Stuff.co.nz has a story about the popular YouTube parodies involving Hitler: “One of YouTube’s most beloved parodies is facing extinction, with countless Adolf Hitler Downfall clips vanishing from the popular video site in recent days. Constantin Film, which has judged many of the comic clips an infringement of its copyright.  Online rights advocates say that fair use provisions in many countries such as the US were created to allow some copyrighted material to be used for purposes such as satire or parody.” Among copyright experts there’s little doubt that if this went to court the Fair Use defense would win but the United State’s DMCA allows preemptive removal of content regardless of whether it’s considered free speech.

At the time of writing a poll on the Stuff.co.nz site has only 14% against parody protection, 21% in favour of parody protection unless they put the entire movie up, and 65% in favour of complete parody protection. Under New Zealand law we lack protection for parody and satire and so many popular forms of public commentary are illegal.

Naturally, Hitler has already responded to the removals: