ByteDance Copyright Registrations for Popular Internet Memes Spark Controversy

Banana Cat, Gugu Gaga and “My Sword and Shield” originated as internet memes circulated and remixed by online users, often with unclear ownership. ByteDance subsidiaries have registered them as copyrighted works of art, prompting accusations of “digital enclosure” of public cultural assets because the move could affect creators’ use of the memes, platform content governance and commercial licensing.

The latest reports say ByteDance subsidiaries have registered the popular Chinese memes as copyrighted works they own. Observers say the move could help create a compliant content library for AI model training while building a licensable and monetizable content moat. However, the reports did not disclose the exact registration dates, application fees or licensing amounts, and the scope of the rights remains unclear.