Submit Our Online Copyright Report Form

It is a uniquely modern and deeply frustrating experience: you spend hours, days, or even weeks creating a piece of original content—a blog post, a photograph, a video, or a piece of music—only to discover it has been stolen and reposted on another site without your permission. In the digital age, while content can be shared at the speed of a click, it can also be stolen just as easily. Fortunately, legal frameworks exist to protect you, and the first and most powerful step in that defense is often the submission of a formal copyright report form. This guide explains what this form is, the legal power behind it, and exactly what you need to know to fill it out correctly and protect your work.

What is Copyright Infringement?

First, let’s clarify what we’re protecting. Copyright is a legal right that automatically grants the creator of an original work—be it literary, artistic, musical, or dramatic—exclusive rights to its use and distribution. You own the copyright to your blog post the moment you write it, and to your photo the moment you take it. Copyright infringement is the use or reproduction of this copyrighted work without the permission of you, the copyright owner. This includes re-uploading your video, embedding your photo in a commercial article without a license, or copying and pasting your entire article onto another person’s blog.

The Legal Framework: Understanding the DMCA

You will often hear the term “DMCA” in relation to these reports. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a crucial piece of United States copyright law that governs online content. It created a “safe harbor” for online service providers (like us, social media platforms, search engines, and web hosts). This “safe harbor” protects these platforms from being sued for the infringing content their users upload, on the condition that they follow strict rules. One of those rules is that they must provide an official, registered agent and a clear process for copyright owners to report infringement and must act swiftly to “takedown” (remove or disable) that content when a valid notice is received. Our online form is designed to comply with this process and to make it easy for you to submit a valid DMCA takedown notice.

Why Use a Formal Takedown Process?

You might be tempted to just send an angry email or leave a comment, but a formal DMCA notice is a legal document that compels a response. Service providers are legally obligated to act on a valid notice. For many creators, especially those with a large online presence, fighting infringement can feel like a game of whack-a-mole.For those seeking outside help, many service websites exist that offer efficient and reliable DMCA takedown services to safeguard your online assets. These can be a lifeline for busy creators who need to focus on creating, not policing. For a single instance, however, using a provided form is the most direct path.

Before You File: What You MUST Know

Submitting this form is a serious legal action. It is not a tool to resolve disputes, harass someone you disagree with, or claim ownership of something you do not own. Before you proceed, you must be aware of two critical points. First, you must consider if the use of your content qualifies as “fair use.” Fair use is a legal doctrine that permits the unlicensed use of copyrighted material under specific circumstances, such as for commentary, criticism, research, or news reporting. Second, you must be aware of the penalties for false claims. Under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who “knowingly materially misrepresents” that material is infringing may be held liable for damages, including all costs and attorneys’ fees incurred by the person who was wrongly accused.

Information You Will Need to Provide

To ensure your notice is valid and can be processed quickly, our form will require you to provide specific information. Please have the following items ready before you begin:

1. Your Contact Information: This must be your full legal name, a physical address, an email address, and a phone number. Anonymous or incomplete reports cannot be processed.
2. Identification of Your Original Work: You must provide a specific URL or detailed description of your original, copyrighted work. This is the proof that you are the owner.
3. Location of the Infringing Material: This is the most important part. You must provide the exact URL (or URLs) of the content you are reporting. A link to the website’s homepage is not sufficient; we need the direct link to the post, image, or video that is infringing on your rights.

The “Three Statements of Truth”

A valid legal notice requires you to attest to three statements under penalty of perjury. Our form will ask you to check boxes confirming that you agree to the following:

1. The “Good Faith Belief” Statement: You must affirm that you have a good faith belief that the use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by you (the copyright owner), your agent, or the law.
2. The “Accuracy” Statement: You must affirm that the information in your notification is accurate.
3. The “Perjury” Statement: You must affirm, under penalty of perjury, that you are the copyright owner or are authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

Your Electronic Signature

In the digital age, a physical signature is not required. By typing your full legal name into the designated field on the form, you are providing a binding electronic signature. This carries the same legal weight as signing a physical document and legally binds you to the statements you made under penalty of perjury. Do not take this step lightly.

What Happens After You Submit Our Form?

Once you have completed and submitted the form, our copyright compliance team will take the following steps:

1. Review: We will review your notice to ensure it is complete and valid according to the DMCA. If it is incomplete, we may contact you for more information.
2. Takedown: If the notice is valid, we will act expeditiously to remove or disable access to the material that is claimed to be infringing.
3. Notification: We will make a reasonable attempt to notify the user who posted the content that it has been removed. We will also provide them with a copy of your notice, which means your contact information (as provided) may be shared with them.

Understanding the Counter-Notification Process

The process does not always end with the takedown. The person whose content was removed has the right to file a “Counter-Notification.” This is a legal document in which they state, under penalty of perjury, that the content was removed by mistake or misidentification (for example, they had a license, or they believe it is fair use). If we receive a valid counter-notice, we are legally required to inform you. At that point, the removed content may be restored within 10 to 14 business days unless you notify us that you have filed an action seeking a court order to restrain the user from engaging in the infringing activity.

Protecting Your Work

Your original content has value. Protecting it is your right. Our online report form is a tool designed to empower you and provide a clear, efficient, and legally compliant pathway to defend your work. We take copyright seriously and are committed to upholding the law. Please be sure to fill out all fields completely and accurately.