Full Breakdown
Kiwibank’s DMCA Takedowns of Sexualised Mascot Images Spark Online Backlash
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Kiwibank has issued Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notices to remove a series of social-media posts that depict its green-maned sheep mascot, Buck, in sexualised contexts. The notices, filed by Christopher Young, a partner at MinterEllisonRuddWatts who specialises in intellectual-property law, targeted ten accounts on X and Bluesky, resulting in the removal of the original media and replacement with a generic “media disabled” notice.
Background & Context
Earlier, on July 18, the account @jestermaxxing had posted a more subdued comment about rumors surrounding the mascot, which attracted only 21 likes. The @ehukuu post quickly went viral, amassing more than 5,000 likes, and later reached around 93,000 likes and nearly 5,000 reposts across platforms. The phenomenon mirrors earlier instances where corporate mascots—such as Kellogg’s Tony the Tiger, McDonald’s Grimace, and Duolingo’s Duo—have been sexualised by online communities.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 18 (occurred) | @jestermaxxing posts a comment questioning rumours about Buck. |
| Early October 2026 (occurred) | Kiwibank’s legal team, through Christopher Young, files DMCA takedown notices against ten accounts. |
| Following the notices | X and Bluesky replace the offending media with a copyright-holder notice; users begin reposting censored versions and creating new “sexy” Buck images. |
Data & Statistics
- @ehukuu’s explicit post: >5,000 likes; overall viral spread: ~93,000 likes and ~5,000 reposts.
- Earlier @jestermaxxing post: 21 likes.
- Multiple accounts on Bluesky reported that their Buck-related images were removed after the DMCA notices.
Criticism & Opposition
A range of social-media users have characterised the takedowns as corporate overreach and censorship. The account @slinky__malinki posted a censored Buck image with the caption “You can’t copyright our culture.”
Other participants, including the account @vantabats, responded to the removal of their images by creating a new sheep with black wool that does not resemble Buck, only to have that version taken down as well. Some users expressed frustration that the DMCA process was being applied to jokes and fan-art, arguing that the bank’s legal actions have amplified the very content they sought to suppress—a classic illustration of the Streisand effect.
Why It Matters
The episode highlights the tension between intellectual-property enforcement and online expression, especially within niche communities such as furries. Kiwibank’s reliance on DMCA mechanisms to police sexualised depictions of a corporate mascot raises questions about the scope of copyright protection for brand imagery and the potential for legal tools to trigger broader public backlash.
What’s Next
Kiwibank has indicated that its “reasonable steps” to protect against harmful content will continue, though no specific future actions or deadlines have been disclosed. Observers note that the ongoing online resistance may prompt the bank to reassess its enforcement strategy, but any change will depend on how the dispute evolves on social-media platforms.