From being the most popular YouTubers not too long ago, the Fine Brothers have gradually turned into becoming one of the most viscerally-hated people on the internet these days.
The Fine Brothers used to own the largest YouTube channels in the world but because of their recent actions which were viewed by others as an assault against freedom of information, they lost over 250,000 subscribers in less than three months.
Since 2007, the Fine Brothers have been publishing online videos on YouTube using a number of formats. One of the most popular is their ‘React’ series where kids, elders, teens, adults, and popular YouTubers react to various stuff, mostly related to YouTube videos.
There are also teens reacting for instance to old-school video games or adults reviewing a popular TV series such as “Game of Thrones.”
The production quality of the videos published by the Fine Brothers are also good, the editing is spot on, and the brothers, who interview guests and guide the conversation, really get the best of reactions, opinions, or comments from their guests, notes Medium.
It seems that the Fine Brothers would be the last to be hated for doing such because they are actually providing a good service to internet users in terms of making a fair assessment or review of some of the most-talked about things or stuff on the internet these days.
The making of an internet-wide hate storm
The Fine Brothers found themselves at the receiving end of an internet-wide hate-storm when they started taking down videos that they found to be insulting and mean.
YouTube allows few of its top creators and content providers to take down video themselves, a tool that is supposed to be used purely for intellectual property violations.
However, the Fine Brothers used it improperly that borders more on abuse of authority. As such, some have viewed it as a glaring attempt to stifle criticism on the internet. But doing such on the internet would only get them criticized all the more. And that’s what happened indeed.
In addition, there have been instances when the Fine Brothers have called the attention of other creators for copying their format. Worst of all, they did something that no other creators or content providers have done so far on YouTube and on the internet.
They announced that other people should license the ‘React’ brand including all assets like logos, transitions, design, as well as marketing, in exchange for some percent of the revenues generated by the same content using the license.
Money-grabbing and power-hungry individuals
Because of their recent attempt to trademark the word ‘React’ for use in online video, they only fuelled anti-Semitism on the internet.
And because of the frustration of many people on their recent actuation, they were branded as money-grabbing and power-hungry individuals.
Critics also believe that the Fine Brothers got some bad legal advice because trademarking the word ‘React’ is very hard to defend even in court.
The Fine Brothers maintained that they would not be using their new trademarks to take down videos from other creators. But with their recent actuation, people who had already made up their minds about them are not about to trust them, especially given that they had in fact, taken down videos improperly before.
If the Fine Brothers are granted a trademark on the word ‘React,’ their new licensing system would be set up to force anyone who used the word ‘React’ in a video title to pay them a 30% license fee.
Anyone who has been in YouTube for a long time or even the novice would find the arrangement really ludicrous.
While the intention may be sincere, what seems to be wrong with the issue is how the Fine Brothers mishandled things. It was further confounded by people who hate the Fine Brothers to the gut by intentionally miscommunicating their true intentions. Instead of protecting their content, they turned out to be like people who gathers money without really deserving it.