This appeal comes as the dispute between Vietnamese company Sconnect and Entertainment One UK Limited (eOne) continues to escalate.

The Department of Broadcasting, Television, and Electronic Information (DBTEI) has issued a second formal request to Google/YouTube, demanding that the platform cease accepting and approving unfounded copyright claims against Wolfoo videos.

This request is aimed at addressing the ongoing intellectual property dispute between Sconnect Vietnam Technology and Service Investment Co., Ltd. (Sconnect) and Entertainment One UK Limited (eOne) over the Wolfoo animated series on YouTube.

The dispute, which has spanned nearly three years, saw the Hanoi People's Court issue Notification No. 360/TB-TA on July 17, 2024, delegating judicial authority to Sconnect for the translation and notarization of case documents into English. These documents were subsequently sent to eOne in London.

On July 26, 2024, Sconnect completed the legal procedures for service of process, and by July 29, 2024, the case documents were successfully delivered to eOne. Given that Google/YouTube is an overseas party with vested interests, the Hanoi People's Court is now working to execute judicial service to Google/YouTube as per legal requirements.

Earlier, on September 14, 2022, Sconnect filed a lawsuit with the Hanoi People's Court against eOne, alleging copyright infringement related to the Wolfoo series and seeking damages.

Additionally, on August 19, 2022, Sconnect filed another suit accusing eOne of unauthorized use of the Wolfoo trademark in Peppa Pig videos. The court has acknowledged jurisdiction and Sconnect has paid the requisite court fees to proceed with litigation.

The copyright dispute between Wolfoo and Peppa Pig began in November 2021, when eOne began claiming copyright on Wolfoo videos on YouTube. The case has since seen litigation in Russia, the UK, and Vietnam.

The Russian court concluded in July 2022 in favor of Sconnect, ruling that eOne must compensate Sconnect and is prohibited from further claims that Wolfoo is a derivative of Peppa Pig.

In the UK, the High Court in London is handling a case initiated by eOne on January 24, 2022, accusing Sconnect of infringing on 91 Wolfoo videos and engaging in unfair competition.

Despite the complexity of the cross-border dispute, the situation has evolved with eOne no longer holding rights to Peppa Pig as of September 1, 2023. This change came after the transfer of all related trademarks and copyrights from eOne to Hasbro Consumer Products Licensing Limited (Hasbro).

On April 17, 2024, eOne requested a change of plaintiff in the UK case, transferring the case to Hasbro, but eOne remains a defendant in two Vietnamese lawsuits initiated by Sconnect.

Vietnamese regulatory agencies have consistently supported Sconnect since the dispute began in 2022. Recently, the DBTEI sent a second request to Google/YouTube to review and ensure the protection of Sconnect's rights.

The agency has urged Google/YouTube to halt the acceptance of baseless copyright claims and to restore Wolfoo videos and channels that were removed or restricted unjustly.

Following pressure from Vietnamese authorities, YouTube has reinstated several blocked channels but has yet to restore over 4,000 removed Wolfoo videos. Sconnect has recently submitted additional evidence to the Hanoi People's Court and is preparing to file a counterclaim in the UK.

Thai Khang