# Bootleg Memes

Bootleg Memes are redrawn or heavily abstracted versions of popular meme formats, created as a protest joke against the EU's 2019 Copyright Directive and Article 13. The trend kicked off in June 2018 on Reddit and spread through YouTube and a dedicated /r/bootleg_memes subreddit.

## Overview
Bootleg Memes, also called Article 13 Compliant Memes, are redrawn or minimalist recreations of popular meme formats made to sidestep copyright rules[4]. The image stays recognizable, but the original photography, logos, and characters get swapped for crude hand-drawn versions, blurred pixels, or labeled boxes[1].

The style came out of European fears about EU copyright reform, specifically Article 13 of the 2019 Copyright Directive[5]. Making a meme 'compliant' turned into a running joke where creators butchered famous templates into barely-legible sketches while claiming the redraw kept them legally safe[2].

## How It Spread
Within days of Yamezj's post, more redrawn, blurred, and stripped-down memes flooded Reddit. On June 24th, 2018, YouTuber Grandayy uploaded an 'Article 13-compliant' edit of the We Are Number One video where every character and prop was replaced by animated cards with text labels[2].

Activity picked up again when the Copyright Directive was approved on September 12th, 2018. The next day, September 13th, /r/bootleg_memes launched as a dedicated hub for the format[3]. Meme Insider covered the trend on September 19th, 2018[4].

The final directive vote on March 26th, 2019 protected uploads for parody and pastiche, which covered memes and GIFs[5]. That decision set off another wave. On March 23rd, Redditor DmitryZaytcev posted a minimalist Drakeposting redraw to /r/memes that hit over 28,500 upvotes in six days[6].

## How to Use
A Bootleg Meme typically starts from a well-known template, then removes the original imagery. Common approaches include tracing the meme by hand in MS Paint style, blurring the source photo past recognition, or replacing every visual element with labeled shapes[1]. The joke is that the redraw stays just recognizable enough to read as the original while looking legally distinct[2].

## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is Bootleg Memes?
Bootleg Memes are redrawn or minimalist versions of popular meme formats, originally made in reaction to EU Article 13 copyright reform[4].

### Where did Bootleg Memes come from?
The format started on Reddit in June 2018, with Redditor Yamezj's crude redraw on /r/dankmemes as the earliest known instance[1].

### What does Bootleg Memes mean?
The name treats the redraws like off-brand knockoffs of famous templates, altered enough to be pitched as 'Article 13 compliant'[5].

### How do you use Bootleg Memes?
Take a well-known meme, strip out the copyrighted imagery, and redraw or abstract it while keeping the punchline readable[2].

### Is Bootleg Memes still popular?
The format peaked between 2018 and 2019 alongside the Article 13 debates, and /r/bootleg_memes still exists as an archive of the style[3].

## References
1. [https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/8qwlwm/think_i_found_a_loophole_here/](<https://www.reddit.com/r/dankmemes/comments/8qwlwm/think_i_found_a_loophole_here/>)
2. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIVsupdZ86s](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIVsupdZ86s>)
3. [https://www.reddit.com/r/bootleg_memes/](<https://www.reddit.com/r/bootleg_memes/>)
4. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/bootleg-memes](<https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/bootleg-memes>)
5. [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52016PC0593](<https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52016PC0593>)
6. [https://www.reddit.com/r/memes/comments/b4mm1a/abstract_meme/](<https://www.reddit.com/r/memes/comments/b4mm1a/abstract_meme/>)

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Source: https://meme.com/memes/bootleg-memes
Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library