Hasbro is taking down the episodes on Youtube

[Ancre]

Apologies if this was already posted somewhere. I have searched to see if there was another thread like this but I haven't found any - if there is I'm a derp !

So, Hasbro is taking down the episodes on youtube too. I learned this right now, and Equestria Daily have made a post about it. It's part of a bigger move to protect their ip, which means they don't tolerate pony episodes on the net anymore.

I can't say I'm happy about it. Youtube was the way I could see the show, and it was through Youtube that I've discovered my little pony. I don't live in the US, and apparently I can't buy the episodes on Itunes because of that ; I don't have access to the Hub either so I don't have any legal way to watch ponies.

On the other hand I can understand their position. As the EqD post said, they have a lot of things to answer to. I'm not mad at them, just kinda sad.

What are your thoughts about it ?

[Whitehawke]

According to the EqD post, Hasbro has always been the one trying to take down Youtube streams, including that one time they misspelled the company name "Habsro".

If this is their level of efficiency, then I'm more or less unfazed by this. I have a contingency plan if I can't get the episodes off youtube anyway.

[Ancre]

According to the EqD post, Hasbro has always been the one trying to take down Youtube streams, including that one time they misspelled the company name "Habsro".

If this is their level of efficiency, then I'm more or less unfazed by this. I have a contingency plan if I can't get the episodes off youtube anyway.

Yes, they have not shown themselves to be very competent on that point. But I'd rather see them have a great cartoon-making team and a lousy legal-stuff team than the other way around, really

I have another way to watch the cartoons too, but in a lousy quality. I'd like to have the cartoons in a better quality (I'd even pay Hasbro for that) but I'll have to do with what I have. I might send them a letter about this.

[MochaMocha]

Youtube was the way I could see the show, and it was through Youtube that I've discovered my little pony. I don't live in the US, and apparently I can't buy the episodes on Itunes because of that ; I don't have access to the Hub either so I don't have any legal way to watch ponies.

I'm in the exact same position you are in. :C

Though I'm pretty sure eventually I'm gonna Google search "My Little Pony episodes" and something's gonna turn up.

EDIT: Oh hey, found another way to view it lololol. Worse quality but still ok! c:

[Ancre]

Hahaha, I had the same reaction !

At first my original message had a line saying I couldn't watch my little pony at all anymore ... then after posting, I did a quick internet search and realized that I actually still could, so I edited that line out xD

[Gorgutz]

What you don't get is. If congress passes SOPA, then this site, youtube, facebook, twitter, and a million other sites are screwed. What a mad world, even the media is under the USA's big fat iron hoof of incompetence.

[weesh]

Well, I never would have bought all the episodes on iTunes if I had not had an easy way to try it.

I wonder if Hasbro's ineffectiveness is on purpose.

Obviously they need to put up the appearance of a hard line, but cutting off the only access some people have, and being completely legalistic about it may not be in their best interest.

The result is that they have legal proof of fighting for their IP while still giving fringe people like me a chance to try it out.

On a related note:

I think they should make the first AND the second episode free on iTunes as well. It seems useless to provide only half of the pilot to get people into it.

[MochaMocha]

@Gorgutz: Pretty sure we all have SOPA in mind. But this thread is about how we're gonna deal with Hasbro taking down the episodes, not SOPA taking down the internet.

SOPA thread.

http://www.canterlot.com/topic/4755-weve-lost/page__p__78811__hl__sopa__fromsearch__1#entry78811

[ChancellorPuddinghead]

It's time to love and tolerate. Once I actually got into the show I did go to youtube - but mostly I watch them on the Hub and record them (correctly so now - no more deletions - ugghhh)

This community will find a way to get the Hub or iTunes challenged members a method to view them. The writing was on the wall when they said they would do DVDs.

Does the Hub's or Hasbro's main sites offer the videos for viewing? Comedy Central is pretty good about putting their stuff on their main site for free to view.

