One Direction was literally the highlight of my morning. Good job man

[@jawaadahmadkhan]

Wow, the timing of this video is crazy. I just read a book which mentions an explanation for why amazing scientific discoveries usually are discovered by multiple people at the same time, it's the fact that based on the information that is available at a given time, there's what's called the "adjacent possible" there to discover, meaning discoveries that are "adjacent" to our current discoveries. I think I'll make a video about it now, cuz it's interesting.

[@Savs2013]

As a Law Student who has spent the last three years pouring over copyright law, the One Direction example is exactly spot on and is precisely why I'm going to have a job. Essentially, the Internet is changing copyright law so much and so quickly that the law will be spending the next ten to twenty years scrambling to keep up.

[@TheKyasurinChan]

Hank, I will see you and John on Tuesday, and I am BEYOND excited! My one regret is that I left my DFTBA wristband at school... But I have my This Machine Pwns N00bs shirt, so all is not lost.

[@kath253]

HANK WHEN THE 1D SONG CAME UP I ACTUALLY JUMPED NOT THINKING WOULD HAPPEN. HOLY COW YOU GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK. But I love the video and the items discussed. :D

[@madmanswords12]

I remember that differently. I remember Hank talking about it in videos. He said that the Colbert Report did it on the same day that he did. This was in a video he released shortly after the anagramming one that I watched in 2010. Just how I remember it.

[@Narnendil]

after thousands of years of sharing stories and songs around camp fires as if they were our own, I think after trying soemthing else we realised it was better the way it was!

[@acciomusic11]

Anyone who's interested in learning more about copyright stuff should watch the Everything is a Remix videos. They're really well made and touch on a lot of different areas.

[@CJonesApple]

I think he knows it would be is why he did it so big. Interestingly Vlogbrothers own the rights to the video and we are taking from it, but doing what Hank says and adding to it out of love.

[@lauramchalmers]

It is so nice to come to a Vlogbrothers video and see intelligent, well-thought-out comments without idiots trying to start arguments because someone else has a different opinion than they do. Nerdfighters FTW!

[@EternalYorkieMom]

OFF TOPIC!!! I met a nerdfighter today at my school! I am really excited! I hope we see each other again, she seemed awesome. I am spreading the word of Vlogbrothers because nobody at Nova High except me and this girl know what DFTBA means.

[@ralizon]

Every time I get over being my lazy self and watch one of the vlogbrothers' videos, I am happy to see that there are smart people out there putting themselves on the internet. Not just people doing stupid crap and getting famous for it.

[@NoooraTheExplooorer]

i tweeted a picture of that shirt to john and it was in a video. i think i cried when this video came out and i saw it. i was so happy.

[@abc12349k2]

I almost always agree with everything Hank says, and as a consumer, I hate copyright law. But as someone who creates things and puts myself out there on the internet (and as a model and photographer, that "thing" is usually literally my body so it's extra personal), I find it incredibly frustrating when people steal things. It's not always about the copyright. Sometimes its just that they take things, take credit for them or don't at least acknowledge where it came from. Its often just hurtful

[@MelissaAnelli8]

Just a quick FYI, the Harry Potter publishers never got in the way of wizard rock. The only people to raise a small fuss were Warner Bros., and it was minor (through letters with Paul DeGeorge); they reached an oral agreement that they wouldn't sell HP-trademarked merch online, and WB would look the other way. (Scholastic people regularly attended Harry and the Potters concerts back in the day. It was one of my first outing with Cheryl. :)

[@kell0ggss]

2:40 - 2:44 will forever bring a smile to my face.

[@ellaminnowpea5280]

they're livestreaming via youtube, so it can be watched anywhere that you can watch youtube.

[@dukepebbles]

When Hank was talking about people having the same idea independently from each other, two words went trough my head. Morphic. Fields.

[@Strawb3rrySouL]

Not sure why, but after spending so much time catching up to now makes me quite anxious to reach the present day video. I've never had to wait for a new video... Good thing I still have lots of CrashCourse, SciShow, Lizzie Bennet, hankgames, and hankschannel to catch up on as well. So many beautiful creations to enjoy. Hope you all feel the same. DFTBA, everyone.

[@emu_phase]

Oh, Hank. The 1D Lip sync...It was so painful, yet so awesome... I don't know what to think anymore...

[@EarthSwinging]

Confession: I have totally stolen DFTBA as my classroom motto. It's the second rule in my classroom and I have a DFTBA bulletin board for students' awesome work. I do try to let them know that I've taken that idea from you guys, which hopefully pushes them to go watch your videos and become smarter and more interesting people!

