SSSniperwolf vs. Jacksfilms Stealing YouTube Video Ideas Controversy (2024)

Overview

SSSniperwolf vs. Jacksfilms Stealing YouTube Video Ideas Controversy refers to an online feud between YouTubers SSSniperwolf and Jacksfilms sparked by SSSniperwolf's claim that she gets lots of her video ideas from her audience, a claim that Jacksfilms called out because SSSniperwolf makes reaction content to other creators' TikTok uploads, similar to many others on the site. The feud began in June 2023 and resulted in Jacksfilms posting a video in which he reacts to SSSniperwolf videos and reads her angry tweets toward him every 10 seconds. As the drama continued, Jack began taking specific aim at the quality of Sssniperwolf's reactions, claiming they're "lazy" and not transformative and that she doesn't credit the creators, further suggesting she is stealing content. In October 2023 SSSniperwolf was accused of doxxing Jacksfilms after she came to his house in California unannounced and posted a picture of the building to her Instagram story. Later that month, YouTube temporarily demonetized SSSniperwolf's channel for the incident and SSSniperwolf apologized to Jacksfilms, although both the apology and YouTube's actions were criticized.

Background

In October 2022, YouTuber^[1] Jacksfilms announced the creation of a new YouTube^[2] channel called JJJacksfilms on which he would post videos reacting to SSSniperwolf's reaction videos (shown below). In the video, he claims he was inspired to start the channel after seeing an entry on Know Your Meme about how SSSniperwolf bought a multi-million dollar mansion thanks to her YouTube career.^[3]

On June 22nd, 2023, the @YouTubeCreators Twitter^[4] account tweeted a quote given by SSSniperwolf at VidCon 2023 in which she said claims she gets most of her video ideas from commenters, writing, "it’s really important for me to engage with my audience. I get a lot of content ideas from them in the comments. it’s important to grow and adapt as a creator!” (shown below).

Later that day, @Jacksfilms posted a screenshot of the tweet to Twitter^[5] alongside a screenshot of SSSniperwolf's thumbnails, all of which showcase arguably basic reaction-style content, garnering over 8,900 likes in a week (shown below, left). On June 28th, @SSSniperwolf quote-retweeted^[6] the post, writing, "I’m going to have to start charging u 20% since you get your ideas from me 🤭," garnering over 1,600 likes in a day (shown below, right).

Developments

SSSniperwolf responded to several commenters under her tweet to defend herself further. On June 28th, 2023, Twitter^[7] user @korneliaa_0 commented, "Imo you should charge 70%, you literally made most of the popular YouTubers," to which she responded, "I am being generous." Twitter^[8] user @Pikew15 posted, "YOU STEAL IDEAS," to which she responded with a thumbnail of one of her videos and one of MrBeast's videos using a similar thumbnail image, writing, "90% of what I upload are my ideas, people copy me and then people like you get confused" (shown below).

Later that day, Jacksfilms quote-retweeted^[9] her response to @pikew15, writing, "'I invented reacting to other people's tiktoks; anyone else is copying me' incredible mental gymnastics," then @ing YouTube and asking, "you sure you're ok boosting her?" garnering over 22,800 likes in a day (shown below).

In response, SSSniperwolf quote-retweeted^[10] Jacksfilms' post, writing, "wahhh I can't stand that a female YouTuber is getting more views than me even tho I make the same content grrrr life is hard!!!!" garnering over 1,900 likes in a day. She later commented under the tweet, "for context, jackfilms made another channel where he copied my content for a few months thinking it would blow up and get millions of views. it didn't. now he is mad," also adding, "I hate bringing gender into this but no one ever attacks the male react channels????" (shown below).

On June 29th, Jacksfilms posted a link to his new YouTube^[11] video to Twitter,^[12] writing, "Sssniperwolf but every 10 seconds I read a tweet she sent me tonight," garnering over 11,000 likes in under a day. The video gained over 135,000 views in under 24 hours (shown below).

Jacksfilms Response 'Let's tttalk about Sssniperwolf'

On July 26th, 2023, Jacksfilms posted a video to YouTube^[15] where he talks about Sssniperwolf, detailing how, in his opinion, she "steals content" from TikTok and makes base-level reactions to the content, hardly adding anything to the videos. He continues to point out how Sssniperwolf doesn't ask permission to use videos and doesn't credit TikTokers she reacts to. He calls her content "nothing" and explains the idea of fair use, suggesting Sssniperwolf's content is not transformative, rather, just "summarizes" what's happening in the videos.

That day, Jacksfilms uploaded a video to his JJJacksfilms YouTube^[16] channel doing a grading of a Sssniperwolf video and giving credit to the creators, garnering over 4,100 views in under an hour (shown below).

The Act Man's Tweet, Jacksfilms "Sssniperwolf Is Getting Worse" Video

On August 7th, 2023, YouTuber The Act Man made a post on X^[17] sharing a clip from a Sssniperwolf video in which she reacts to the exact same clip of a man dunking a basketball with the exact same reaction twice in one video. In the tweet, he suggests she did this to artificially extend her video to hit the 8-minute mark, allowing her to put mid-roll ads in the video, garnering over 29,400 likes in a week (shown below).

