The Creator of the 'Just a Chill Guy' Meme Has Copyrighted His 'New Character' After Brands Used It in Viral Marketing Schemes Without Crediting Him

Phillip Banks (@PhillipBankss) has copyrighted his "new character" under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), following its use in the viral marketing schemes of brands who aren't crediting him.

Phillip Banks (@PhillipBankss), the creator of the Just a Chill Guy meme on Twitter / X, has filed a copyright claim for his "new character" under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) after its use in viral marketing by brands without credit.

"Emphasis on the 'for-profit' part," he stated in a post on Bluesky earlier today. "Please don't get it twisted thinking I'm DMCA-ing every person reposting/editing/having fun with it. I don't even tell brands to take their posts down, I'm just asking them to AT LEAST ask or give me credit for my art."

Banks initially announced the news in a tweet that is now inaccessible to non-followers. He later disclosed on Bluesky that he is taking a break from the X app due to crypto enthusiasts flooding his DMs with material pertaining to the recently popular Chill Guy "meme coin."

For the uninitiated, the Chill Guy meme was initially dubbed "My New Character," mirroring the original caption of the initial tweet that introduced the character last year.

The anthropomorphic dog, conceived by Banks, is depicted with his hands in his pockets, a smirk directed at the viewer, reminiscent of Brian Griffin from Family Guy.

The meme went viral on TikTok a year after its original upload, trending massively two months ago.

This month, however, the meme experienced a significant resurgence as meme creators superimposed the PNG image of the Chill Guy onto various backgrounds. The captions typically began with a tense scenario, which was then diffused by the statement, "But I'm just a chill guy."

Banks' fans expressed support for his decision to copyright the character. "Get that bag brother we're rooting for you," stated X user @male_wife_. "Congrats! 👏👏 you deserve every cent," wrote @frfrongg in response to the post.

On the other hand, X users involved in crypto seemed to be the most perturbed. Others, like @boldleonidas, created an original webcomic to depict Banks as "not chill" due to his insistence on ownership.

However, Banks has notably indicated that he is primarily upset by brands using his character without credit, rather than crypto enthusiasts. A quick search on TikTok or X reveals that betting sites and professional sports teams are among the main culprits.

This incident marks another instance where the creator of a viral meme character has initiated DMCA takedowns. In 2017, Pepe the Frog creator Matt Furie took legal action against conservative and alt-right websites for using his creation.

It remains to be seen where Banks' legal endeavors will lead. Nonetheless, this story highlights the ongoing debate regarding ownership in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.