AMC Takes Aim To End ‘The Walking Dead’ Spoilers — Serves DMCA To Popular Spoiler Site
Are The Walking Dead spoilers doomed? AMC would like to stop the spread of spoilers before each episode of their hit, post-apocalypse zombie show, and now the network is taking action against those who they believe ruin the experience for others. Some seem to be pretty happy about the backlash on TWD spoilers, while others are completely bummed and look forward to a little heads up before the episodes each week.
Just days ago, The Spoiling Dead Fans posted an update to their Facebook page to let fans know that AMC had served them with a DMCA takedown notice and insisted that they stop posting spoilers for The Walking Dead. The DMCA notice also demanded that The Spoiling Dead Fans take down all their previous spoilers that literally told step-by-step what would happen in the upcoming episode.
¡HOY ES LUNES DE THE WALKING DEAD! pic.twitter.com/6rJOABr4rS
— The Walking Dead (@ArgentinaDead) February 29, 2016
The Spoiling Dead Fans told fans exactly what was going on with the takedown notice. “As I’m sure you noticed, the episode 6.11 review/summary that we posted yesterday was removed. So forgive me while I verbally vomit my outrage,” the Facebook rant began. Then TSDF went on to explain that AMC complained to Facebook about copyright infringement, causing Facebook to send them a message and remove the spoilers for The Walking Dead Season 6, Episode 11 titled “Knots Untie.”
Shiny Firefly, who runs the popular Facebook group, posted that he believes AMC is bullying the group into removing information that is fair use. Rather than do some research, he is accusing Facebook of removing the posts because AMC has much deeper pockets.
In all fairness, The Spoiling Dead Fans posts some of the most on-point spoilers out there for The Walking Dead. There is definitely a media source, and they often have the actual episodes written out in spoiler form, and they are always correct. It’s unclear where the group, or maybe just their leader, gets the information, but it’s pretty clear that someone is getting whole episodes of TWD leaked just days before the air date and then gives all the dirty details.
Maggie and the survivors have a deal. But do they want it? #TWD https://t.co/FEvYvHwfEF
— The Walking Dead AMC (@WalkingDead_AMC) February 29, 2016
It looks like other websites have also been hit with DMCA takedown notices. Hidden Remote recently stopped allowing spoilers completely, due to worries over whether or not the practice was really legal. Their piece on the DMCA action against The Spoiling Dead Fans makes it sound like spoilers are all bad, loathed even. That said, there is a huge fan base that looks forward to teases and spoilers for the upcoming episodes and seasons. Taking away spoilers would take away a lot of the fun for many fans of The Walking Dead.
While some may not like spoilers at all, the proof is in the numbers that The Walking Dead fans love spoilers and continue to flock to them. Few may complain about what they learned after the fact, but many want to know what is coming up next, who the new bad guys are and who is going to die. It’s exciting to know what will happen before everyone else.
The Walking Dead just completely changed the game. https://t.co/c0V1H6aMi1 pic.twitter.com/HCjhJQ5Oak
— Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) February 29, 2016
In any case, it looks like The Spoiling Dead Fans aren’t going to listen to the AMC notice and will continue posting spoilers for their fans, at least for now. A more recent update from the Facebook group proclaimed that they are not afraid of the copyright infringement notice.
“Just so everyone knows, we have heard your support loud and clear,” Prime posted on The Spoiling Dead Fans Facebook page. “We are NOT going anywhere. You can bet your sweet, spoiler loving a**es on that! Maybe it’s time AMC heard the TSDF ARMY loud and clear. Let them know exactly what you think and how you feel.” Prime wasn’t done yet, and continued the Facebook rant by saying, “Honestly, I would love to see how much hype the show gets when it’s filming season and TSDF and its members weren’t here everyday bringing that hype! Spoilers are here to stay. Like with every show. The both work together. Take a page out of HBO’s book and embrace it! Let AMC know, TSDF is here to stay!”
How do you feel about The Walking Dead spoilers? If they do disappear all of the sudden, at least we know why. AMC doesn’t want fans to know all the details of the episodes before they air, even if we love it and watch the show more frequently because of it. Do you love them and look for them each week or would you rather spoilers go away?
[Image via AMC]
