“Once is a mistake, twice is a choice.”
Inspiration and plagiarism can be distinguished by a thin line called arrogance. The YouTube locus is brimming with creative content and the urge to stand out. And in the whimsical world of YouTuber’s egos, some often tend to blatantly copy the content from other creators without crediting them.
Hbomberguy, a popular YouTuber, often compiled with the “bread tube,” shed light on what accounts for plagiarism and how other creators exploit the guidelines.
In a 4-hour long video…yes, you read that right…. He presents exhibits and examples of how YouTubers are using the plagiarism “cash grab” for lazy and easy work. One such instance in his video is the infamous Iilluminaughti’s feud with Legal Eagle that backfired on the former’s plagiarism scandal.
But the following case takes it to the next level…Is it about creativity, inspiration, or outright plagiarism? This saga involves two prominent YouTubers – Internet Historian and Hbomberguy. These aren’t just any content creators; they’re heavyweights in the world of digital storytelling, known for their unique takes on historical events and internet culture. But when the lines between inspiration and imitation get blurred, things can get messy.
On December 2, 2023, Hbomberguy uploaded a nearly 4-hour long video, “Plagiarism and You(Tube),” exposing the internet historian James Somerton. Hbomberguy alleges that the historian has blatantly copied the script for his “Man in Cave” video from another article, “The 1925 Cave Rescue That Captivated the Nation,” by Lucas Reilley. Somerton has removed the video “Man In Cave” from his channel.
Everything We Know About The Internet Historian Accused of Plagiarism
Before getting started, let’s be clear that the “Internet historian” has different connotations than the actual historian (expert with a degree in history).
In YouTube’s context, a historian is someone who makes informed videos about the compiled information, cites from various historical backgrounds, and fact-checks before presenting.
However, Hbomberguy exhibits in the video that the internet historian often presents information without fact-checking it, thus propagating misinformation on multiple occasions.
He revealed the internet historian to be a YouTuber named James Somerton, who runs a channel with over 239K subscribers. Somerton has a degree in business administration and is a self-proclaimed marketing expert. He has announced that he is gay on his channel, and most of his content heavily revolves around queer history and how pop culture has affected prerogatives on being gay.
The Core of the Controversy: Did Internet Historian Plagiarize ‘Man in Cave’?
The crux of the matter boils down to this: Hbomberguy, known for his detailed video essays, has accused Internet Historian James Somerton of plagiarizing content in his “Man in Cave” video. It’s a serious charge in the digital content realm, where originality is the gold standard.
This accusation isn’t something to be taken lightly. Hbomberguy, in his video titled “Plagiarism and You(Tube),” dedicated a significant portion to dissecting Internet Historian’s work. He claims that the script for “Man in Cave” was not just inspired by but directly lifted from a 2018 Mental Floss article by Lucas Reilly.
The article, titled “The 1925 Cave Rescue That Captivated the Nation,” is said to be the blueprint for Internet Historian’s narration. Hbomberguy meticulously points out similarities between the video script and the article, questioning the integrity of the Internet Historian’s creative process.
Internet content creation is often a complex blend of research, interpretation, and storytelling. Where do we draw the line between being inspired by a source and plagiarizing it? “Every creator borrows to some extent, but where is the boundary?” asks Hbomberguy in his exposé.
Somerton, known for his deep dives into internet phenomena and historical events with a humorous twist, has been accused several times of plagiarism by other creators. In one such instance, his “get out of jail card” response was that the other small creator was harassing him.
Other times, he argues about the nature of content creation, emphasizing the role of interpretation and retelling in making historical events accessible and engaging.
In response to a previous plagiarism scandal, he said–
“I–If I have been plagiarizing videos… I wouldn’t have a channel. I would be called out all the time by people saying, ‘He stole my shit.’ But I don’t plagiarize. The one time that there actually was plagiarism, it was by mistake, and I fixed it immediately, and it is no longer in my video.
And the other two accusations, one was silly– – That’s an interesting way of saying you didn’t do it.”
But the question remains – did he cross the line from retelling to replicating?
The Ripple Effect: How Plagiarism Affects The Authenticity and Credibility of YouTube
This controversy isn’t just about two YouTubers. It’s about the ethics of content creation in the digital age. It raises questions about originality, creativity, and the fine line between inspiration and imitation.
As viewers and consumers of digital content, we must ask ourselves: What do we value in the content we consume? Is it the originality of the idea, the uniqueness of the presentation, or a blend of both?
So, what do you think? Did Somerton cross the line into plagiarism, or is this just a case of creative inspiration gone awry?
How should the YouTube community respond to such allegations? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
