Understanding your situation
Someone is using your copyrighted work without permission.
Common copyright infringement scenarios:
- Website content theft: Your articles or web copy copied and published on another website.
- Photo and image theft: Your photographs used on someone else's website, social media, or marketing materials without a license.
- Music and audio infringement: Your music used in YouTube videos, podcasts, or commercial presentations without authorization.
- Software and code theft: Your source code copied, decompiled, or redistributed without authorization, including open-source license violations.
- Design and artwork reproduction: Your designs reproduced on merchandise or products without permission.
- Book or publication piracy: Your book or course content distributed on piracy sites.
- Video content theft: Your videos re-uploaded or redistributed on other channels without authorization.
What you need to prepare
- ✓Proof of copyright ownership — original files with creation dates, registration certificate if available
- ✓Copyright registration number and date (US — strengthens enforcement)
- ✓Evidence of the infringing use — screenshots with URLs and timestamps
- ✓Side-by-side comparison showing your original and the infringing copy
- ✓Date you first published or created the work
- ✓The infringer's name and contact information
- ✓Hosting provider or platform where the infringing content is published
⏰ Deadline
Send promptly upon discovering the infringement. Give the infringer 10–14 days to remove all infringing content. Consider sending a parallel DMCA takedown to the hosting provider.
🏛️ Authority
US: Federal court (Copyright Act). DMCA takedown to hosting providers. UK: County Court or High Court (CDPA 1988). DE: Landgericht (UrhG). WIPO for international disputes.
⚖️ Legal basis
US: Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. §§ 106, 501, 504), DMCA (17 U.S.C. § 512). UK: Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. DE: Urheberrechtsgesetz (UrhG), §§ 97-101. International: Berne Convention (181 signatories).
Expert tips
- 1Register your work with the US Copyright Office BEFORE sending the letter if possible. Registration enables statutory damages and attorney fees.
- 2Archive the infringing content before sending the letter. Infringers often delete content upon receiving notice.
- 3Consider sending a DMCA takedown notice directly to the hosting provider simultaneously for faster removal.
- 4Distinguish between infringement and fair use. Criticism, commentary, news reporting, and parody may be protected.
- 5For international infringement, the Berne Convention provides baseline protections in 181 countries.
- 6Statutory damages for willful US infringement can reach $150,000 per work — mention this in the letter.