In today's era of digital content creation, creators have a wide variety of ways to share their original content with audiences globally. Unfortunately, for many content creators, having their content stolen and placed on free websites is becoming far too commonplace. Whether the content was readily available on social media pages or placed on secure paid-for service sites, many content creators are losing valuable revenue for their hard work. If you're a content creator and fear your content is being used illegally, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 ("DMCA") is here to help.
Before we outline how the DMCA can help content creators, we must establish a basic understanding of U.S. copyright law.
What is a Copyright?
A copyright protects original works of authorship and other creative works, including digital content (videos, images, music, etc.) and literary works (books, manuscripts, etc.). For digital content creators, your original digital works are automatically copyrighted, giving you the exclusive right to reproduce, publish, distribute, publicly perform, communicate, or adapt your works. Therefore, the downloading, sharing, or otherwise using of your digital works without prior authorization is considered copyright infringement and may carry penalties if an exception (such as fair use) does not apply.
Extra Layer of Protection
If you're a content creator and want additional protection for your copyrighted content, registering your works with the U.S. Copyright Office may provide further avenues of legal recourse. Licensing your content and delivering copyright notices are important ways creators can notify infringers of ownership and require compliance with removal requests.
DMCA
The DMCA is a United States copyright law enacted in 1998 to provide legal protections for copyright holders. The DMCA provides recourse for resolving copyright infringement matters found on the World Wide Web through what's known as a "DMCA takedown notice."
DMCA Takedown Notice
A DMCA takedown notice is a request sent to a website owner or online service provider to remove infringing content from the website. You can file a DMCA if your original work is posted somewhere without your consent. However, you must provide information to identify the infringing content and assert, under penalty of perjury, that you have the right to remove the content.
Many websites and online service providers have information on their websites about how to submit a DMCA notice properly. However, consider consulting with a legal professional before filing to ensure all proper procedures have been followed to increase the likelihood that the infringed content will be removed.
LawyerLike understands the importance of maintaining content exclusivity for creators. LawyerLike is here to help you regain control of your work. If you want assistance protecting your content, contact LawyerLike today at inquiries@asklawyerlike.com.
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