How can I get a free takedown?

As part of the Protection Pro Subscription Service, DMCA.com provides a service whereby paid users are eligible to receive a free professional takedown service. DMCA.com provides no guarantee as to the effectiveness of takedown notices generated by the user through this service. DMCA.com does not track the takedown notices or their content as generated by users through this program.

The eligible free takedown is for standard takedown services and does not include any additional legal or support services (such as translation, research etc.) in order to process or file the takedown notice.

Conditions of The Free Takedown Service:

1. The Free Takedown Service is only provided to free Protection Pro Subscribers who have had a badge on their website and on the page with the infringed content requested in the takedown notice for over 1 month.
2. Only 1 page and 1 piece of content is eligible to be processed for the free takedown service for unpaid clients.
3. The use of the Protection Pro Badge and Certificate MUST BE IN COMPLIANCE with DMCA.com's Protection Pro service program or not free takedown service will be processed.
4. The Free Takedown Service does not include any work with regards to counter-claim services.
5. One notice is filed for takedown, any additional follows ups can be provided through the paid Professionally Managed Takedown service.

To get started, submit your request within the takedown form. Be sure to note in the description this is a free takedown request so the team can review: Takedown Form

What is the eligibility for the free takedown service?

The eligibility for a free takedown through our Protection Basic and our Protection Pro service is as follows:

1. "Non-Verified" or Protection Basic membership entitles account holders to 1 free takedown per year.
2. "Verified" or paid Protection Pro membership entitles account holders to 1 free takedown per paid month up to 10 for the year.

If you have not done so already, here is the instructions on how to add your badge to your website: https://www.dmca.com/FAQ/How-do-I-add-a-DMCA-Protection-Badge-to-my-Website

Prior to submitting the takedown required you must have:

1. DMCA Protection Badge must be properly installed and located on your site for a minimum of 30 days.
2. Source content must be located on the protected site and pages must contain the Protection Badge.
3. Infringing content must have been taken from the protected site during the time the badge was located on the site.

Free takedowns are not applicable to:

1. Content that is not located on the protected site.
2. Content that was taken prior to the badge being added to your site.
3. Free takedowns are not applicable to clients prior to being enrolled within Protection Pro services.

What if I found a Protection Badge with stolen content?

If you have found a DMCA.com Protection Badge and Website Certificate on website/webpage you believe is publishing your content without your permission we can help.

1. Click here to Complete the form if you are the owner of the content we will notify the DMCA.com Protection Badge and Website Certificate owner. The Terms of Service and Use regarding the DMCA.com Protection Badge and Website Certificate requires the site owner to reply. Should they not reply, the site and website certificate will be marked "Unauthorized" by DMCA.com and the protection statement will be removed.
2. Submit a standard takedown notice against that site. Start Your Takedown
3. As stipulated in law, DMCA.com cannot process a Takedown Notice that is not created by the owner of the content.

Background

Often stolen content is published online without the permission or knowledge of the website and platform owners. In the past the takedown process can be expensive, difficult and take too much time for all the parties involved. One of the benefits of the DMCA.com Protection Badge and Website Certificate is to make the takedown notification process better. Cheap (or free) easier and faster. If a content owner finds their content published on a website without their permission and that website has a badge the effort required to get that content down becomes much easier. In the very worst-case scenario if the website or platform with the badge fails to comply or the DMCA.com Protection Badge and Website Certificate has been stolen, that site gets marked "Unauthorized" by DMCA.com and the protection statement will be removed. This Advises anyone visiting the site the content contained within is being published without the permission of the owner.

The DMCA.com Protected Badge and Website Certificate does NOT prevent owners of their content from processing a Takedown Notice against that website owner. In fact, having the DMCA Badge on a website with illegally hosted content is a good thing because it means you actually have a point of contact to communicate with regarding the stolen content.

However, by law DMCA.com cannot advise the site owner of a claim of stolen content unless the claimant is the owner of the content.

As per the act, we cannot submit takedown applications on your behalf anonymously.

What kind of content is stolen most often?

Some examples of stolen content that we work with everyday are:

1. Pictures - of you or taken by you
2. Videos - of you or taken by you
3. Graphics
4. Text
5. Applications
6. Programs
7. Profiles or Bio's - personal or corporate
8. etc.

If one of these examples is like your situation we can help.

Related DMCA Takedown FAQ's

1. What is a DMCA Takedown?
2. What is DMCA.com?
3. How can I file a DMCA Takedown?
4. Report Abuse of a DMCA.com Badge
5. Report Abuse of a DMCA.com Certificate
6. Report Abuse of a DMCA.com Compliant Badge