[Motion Paradox]

True they do have the DVDs coming out and with the large fan-base they probably will release all the episodes on discs (instead of what happens with most series where they only do a hand-full of episodes), but they are first and foremost a toy company, they aren't really losing that much by having the episodes be free so I don't really see why they should be objecting to the episodes being online so strongly

Now, I live in Canada, but I do get a station that plays, at least the season 1 episodes and perhaps I would be able to buy them off of I-tunes (though I have all the released ones downloaded in good quality) I'd rather not buy them there, simply because I find the idea that I could buy the episode file and if something happens to the file I'll have to re-buy it and not have some sort of gurantee somewhat distasteful, (or is there some sort of gurantee? Either way I would probably only buy episodes of a show under that system if there was no other way to get it, for example there's one series that has an americanised version that's criminally bad and you can also buy the original Korean version of the series with English subtitles off of I-tunes and I'd buy that)

Though what we should do is a petition, until then there are other video streaming websites that usually aren't effected as heavily by these sort of things because they aren't as big as youtube that we can watch them on

[Rosewind]

If you look at the core of what My Little Pony originally was, it was designed to sell toys. Granted it has evolved past that as an entertaining series, but at its core it is still designed and expected to sell merchandise -- there's no way around this fact.

There are many more angles Hasbro could be coming at with this, which is why I find this current news really disturbing. I think the best solution would be for Hasbro to offer up its own episodes on YouTube a la Funimation (with ads or links to purchasable content, of course), so they would have control -- and allow the Hubless or international community a place to go. Sadly it's a corporate beast following dated policies -- they really could be milking this for all it's worth and getting new people addicted to it and buying stuff, instead of making a community-aggravating move to make a fast buck that will hurt the series more than help it.

[weesh]

Now, I live in Canada, but I do get a station that plays, at least the season 1 episodes and perhaps I would be able to buy them off of I-tunes (though I have all the released ones downloaded in good quality) I'd rather not buy them there, simply because I find the idea that I could buy the episode file and if something happens to the file I'll have to re-buy it and not have some sort of gurantee somewhat distasteful, (or is there some sort of gurantee? Either way I would probably only buy episodes of a show under that system if there was no other way to get it, for example there's one series that has an americanised version that's criminally bad and you can also buy the original Korean version of the series with English subtitles off of I-tunes and I'd buy that)

Emphasis mine.

That is silly. If you buy the episode, you can download it to 5 of your computers. That ought to be enough for anyone. Firstly, you can back them up, and even if your computer commits suicide and takes your files with it, you can keep them on the cloud until you are ready to get them again.

[Davroth]

That is silly. If you buy the episode, you can download it to 5 of your computers. That ought to be enough for anyone. Firstly, you can back them up, and even if your computer commits suicide and takes your files with it, you can keep them on the cloud until you are ready to get them again.

The real problem is that, as it stands, only US citizens can legally buy the episodes on iTunes. Now, there are workarounds to make an US account anywhere in the world, using US iTunes giftcards, HOWEVER that's illegal, and as such, they can just take them away from you if they ever find out. I'm not willing to take that risk, and I can't blame anyone else for not taking it, either.

[Starfox64x]

Of course i'm unhappy about this... but it IS a business, and technically i am stealing the episodes... i can't deny that... But i've always hated buying TV shows and music as a set because If i only like 3-4 episodes/songs, than i'm paying full price for just a couple of episodes. yeah i can buy them one episode at a time, but i'm not paying $3 for an episode i might not like! Hasbro NEEDS to put the episodes up for streaming on their own site with ads for revenue. maybe lower quality episodes there, and then have links to buy the better quality ones in itunes below.

if they can't do that, put them on netflix, SOMETHING so i dont have to pay to get these episodes individually. hell, I'd DONATE 10 bucks to hasbro before i would buy an episode.

Long story short they need to do something different... I dont have the hub, i dont have the money, there are so many options for them to provide us with episodes free or at least cheaply while still making money... and they need to do somethign fast or they're going to lose a lot of fans, and therefor, money...

Oh yeah, SOPA sucks, but that's unrelated...

[Folly]

From what I understand, they're doing what they need to, legally, to "protect" their copyrights, but only what they need to do. There are a LOT more legal actions they could take to get the show off youtube, so I'm assuming they know it's like free advertising to new potential fans to have it up there.

Basically, they're fighting a battle they don't really want to win.

