What Can I Do About Unauthorized Use of Intellectual Property?

DMCA.com will accept reports of copyright infringement/stolen content for the rights holder who is a DMCA.com client. Internet users often are the best source to locate copyright infringement. Every day DMCA.com receives emails and information about stolen content. DMCA.com will make every effort to contact the owner of the stolen content and inform them of the infringements.

If you wish to report copyright infringement that is occurring, please follow the instructions below.

If the content you wish to report stolen is yours, you can submit a takedown request, here: Start Your Takedown

DMCA.com Fast Tip

Please note: If there is a "finder's fee" associated with the stolen content we will notify you as soon as we have confirmed with our content client.

Report copyright infringement

Have you found content stolen from one of our DMCA.com clients? Please include the following information when reporting stolen content:

1. Content name.
2. If you know its content owner, creator, publisher or distributor.
3. Stolen content location please include the specific infringing links. General URL's eq. www.dmca.com are not suitable - please be specific in with infringing URL's.
1. e.g.: www.theiveswebsite.com/stolen_content/stolen_title?chptr_12234.aspx
4. DMCA Protection Certificate link or DMCA.com Protection badge link found on the site owners' website. This will help us identify the site owner's account.

Protecting Your Creative Works

In the United States, copyright law is established by federal law, which provides legal protection for original works of authorship, including literary, musical, and artistic works, as well as software and other digital creations. A copyrighted work is protected as soon as it is created, and registration with the Copyright Office is not required to establish copyright protection.

Report the infringement

If you believe that your copyrighted work has been infringed upon, you can report the violation to the website where it is being published. We specialize in reporting copyright infringement on behalf of our clients. To get started with your takedown claim right away submit our Takedown Form.

Registering your copyright can help

If you register your copyrighted work with the Copyright Office, it provides additional legal benefits, including the ability to file a lawsuit in federal court for copyright infringement claims. Often this route is expensive for small business owners. DMCA.com's Protection Pro subscription can help with protecting your original content without copyright registration or costly attorney fees. To get started sign up for Protection Pro.

If someone has allegedly infringed on your copyrighted material, there are several steps you can take to protect your intellectual property. The first step is to determine whether the use of your original work qualifies as a copyright infringement. A derivative work or adaptation of a copyrighted work may still be considered an infringement if it is substantially similar to the original work.

Consult with an attorney

If the website owner does not comply with your request, you may need to take legal action. The penalties for copyright infringement can include statutory damages, or actual damages and profits. In addition, if the infringement is willful, the penalties can be high.

If you decide to pursue legal action, it is important to consult with an attorney who specializes in copyright law. They can help you navigate the legal process and ensure that your rights as a copyright holder are protected.

Protecting your original work is important, and reporting infringements is an important step in safeguarding your intellectual property. By taking swift action against copyright infringement, you can help prevent the unauthorized use of your creative works and ensure that the value of your work is not diminished.

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DMCA are such an incredible resource. They work very hard to ensure your content is protected and resolve your issue where others have failed to. Exceptional company. -Sunset Aperture

My content was stolen! How do I report it?

The most effective method of removing your stolen content from another website is to file a DMCA Takedown. To get started you can submit your request with DMCA.com here: DMCA Takedown Form. If someone has stolen your content and is publishing it without your permission on another website, DMCA.com can help. Simply submit the name and location of where you found your stolen content and we go to work on your behalf.

Who can file a DMCA Takedown Notice?

1. content creators/owners
2. copyright owners
3. content publishers or distributors (with permission of the content or copyright owners)
4. NFT owners
5. code writers and publishers
6. social media users and participants
7. subject contained within the content and published without permission (special considerations may be required)

If the list above does not appear to describe your situation by all means ask. Click here to Ask us about your situation

How can I know if a website uses DMCA?

If a website uses the DMCA they will usually place a reference in the footer of the website. The clickthrough should clearly state the conditions of the DMCA Takedown process. Many websites reference the DMCA.com Takedown Notice form on this website directly. If you are unsure or the website unclear, click here to complete your takedown request: DMCA Takedown Form. Our professional team will connect your takedown request to the right website.

What kind of websites will process DMCA Takedowns?

Infringing content is removed or "taken down" from many different websites and platforms. Here is a small example list where content is removed online:

1. from a UCG (User Generated Content) Platform (like Facebook and TikTok), upon receipt of a DMCA Takedown Notice sent by or on behalf of the infringed content owner, distributor, publisher etc.
2. by the website owner, upon receipt of a DMCA Takedown Notice from the website owner's ISP / Hosting company. This would occur when ISP / Hosting company receives a notice sent by or on behalf of the content owner, distributor, publisher etc.
3. by the website owner upon receipt of a DMCA Takedown Notice from the, or on behalf of, the content owner, distributor, publisher etc.
4. by the by the ISP or Hosting company of the website that is publishing the infringing content. This occurs because the website owner has not voluntarily complied with a DMCA Notice and the ISP or Hosting company must comply with the Takedown notice.
5. when an infringing website is taken down or taken "offline" by its ISP or Hosting company. This occurs because the website owner does not voluntarily comply with a Takedown notice as described above.

These Takedown actions occur upon receipt of a DMCA Takedown Notice which uses stipulations laid out in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. (DMCA). This Act directly addresses the takedown of (copyright) infringed content from a website which is publishing content in violation of copyright protection act or content being used without permission or not in accordance with the sworn statement of the content owner.

Simply Stated: there are many ways content may be removed but they process starts with a Takedown Notice.

How long does it take to complete the form to report copyright infringement?

The DMCA.com Takedown claim form takes about 3 minutes to fill out. We will do the rest for you. Our goal at DMCA.com is to make the process as fast and easy as possible.

Related DMCA Takedown FAQ's

1. What is a DMCA Takedown
2. DMCA.com
3. DMCA Protected Certificate
4. DMCA Website Certificate
5. DMCA Website Status Page and Protection Certificate