SSSniperwolf Doxxes Jacksfilms

On October 14th, 2023, YouTuber SSSniperwolf took to her Instagram^[19] story to post a series of images outside fellow YouTuber Jacksfilms' house. The posts included a poll asking her audience of over 5 million followers if she should visit Jack's home, and a post showing the outside of his house. The photo of Jack's house was reportedly deleted soon after it was uploaded (seen below).

On October 14th, Jacksfilms took to his X^[20] profile to criticize SSSniperwolf for doxxing his home to her followers, calling her a stalker, and calling on YouTube to deplatform her. The post gathered over 240,000 likes in a day (seen below, left). Also on October 14th, Jackfilms reposted^[21] SSSniperwolf's post alleging that her visit to his home was a result of his harassment campaign against her, gathering over 125,000 likes in a day (seen below, right).

On October 14th, 2023, X^[22] user @Zhir_Vengersky posted a meme about the illegality of SSSniperwolf's actions, gathering over 40,000 likes in a day (seen below, left). Also on October 14th, X^[23] user @OrdinaryGamers posted a screenshot from SSSniperwolf's own YouTube where she posted videos about being stalked. The post gathered over 85,000 likes in a day (seen below, right).

YouTube's Response, SSSniperwolf's Apology

On October 20th, 2023, the official @TeamYouTube X^[24] account posted a comment under one of JacksFilms' posts confirming that they have temporarily demonetized SSSniperwolf's channel, writing, "Off platform actions that put others’ personal safety at risk harm our community & the behavior on both sides isn’t what we want on YT. Hoping everyone helps move this convo to a better place," garnering over 4,300 likes in under a day (shown below).

Shortly after YouTube's response, SSSniperwolf posted an apology statement to X^[25] where she apologizes for doxxing Jacksfilms and thanks YouTube for holding her accountable (shown below). The apology gained over 2,200 likes in under a day (shown below).

Both YouTube's statement and response and SSSniperwolf's apology were met with widespread criticism online, with critics claiming that YouTube failed to respond to SSSniperwolf's other uncovered problematic past behavior and saying that YouTube unrightfully blamed both sides with their statement. SSSniperwolf's apology was criticized for being disingenuous, with some claiming it was AI-generated, although this has not been confirmed.

SSSniperwolf Copying AzzyLand Accusations

On November 9th, 2023, YouTuber^[26] @nerdcity uploaded a video titled "SSSniperwolf stole her life," in which he alleges SSSniperwolf was copying numerous aspects of YouTuber AzzyLand, accusing her of copying her videos, thumbnails, ideas and many other parts of her content. The video presents side-by-side comparisons from both creators' content and video thumbnails over the years and also includes an interview with AzzyLand in which she details that she had to "change her native Toronto accent after SSSniperwolf, who was born in the U.K. and raised in the U.S., adopted it." Nerdcity and Azzy also discuss the various ways that SSSniperwolf allegedly weaponized her community to go after AzzyLand or made aggressive comments about the YouTuber herself over the years.

The investigation (shown below) video amassed over 658,000 views and 51,000 likes in five days, resulting in renewed discourse and backlash toward SSSniperwolf in the following days.

AzzyLand's Response

On November 11th, 2023, YouTuber AzzyLand posted a tweet^[27] (shown below) after Nerd City's video was released in which she claims she was "relentlessly bullied for years" over SSSniperwolf claims that she was the one copying the content ideas. AzzyLand also added a screenshot tweet from SSSniperwolf in which she said they're not friends and that Azzy had been copying her videos and way of talking for years. The tweet amassed more than 1,200 likes and 83 retweets in three days.

SSSniperwolf's Response

Also on November 11th, 2023, SSSniperwolf responded via her X account to Nerd City and AzzyLand's accusations. The posts have since been deleted and her account on X went private, however, YouTube^[28] creator @AlexElmslie shared a screenshot of her responses from that day in in a video uploaded to their channel (shown below). The video amassed more than 43,000 views and 3,100 likes in three days.

Online Reactions

The feud inspired reactions online as it continued to spread in late June 2023 and received increased attention. For example, on June 28th, 2023, Twitter^[13] user @Bweefi posted a screenshot of two similar videos by SSSniperwolf and Jacksfilms, with Jacksfilms' video being uploaded first, writing, "Looks like he gets to charge you 20% now," garnering over 1,400 likes in a day (shown below).

On June 29th, the @DramaAlert Twitter^[14] account then reported on the feud. He then calls it "disheartening" that YouTube promoted her as a keynote speaker at VidCon 2023 on their YouTube Creators Twitter page. He then announces that he's going to re-vamp his YouTube channel JJJacksfilms to, instead of reacting to Sssniperwolf's content, grade each of her reactions and give credit to the TikTokers shown when possible. The video gained over 23,000 views in under an hour.