Just when you thought the internet couldn’t get any weirder, the viral phenomenon Skibidi Toilet finds itself at the center of a legal flush. What started as a quirky web series has spiraled into a full-blown trademark dispute that’s as bizarre as the content itself.
Invisible Narratives, the company collaborating with creator Alexey Gerasimov (aka Boom) to expand the Skibidi Toilet universe, has filed a lawsuit against a company named Next Level. The accusation? Allegedly attempting to hijack the Skibidi Toilet intellectual property through fraudulent trademark and copyright filings.
Next Level claims to have created a game called Skibidi Toilet back in 2020, predating the web series. They’ve registered copyrights for 17 characters and filed multiple trademark applications, asserting ownership over the brand. Meanwhile, Invisible Narratives argues that these actions are a blatant attempt to capitalize on the series’ success, which has garnered millions of views and spawned a dedicated fanbase.
The legal battle has led to DMCA takedown notices, with Next Level targeting Skibidi Toilet content on platforms like YouTube. This aggressive approach has raised concerns about the potential for legitimate creators to lose access to their own content due to disputed claims.
As the case unfolds, it serves as a cautionary tale about the complexities of intellectual property in the digital age. When viral content becomes a cultural touchstone, the lines between original creation and opportunistic imitation can blur, leading to legal entanglements that are anything but entertaining.
Source: Polygon