Key takeaways
- Copyright protects work someone created, like a photo, video, or piece of writing. It usually belongs to the person who made it.
- A takedown notice asks a website or platform to remove a copy of your work that was posted without your permission.
- Most big platforms have their own copyright form. Use it, and fill in every part honestly.
- The person who posted the copy can send a counter-notice, and the content may come back.
- Copyright is not a tool for removing reviews, news, or opinions you dislike. False notices can have legal consequences.
Finding your photos, videos, or writing on someone else's page can feel like theft. Maybe a stranger is using your pictures, or a rival copied your website word for word. It is upsetting, and it is fair to want it gone.
There is a well-known way to deal with this: a copyright takedown notice. This guide explains, in plain words, what copyright covers, how a notice works, how to send one yourself, and when it is the wrong tool.
What copyright protects
Copyright is a legal right over things people create. In most countries it starts automatically as soon as the work exists, so you usually do not need to register anything first.
The key question is who made the work. If you took a photo, you usually own it. If someone else took a photo of you, the photographer usually owns it, even though you are in it.
Usually covered
- Photos and videos you made yourself.
- Your writing, such as blog posts, articles, and website text.
- Your artwork, designs, and music.
- Work made for you, if a contract gives you the rights.
Usually not covered
- Facts, names, and ideas.
- Someone's opinion or review about you.
- A photo of you that someone else took.
- Short quotes used for news, comment, or criticism, which many countries allow.
What a takedown notice is
A takedown notice is a formal message to the company that hosts the copy, such as a social network, a video site, or a web host. It says: this is my work, it was posted without my permission, please remove it.
In the United States, a law called the DMCA (the Digital Millennium Copyright Act) sets out this "notice and takedown" process. Platforms that remove copies quickly after a valid notice get legal protection. Many platforms around the world use the same kind of form, wherever you live.
- 01You find itYour work is posted without permission.
- 02Send a noticeThrough the platform's copyright form.
- 03Platform checksIt reviews your notice.
- 04Removed or disputedThe copy is taken down, or challenged.
What a notice needs to include
Each platform's form asks for slightly different things, but most notices need the same basic parts:
- Your contact details: your name, email, and often a postal address. Many companies share these with the person who posted the copy.
- Your original work: a link to it, or a clear description, such as "my photo, first posted on my website in March".
- The exact copy: the full link to each page or post that uses your work, not just the website name.
- A good-faith statement: that you believe the use is not allowed by you, your agent, or the law.
- An accuracy statement: that the notice is accurate and that you own the work, or are allowed to act for the owner.
- Your signature: typing your full name in the form is usually enough.
How to send a notice, step by step
Check that you own it
Make sure you created the work, or have the rights to it in writing. If not, the owner needs to send the notice.
Save your evidence
Take screenshots of the copy with the date and link. Keep your original file, which often shows when it was made.
Find the copyright form
Look in the platform's help centre for "copyright" or "intellectual property". For a website, look for a copyright or legal contact.
Fill in every part
Add each link separately and describe your work clearly. Keep it short and factual.
Keep a record
Save the confirmation, the date you sent it, and any reference number.
What happens after you send one
The platform reviews your notice. If it is complete and valid, the platform usually removes the copy or blocks access to it. It often tells the person who posted it why.
- A counter-notice: if the person believes it was a mistake, or that their use is allowed, they can send one. Under the DMCA, the content may then come back after a waiting period, unless the owner takes the matter to court.
- Copyright strikes: some platforms, such as YouTube, give accounts a strike for copyright problems. Repeat problems can lead to an account being removed.
- Public copies of notices: some companies, including Google, may share a copy of a notice with a public research database. Assume your name could be seen.
There is no fixed time for any of this. Some platforms act quickly, others take longer. The platform decides, and nobody can promise the outcome.
When not to use one
A takedown notice only works for copyright. It is the wrong tool for these, and using it anyway can backfire:
- A bad review or a news story about you. The writer owns those words, not you. See our guides on reporting fake reviews and news articles instead.
- Private or intimate photos. There are faster, dedicated routes. Our guide on what to do if someone shares your private photos explains them.
- Your address or phone number. Use privacy tools, covered in our guide on removing personal details from Google.
- Someone using your name. That is impersonation, not copyright. Our guide on reporting a fake account covers it.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Every platform and country has its own rules, and they change. We are not lawyers. For legal questions about your case, please speak to a qualified lawyer.