On May 13,
the VTubers agency “ VSPO!
(Virtual eSports Project) ” issued a press release reporting on
the measures taken by its Anti-Defamation Committee to protect
the rights of its team members, VTubers and employees against defamation,
harassment and other offensive actions.
VSPO! has
identified a person who published numerous defamatory and invasive articles
against the agency's VTubers. This person agreed not to publish any
more articles in the future and to delete existing ones, in addition to paying
2,386,490 yen (more than 15 thousand US dollars) as part of the damages caused.
The
agency also identified a user who posted defamatory and false messages on the
5ch forum. Upon
receipt of disclosure of IP addresses and other relevant information, VSPO!
filed a lawsuit against the Internet service provider to obtain the sender's
data. The Tokyo District Court ruled in favor of the agency, ordering
the disclosure of the data and confirming that the VTubers' rights had been
violated.
In
addition to these cases, VSPO! is involved in multiple lawsuits and
negotiations against individuals, website operators, suppliers and platforms
for defamation of their VTubers on social networks and websites. The agency will continue to
pursue legal actions and claims for damages, including criminal proceedings, as
appropriate, against any defamatory or libelous acts.
Internet
harassment is a growing problem that affects many content creators, especially
VTubers. These creators, who use virtual avatars to interact with their
audiences, are not exempt from suffering personal attacks. Defamation,
stalking, and other offensive acts can have serious emotional consequences for
the people behind the virtual characters. These attacks not only
affect their emotional well-being, but can also damage their reputation and
careers.
Anonymity
on the Internet often facilitates this type of behavior, allowing harassers to
act without fear of immediate repercussions. Agencies like VSPO! play a crucial role in
taking legal action to protect their VTubers and ensure they can continue
creating content in a safe and respectful environment.
- " I knew it, I knew
there were a lot of crazy old people watching VTubers on the Internet ."
- « Why is there so much
movement in this area? ».
- « I don't know many
VTubers beyond those from VSPO! and Nijisanji. Weren't young people the
only ones interested in these things? ».
- « I think the VSPO ones!
They have a reputation for having many male friends and playing video
games with them, perhaps it was not the best idea for a medium like this .
- " In the end, the
best way to get money is to reach an out-of-court settlement ."
- " I don't
understand how you can hate an Internet character so passionately ."
- " Subtracting the
costs of the lawyers, they probably lost anyway, but they set the
precedent at least ."
Source: Otakomu
