Help Center

Copyright ownership gives the owner the exclusive right to use the work, with some exceptions. When a person creates an original work, fixed in a tangible medium, he or she automatically owns copyright to the work.

Copyright is just one form of intellectual property. It is not the same as trademark, which protects brand names, mottos, logos, and other source identifiers from being used by others for certain purposes.

Just because you appear in a video, image or audio recording does not mean you own the copyright to it. For example, if your friend took a picture of you, she would own the copyright to the image that she took. If your friend, or someone else, uploaded a video, image or recording of you without your permission, and you feel it violates your privacy or safety, you may wish to file a privacy complaint.

Many types of works are eligible for copyright protection, for example:

Audiovisual works, such as TV shows, movies, and online videos.

Sound recordings and musical compositions.

Written works, such as lectures, articles, books, and musical compositions.

Visual works, such as paintings, posters, and advertisements Video games and computer software.

Dramatic works, such as plays and musicals.

The Copyright Office has information online, and you can check with a lawyer if you want to know more.

Copyright Infringement Notification Requirements, The easiest way to file a complaint is to use a legal troubleshooter. Copyright notifications must include the following elements. Without this information, No one will be able to take action on your request:

1. Your contact information:

You’ll need to provide information that will allow us to contact you regarding your complaint, such as an email address, physical address or telephone number.

2. A description of your work that you believe has been infringed:

In your complaint, be sure to clearly and completely describe the copyrighted content you are seeking to protect. If multiple copyrighted works are covered in your complaint, the law allows a representative list of such works.

3. Each allegedly infringing URL:

Your complaint must contain the specific URL of the content you believe infringes your rights, or we will be unable to locate it. General information about the location of the content is not adequate. Please include the URL(s) of the exact content at issue.

4. You must agree too and affirm both of the following statements:

“I have a good faith belief that use of the copyrighted materials described above as allegedly infringing is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.”

“The information in this notification is accurate and I swear, under penalty of perjury, that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.”

5. Your signature:

Complete complaints require the physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or a representative authorized to act on their behalf. To satisfy this requirement, you may type your full legal name to act as your signature at the bottom of your complaint.