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A24 Addresses Copyright Strikes on Backrooms Fan Art After Director Kane Parsons Promises to Investigate
A24 has clarified that recent copyright takedown notices affecting fan-made Backrooms artwork were unintentional, following a promise from director Kane Parsons to investigate the issue. The studio issued an Instagram statement on 17 July, two days after Parsons responded to a Reddit user whose wallpaper design had been removed from Redbubble over an infringement claim, confirming it does not claim ownership of the yellow wallpaper imagery or the wider body of community work inspired by it.
A24 said it had begun reversing the automated Redbubble claim and reinstating affected listings, adding that it would "continue to support the artists" who, like Parsons, drew inspiration from the original concept. The strikes had disrupted a range of fan projects, including an indie game pulled from the Google Play Store and various artwork removed from Redbubble on behalf of "A24 LLC". Parsons attributed the notices to internal miscommunication and a third-party system error rather than a deliberate crackdown, stressing that A24 has consistently supported the Backrooms community. The film itself has been a major success, grossing $375 million against a $10 million budget.
In short
- A24 reverses copyright strikes wrongly filed against Backrooms fan art
- Studio says it claims no ownership over the community's creative works
- Director Kane Parsons blamed a third-party system error, not deliberate action
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A24 has clarified that the copyright strikes were unintentional, caused by miscommunication and a third-party system error, with the company now actively reversing claims and reinstating content. The studio's swift acknowledgement, director support, and historical backing of the Backrooms community demonstrate good faith; what matters is not that mistakes occur in automated systems—which is often unavoidable—but that companies address them promptly and transparently, as A24 is doing.
The case against
Fan creators suffered real harm when their work was removed without justification: lost income, disrupted projects, and anxiety whilst waiting for a major corporation to investigate its own systems. A24, with substantial resources, should have implemented sufficient safeguards to prevent automated copyright enforcement from harming innocent fan creators in the first place, rather than relying on third-party systems without adequate oversight and only investigating after public pressure highlighted the problem.
Explained simply
The Backrooms is an internet horror concept that inspired a large creative community producing fan artwork, games, stories and other creative projects. Film studio A24 adapted the concept into a commercially successful feature film.
The Backrooms concept has sparked a large community of fans producing their own artwork, games and projects based on the original work. A24 has taken a supportive approach to this fan creativity, encouraging such projects rather than restricting them.
In recent weeks, copyright removal notices began targeting fan-made Backrooms artwork and indie projects across various platforms, claiming they violated A24's intellectual property rights. This marked a change in approach for the studio, which had previously allowed fan creators to work with Backrooms material.