[@Lizwhynot]

I remember when you were telling us to make our own DFTBA shirts. I understand the concept of copyright, but I would actually be shocked if the Nerdfighters actually tried to seal off DFTBA merch.

[@captainalex91]

When I was in Cape Town I rode the cable car up to the top of Table Mountain. As the cable car pulled up, the guy who worked in it said over the microphone "and Don't Forget to be Awesome". He was a 60 year old man. I eventually came to the conclusion it was doubtful he was a nerd fighter, just a guy, who thinks we shouldn't forget to be awesome

[@KelOfMindelan]

John is a South Korean record label and entertainment agency founded in 2008 by Kim Tae-sung. John is responsible for managing idol groups such as Secret, B.A.P and the hip-hop duo Untouchable.

[@izzauropod]

@Heather Macdonald i totally agree! Some of my friends got a bollocking for 'plaguerism' even though they hadnt seen a single essay online. They were shocked. Its so unfair, and it makes you scared to write what you truly think just in case you are disqualified from exams

[@bennywench]

Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from - it’s where you take them to.”

[@QuillCafe]

I will be seeing you on Tuesday! Maybe. I bought a ticket and didn't realise it was obscured seating until it arrived in the mail.

[@ynthrepic]

Highly recommend Kirby Ferguson's 'Everything is a Remix', which talks about loss-aversion and copyright, for anyone who hasn't seen it!

[@Kbbrianne]

The vlogbrothers make me happy, make me laugh and make me think and get a reaction. What a creation.

[@jamesteavery0]

I think about this a lot of the time, especially when I have to reference other people's works in my essays even if I came up with that idea myself, just because they said it first.

[@your-own-ghost]

hank that is a good look for you. also PLEASE make a video of you doing covers of popular songs in unpopular styles. anyone? oldish vlogbrothers references?

[@crewchrisme100]

The concept of copyright flies in the face of everything that made humanity possible. Our unique ability to transfer ideas from one member of our species to another has allowed us to go from "rock smash" to "sharp rock cut" which eventually lead to "smash atom go boom". We take ideas from others before us and improve on them. this become evident in our non utilitarian concepts as well, like art and stories. communal improvement not only give us the best outcome, It is inherently in our nature.

[@mollymayisme]

Agreed. And thank you so much for replying to my comment! :D It totally made my day!

[@GowanRavin]

This video gave me that 'Dayum the Internet is awesome' feeling. We're changing the world one song, video or comment at a time, people. Ain't it wonderful?

[@DanMilanS]

Hello, I think the TED talk on this subject by Larry Lessig called "Laws that choke creativity" is very interesting to watch for every one.

[@CirquedJoy]

I had this add thing happen to one of my videos on my second channel. I recorded myself playing a cover of We The Kings song Say You Like Me and then the record label that owns We The Kings came a put adds on it, even though it was set to private at the time that this was done, even though cover songs are protected by fair use.

[@borbo23]

Good video. The entire concept of ownership of ideas is changing because society itself has rendered the old ways moot. If society itself continues to change into new economic forms, then this could easily become embraced into the concept of collective ownership. If not, then I think that private owners will be forced to find entirely new ways to monetize their creations, simply because it will be impossible to enforce traditional ownership.

[@IshtaReads]

I think the thing here is that as long as the original creators still get to make money off of people reinterpreting or using their stuff, they feel okay about it. It's when the people using the stuff are making more money off of it than the original creators that the creators start to have a problem with it. Like, if my lip sync of One Direction makes more people buy One Direction's album, then I'm basically making them a free ad. But if I start selling videos, they'll get mad about it.

[@Pagweb]

I also have the same problem. I recorded a tutorial for one my channels using my own camera. Recorded a narration using my own microphone with my voice. And while I was uploading it, KZbin decided that the video belonged to a company I never even heard of. I appealed twice and the company--not KZbin--declined my claim. This is absolutely discouraging for individuals like me. Apparently law is only to protect big corporations.

[@SkookumKids]

It was with great enthusiasm that I press the like button on this video. The Patent Office was intended to spur innovation and creativity, and it did just that for the industrial age. Is this another case of, "Change or Die"? I think probably.

[@whereisangie]

i didnt know that about lip-sync videos. i like it; its a much better idea than taking the videos down

[@bryancrain88]

As Hank probably saw, C.G.P. Grey retweeted a blog post the other day ("Buffy vs Edward Remix Unfairly Removed by Lionsgate") about fair use and KZbin and companies not really paying attention to laws.

[@brumagemm]

I know Hank and John do wonderful and amazingly insightful things with their videos, but that's probably a sign you should try harder in school.

