近日，“字节申请热门网络梗著作权”等话题登上微博热搜，引发网友热议。
As artificial intelligence companies race to secure data for training their AI models, ByteDance has found itself at the center of a copyright debate after applying to register dozens of widely used internet memes, raising questions about ownership, fair use, and AI development.
中国版权保护中心官网显示，北京字跳网络技术有限公司集中登记了数十个网络热门表情包的美术著作权，包含二次元二创热门形象“咕咕嘎嘎”、爆款魔性梗图“我的刀盾”、高人气表情包“香蕉猫”等大众熟知的素材。
According to the Copyright Protection Center of China, ByteDance has applied for copyright registration for a number of popular memes, such as the well-known "Gugu Gaga" character, the viral "Daodun Dog" illustration and the much-loved "Banana Cat", all of which have circulated widely across Chinese social media.
据北京日报，一位业内人士表示，这可能与该公司对AI视频生成等大模型进行训练有关。这些模型需要海量素材进行训练和商用，而“咕咕嘎嘎”“草地牛”这类在全网广泛传播的虚拟形象，就是训练素材的优质来源。提前完成著作权登记，可以规避潜在的版权风险。
An industry insider told Beijing Daily that the move is likely related to the company's development of large AI models, including video generation tools. These models require vast amounts of training data for development and commercial applications. Popular memes, already widely shared online, provide valuable training data. Registering copyrights in advance could also help reduce potential legal risks.
目前，字节跳动并未对外公布这批登记形象的商用、非商用使用规则以及具体目的。
“咕咕嘎嘎”
“刀盾狗”
“草地牛”
“香蕉猫”
以后还能用这些表情包吗？
此事引发网友热议。有网友认为，这些表情包、梗形象最早火起来全靠游戏玩家和网友自发二创分享，和字节毫无关联。
还有网友提出担忧，这些网络热梗图等被登记后，在聊天、剪视频、做二创时，还能不能使用这些素材？
北京常鸿律师事务所主任常卫东表示，我国著作权实行自愿登记制度，版权保护中心仅进行形式审查，不审查申请人是否为真实原创作者，且网络梗难以追溯到原创人员，因此单从行政流程来看，北京字跳网络技术有限公司属于合法登记行为。
Chang Weidong, director of Beijing Changhong Law Firm, noted that China operates a voluntary copyright registration system. The Copyright Protection Center conducts only a formal examination and does not determine whether an applicant is the true copyright owner or original creator. Given that the original creators of many internet memes are difficult to identify, ByteDance's applications appear procedurally valid under the current system.
常卫东同时表示，登记著作权并不意味着这些“梗图”被“独占”，“私信聊天发梗图、朋友圈配图、评论区玩表情、个人收藏转发等属于《中华人民共和国著作权法》里的合理使用范畴，非营利、无直接收益、不挤占商业开发市场，不应构成侵权。”同时，个人UP主剪辑的日常向二创短视频，如果纯非营利、无带货无引流，一般仍在合理使用边缘。
However, Chang stressed that obtaining copyright registration does not mean the company has "monopolized" these memes. Ordinary personal uses, such as sending memes in private chats, sharing them on WeChat Moments, posting them in comment sections or saving them for personal use, generally fall within the scope of fair use under China's Copyright Law, provided the use is non-commercial, generates no direct revenue, and does not interfere with the commercial exploitation of the work.
He added that amateur content creators who create or edit meme-based videos for non-commercial purposes, without product promotion or monetization, would also generally fall within the bounds of fair use.
但如果用于商用营利场景，如自媒体带货、商家品牌宣传、商业短视频制作、广告引流、付费内容创作等，依托热梗形象直接或间接获取经济利益的使用行为，超出合理使用范畴，未经授权即构成著作权侵权。
需要提醒的是，如果使用者刻意丑化、歪曲表情包形象，破坏作品完整权，相关权利人可就著作人身权主张维权。
来源：中国青年报综合北京日报、都市现场、正在新闻
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