This article puts it far more eloquently than I could XD

[Chonico]

I have iTunes and purchased both seasons so that I could watch at my leisure. When the DVDs come out, I have every intention of purchasing, even if they aren't season box sets.

Now, the reason I justify my saving up money in order to spend on such things is rather quite simple. I love MLP. No matter how horrid my day gets, I get home and watch a few episodes and it cheers me right up. We all need that every now and then, so thus I justify not buying a hamburger from McDonalds or not buying sodas and such in order to save up.

Yes, admittedly many of us found MLP thanks to Youtube, but the way I'm seeing this is as an attempt by Hasbro to protect their investment and perhaps see how profitable MLP can really be in relation to the Brony community. They are a company with many many people to please, and good feelings and a heartfelt thank you don't go a long way towards paying bills. Its just the nature of the beast, so to speak. True, free advertisement is the best advertisement, and we are free advertisement for them. We spread the word of just how awesome MLP is and convince a few to watch the shows and some will buy the products. But certain reigns have to be pulled before adequate steps can be taken towards any goal. This is just them beginning to tug and pull and testing the unknown roads of the Brony fandom.

Many have already mentioned it, but its worth mentioning again. We Bronies are an anomaly. One that has to be prodded and tested to see just how we bend and move. Many mistakes will be made by rule of trial and error, such as not being able to purchase episodes on iTunes without an American account. Hopefully they will realize this mistake and work towards mending it. Sadly, I don't predict it happening any time soon which will be hard if my career picks up and I find myself out of the country.

For now though, all we can do as fans is continue to support the show and provide our feedback, when and where its requested, in a polite manner.

[Zeal]

It is their right as a company. Simple as that. They would be intelligent though to release multilingual versions for cheap prices from a centralised site. Advisably with optional 1080p quality levels minus ads and extraneous features. They would make a lot of money.

[BlitzStar]

But something that i find quite disturbing, more than taking down the episodes, is that they also start deleting the content created by fans like music remixes or fandom videos. I think THAT is going too far.

[Thoth]

But something that i find quite disturbing, more than taking down the episodes, is that they also start deleting the content created by fans like music remixes or fandom videos. I think THAT is going too far.

Gotta agree with Blitz here. I recall a time or two where Hasbro claimed they supported the fan works, as they supported the show and helped spread it.

I understand episodes being taken down, as it's fairly understandable, but fan works? That's honestly going too far, and frankly that'd be Hasbro stabbing us in the back.

[Ancre]

It's illegal to buy US Itunes stuff if you don't live in the US ? That's insane.

I sent Hasbro a letter asking them to provide non-US fans a way to watch the cartoons legally. (Politely worded with please and thank you in it of course.) I think that's a move we could all do. Surely it doesn't cost that much to make the episodes available to download after all, like what Zeal said.

I think taking down the fan content is going too far as well. What kind of fan content have been put down ? I can understand if they put down those who manage to make money out of it, but the others should be left alone.

[ChancellorPuddinghead]

Have they taken down fan content? Was that a fact from Equestria Daily?

[Tenkan]

It all makes sense for Hasbro to do this.

I'm just sad it's happening, that's all. It was thanks to Youtube I watched, and continue to watch, all the episodes.

Oh, well. Guess I'll stick to Mastertoons. That website features Megavideo uploads, so it's decent.

[Parker_Izing]

I'm mixed now, for one side I'm not worried , there would be always a free way, (or a way If you-re from out of US) A lot of series with out the status of MLP can be obtained, so MLP would not disappear...

Anyways I cannot avoid to see some Brutus-Caesar dynamic between Hasbro and Brony community

[Ashton]

Keep in mind I only skimmed the preceeding posts so if I repeat anything, my appologies...

By now you all know my take on it: I think Hasbro should have at least part of the series avalible for free streaming on an official youtube stream like companies such as Funimation. (and while I prefer 1080p, of course, I couldn't blame them if they put the episodes up in 480i or even 240i (provided they weren't using subtitles for other countries) but really everyone needs a sample before they buy into a large series like this - 1 DVD, sure a 30-second preview is fine, but a series that will likely have a dozen or more DVDs? atleast 4-6 episodes!)

