NFTs are reaching new levels of absurdity, as YouTubers fight back against unauthorized minting of their channels, logos, and more.
Whether it is games, music, or art itself, one thing is clear: NFTs aren’t going away anytime soon. As game developers try to innovate and join the immense growth of Non-Fungible Tokens, some creators are experiencing the negative side of NFTs first hand.
Twitch streamers have had to deal with websites taking their iconic clips and trying to sell them as an NFT – making waves to get sellers shut down.
Now, YouTubers are speaking out with frustration as copyrighted material from their channels continues to be minted without permission.
YouTubers slam “disrespectful” NFT minting
Minting an NFT allows digital properties like images or music to become part of blockchain currency Ethereum. This is the most viable way to monetize digitized creations, but sites like OpenSeas are allowing users to claim the work of YouTubers as their own.
Creators like Stephanie Sterling, Alanah Pearce, and Saberspark join a growing list of essentially stolen property.
Stephanie Sterling made their thoughts vocal on the matter: “I did not consent to this, I do not want this, and it demonstrates everything I’ve said about how disrespectful and exploitative this market is.”
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Frankly not surprised that some freeloading leech turned my channel into an NFT.
As gross as it is, I find it justifying – I did not consent to this, I do not want this, and it demonstrates everything I’ve said about how disrespectful and exploitative this market is.
Scum. https://t.co/saqcAm5lmW
— Commander Stephanie Sterling (@JimSterling) January 16, 2022
The craze has become so out of control, that the responses of those affected are been turned in NFTs as a form of trolling.
Twitch streamer Saberspark said the “NFT craze is legit evil and it just gets worse with each passing day.”
THEY MADE AN NFT OF THIS SPECIFIC TWEET TOO pic.twitter.com/wLjRfGBpqd
— Kona (@LessThanKona) January 15, 2022
Sony Santa Monica’s Alanah Pearce has been caught in the crossfire too, as NFT minters create NSFW listings on OpenSeas using her images. “I cannot wait for the lawsuits,” she said.
OpenSeas have yet to respond officially to takedown requests from the aforementioned creators and it remains to be seen if they’ll do so.