H3h3productions Wins Landmark Copyright Lawsuit

Fair use may have just gotten a whole lot stronger thanks to a landmark legal case over one year in the making.

In April of last year, Ethan and Hila Klein, the husband-and-wife duo behind the h3h3productions YouTube channel, announced fellow YouTuber Matt "Bold Guy" Hosseinzadeh had filed a copyright claim on their video titled "The Big, the Bold, the Beautiful." The following month, they revealed Hosseinzadeh was suing them for copyright infringement in court, potentially threatening their entire channel's existence.

After reaching out to fans for assistance, the Kleins were able to rake in over $170,700 in donations from an enormously successful crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe, which helped fight the legal battle over the next year.

Just yesterday, District Judge Katherine B. Forrest delivered her summary judgment in favor of the Kleins, stating "any review of the Klein video leaves no doubt that it constitutes critical commentary" and that the material "constitutes fair use as a matter of law." Shortly after, the Kleins announced the decision on Twitter before uploaded a celebratory video this morning.

While Hosseinzadeh may still appeal the decision, many are viewing it as a big win for fair use online, noting that it may help content creators navigate the waters of copyright infringement with more ease in the future.