I do understand why the iTunes thing is a problem (and it has to do with international copyright laws, which, to be blunt, rarely sync up with one another) but I do think a company like Hasbro has the $$$ to spare to try to get some way for the international fans to see it! (though again this goes back to the age-old media problem of all that exists is "My country" and "everything else" (and dont hate on hasbro for that one, there are millions of series/movies that are made in various countries and never released internationally (most famous being the majority of Anime) due to these piecemeal laws)

I'm going to stand behind the idea that we need season box sets, not "theme packs" due to the international appeal of the show. I have no problem with "theme packs" and when I was a kid I bought several tapes of these from various series. However, looking at it from the non-brony perspective, this is a series with a LOT of episodes, many of which overlap. Hasbro could, in theory, repackage each season in such a way that 3/4 episodes are repeats on each disc (that is to own all 26 episodes, you essentially have to buy close to 26 discs priced @ $19.99 each, so a little over $500, around $550 with shipping likely) and given the rabid nature of the fandom I'm sure a lot of them would do it. This would give the little kids nice "4-part stories" as they see it about their favorite pony, theme, etc, and make hte adults shell out tons of cash if they want the full series. (Though keep in mind this is the path MOST LIKELY to dance off the adult fans, so I personally feel it's unlikely they will go this rout as they have acknoledge we exist and no company gennerally will TRY to completely alienate a viable market even if they dont cater to it)

Now, the last question is the nature of the Hasbro/Brony relationship. This is the trickiest one to answer and I wish to celestia that hasbro's marketing department would send out a memo!

Hasbro knows we exist, they've acknowledged us on the official website and in more than a few promotional materials. The question is wheather they see us as profitable compared to little kids. Upto recently, I said "no" they saw us as just an 'accident' that they wanted no part of and hoped owuld go away when they ignored it. However, with new promotional material and the job posting specifically for MLP is Pop Culture, I'm thinking they do see a viable market. On the other paw, they've handled things VERY clumsily with the episode takedowns both pony archive and the youtube. I do fully understand the legality, but there is a LOT they could do to both legally cover their plot-hole and also allow people to see at least part of the series to decide if it's good (someone mentioned the first episode being free, I'm strongly against it being the first episodes because both give a very different type of story than the other 24 episodes convey. 1+2 of both seasons is very much, as the creator put it "Magical Girl" adventure. While the rest of the series is more-or-less Slice of Life)

But, as far as I know, the PMVs, music *loosly based* on the series, and even the remixes have not been touched so I'm seeing that as a more positive response of trying to find a middle-ground.

In short, we're squarely seated on the middle of the fence. This could fall either direction (discounting SOPA, which it appears in mandatory to mention here) either to the fans rejoicing and hasbro making tons of cash or the fans horrified and danceed off and MLP being relegated back into the "what were we thinking?!" closet alongside the disco ball and leisure suit... or, a 3rd option is the fans are danceed and declare "Death of the Author", abandoning Canon and sheering off completely from hasbro, possibly even destroying the company's FiM IP rights in the process (Technically, if IP gets spread too thin, even through piracy, then the IP *can* fall into the public domain - this is why we have youtube takedowns - it's not all about the $$$ form selling DVDs) While I hope it doesnt come to this, at the same time, if a company does something bad enough, they deserve whatever consequences they get. (just remember that all the "horseapples" you throw will be bounced back at you, so we will ALL end up covered in... stuff... if it goes down that way...)

[ChancellorPuddinghead]

I don't think they are being super aggressive about it - I watched season 1 part 1 this morning on Youtube just to see if it was out there.

We had a similar thing happen in the Yugioh Community with Little Kuriboh and his abridged series - it was a fan creation and the company had it taken down but to this day you can find any yugioh abridged show you want on youtube and they did everything they could to get it taken down. He eventually got his own site and posts the videos there.

I also went on Hubworld and they had some clips online - http://www.hubworld.com/my-little-pony/shows/friendship-is-magic/videos (someone needs a slowpoke meme for how late I am about this fact)

I just feel we are getting worked up over nothing. I feel this community will find a way to accomodate this.