DMCA Information

So what is a DMCA Takedown? Good Question!

Many ISPs and web hosting providers can discover instances of copyright infringement using their own automated toos and processes, usually when the owner of the copyright files a DMCA takedown notification. For reference, the DMCA outlines a process for removing copied content that infringes on a copyright using a document called a DMCA takedown request.

Each ISP or web host has its own system for removing content that violates a copyright. If you use music that is copyrighted on a video you post, YouTube and other online video sharing sites will mute or even delete the music. Most of the time the site will usually leave the video up. Social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook will remove almost all copyrighted video from your timeline, including your newsfeed. Twitch will disable a stream from your channel, and other sites will take similar actions. The platform will also notify you and, if applicable, provide contact information for the person who lodged the complaint.

While the procedures vary, the one common denominator is that the law requires service providers to quickly remove content that infringes on a copyright held by another party. The DMCA works to protect these providers from lawsuits by the owners of copyrights only if they quickly and expediously remove all the offending material.

Account holders who receive DMCA takedowns usually get a warning, sometimes called a "strike" for each infraction noted on your site. Service providers will even terminate the accounts of infringers after a series of infractions - usually after 3 strikes. In the worst-case scenario, users who knowingly and willingly post copyrighted material can be subject to lawsuits and / or criminal penalties.