[@TheProteanGeek]

The creator can allow others use under a license... I think the youtube ads thing comes under this in terms of a "legal" reason. Like when songs are used for movies except this is a more autonomous. I should be allowed to determine who can do what with my property, intellectual or otherwise. This being said derivative works are not a problem in most cases.

[@CSHinUK]

The Brønsted-Lowry acid-base theory is another great example of the topic Hank mentions in his video!

[@juhik.9969]

I was sleepy and tired from a long, busy day but 2:40 totally woke me up in an instant

[@crimsong19]

One thing related to this topic is that I came up with an idea similar to the premise of 'Revolution' in July/August 2011 ... and then 'Revolution' premiered in the fall of 2012 and I remembered that I had this idea/start of a story written down somewhere. XD

[@mith59]

Fairly certain that Bare Naked Ladies are included in the list of bands that influenced Hank, so there's a good reason it reminds you of Hank.

[@TheDramagirl23]

Here I am... video #1,037. After months of dedication I have finally finished watching every Vlogbrothers in order from the beginning! DFTBA!

[@braindeadgenius2]

If you guys ever Visit Columbus, Ohio i would totally bring a whole bunch of my friends to watch you talk. You and your brother are paragons of human intelligence and are an inspiration to my friends and I. I commend and applaud your efforts to increase awesome and I think you are doing a great job.

[@Thiefree]

Lionsgate has filed a copyright takedown notice on Buffy vs Edward, a popular mashup video that's been widely recognised as being exempt due to bring a transformative parody with educational value.

[@cloebaby97]

If you still don't know, John is Hank's brother and co-vlogger. The joke from KelOfMindelan is an old reference from early vlogbrothers in which people would always ask "who the eff is Hank" and John would answer something like "Hank is a ball of incandescent gas",

[@samsumo1]

I never forget to look at Hank's posters.

[@Danyfr]

Just got my signed copy of the fault in our stars!! cant wait to begin. John and Hank you guys are awesome! DFTBA.

[@SeanMohundro]

I'm so excited to see you guys in NY!

[@Scribbler29]

The issue of "ideas being free" is that there are a lot of different kids of ideas, and not all ideas should be "free." Derivative works can be a good thing, and are actually protected under the law (provided it displays its own originality) - but whole-sale copying is not. The whole monetary value comes from the ability to control it. There's a debate to be had about duration of that protection, but there should be some protection, otherwise no one could make a living as an artist or writer.

[@TannytheRatty]

I did not expect the song to start playing and I screamed a little bit...

[@jemie1190]

Great argument Hank! Original ideas aren't original, they all are borrowed from some origins and are combined and twisted in adapting to the society's appetite. But how about people literally stealing your ideas, twist them awfully and publish it? Not just since the internet, but most ideas are borrowed except for inventions.

[@KitOfTheWeirdWoods]

Kinda creepily relevant to what happened to me not 2 days ago. I have long been saying that dandelions actually look like dandy-lions, and was finally going to ask someone on Tumblr to draw it for me, when I was going through my brand new Sopio booster pack, and discovered the Vlog-Brothers have already had the same idea. I didn't know whether to be more pleased that someone agreed, or annoyed that I didn't come up with it first.

[@lightanddarklove]

I don't have that shirt from Delia's but I do have another one that says don't forget to be awesome and nothing else. To be fair, they didn't make much money on it because I got it on clearance and when they were having a 40% off everything sale.

[@mirandadepanda982]

HANK SHOULD SING THAT SONG FOR REAL. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT.

[@pearlseasox]

Was I the only one who watched 2:40 - 2:44 over and over... and over... and over... X) Hank, do more of those. Please.

[@Roby1Kenobi]

I personally don't like people stealing my ideas, unless they do it well, in which case it is not only awesome but spreads my idea. If they steal it badly however it can spread a misrepresentation of my idea and reflect badly on me which is not so awesome. So what I'm trying to say is, there's a fine line.

[@Hel101]

There are no words to express how happy that 1D lip-sync made me. No shame

[@Hedonophobia]

The idea of copyright was to give people a few years to make money on their idea before it went to the public. Now it's turned into this massive cash cow where people can make massive profits generations later, on things that have long since entered the zeitgeist.

[@bsinger182]

Hank, you might like to check out the work of Stephen Kinsella. He's a lawyer who writes frequently on intellectual property issues, and he's pretty much on the same sheet of music as you.

[@EstherQueenofPersia]

This just reminds me of the whole "Who created calculus first?" debate. And to me, it's always been "Huh, this is interesting. Calculus was created by two different at the same time." But there are people out there who really get all hot and bothered about insisting that Newton created calculus, when he was not the only one to do that.