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Editorial Note: These blog posts represent the opinion of DoNotPay’s Writers, but each person’s situation and circumstances vary greatly. As a result, you should make sure to do your own independent research. Because everyone is unique, our self-help tools are never guaranteed to help with any specific situation. DoNotPay is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law. DoNotPay provides a platform for legal information and self-help.
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Copyright Protection

The Most Famous Copyright Infringement Cases

In a world where we constantly share and consume music, videos, photos, and other creative content, cases of copyright infringement abound. No wonder that increasing volumes of legislation focus on this issue, including the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998 and other copyright laws. Since . . .
Copyright Protection

How To Deal With a Spectrum Copyright Notice

Copyright infringement can happen easily without the infringing party’s intention. Many people are not aware of how copyright works and what copyright laws regulate. Even if they’ve heard about the Digital Millennium Copyright Law (DMCA) of 1998, they probably cannot explain the items covered under . . .
Copyright Protection

How To Copyright a Character the Easy Way

Whether you’re an aspiring writer or a comic book author, learning how to copyright your creations is necessary. Copyright laws in the United States, including the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), enable the registration of original literary and graphic characters and protection against copyright . . .
Copyright Protection

Disney Copyright Infringement Explained

Disney characters permeate the popular culture so much that it’s becoming difficult to avoid them. The Walt Disney Company has become a conglomerate empire by acquiring Marvel superheroes and the Star Wars franchise, and it’s always been strict about copyright infringement. Copyright laws in the . . .
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⭐ How To Deal With Instagram Copyright Infringement

Instagram may have started as a platform for amateur photos of food and cute kittens, but nowadays, this social media giant is a go-to marketing tool for big brands, photographers, . . .
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How Does Google DMCA Notice Work?

Google is the leading and most famous search engine in the world, and whether you like it or not, you probably use it regularly. So what happens when you see your picture or piece of writing on a website that is not yours? There is one acceptable solution—a straightforward DMCA takedown notice. To . . .

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The Essentials of Instagram Copyright

How often do you see the same photo on Instagram posted by several users? Instagram users share and post other people’s content without asking for permission first, which is not only unfair but also unlawful. According to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and other copyright laws, you have . . .

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DMCA Protection in a Nutshell

Around 4.66 billion people use the internet daily, according to statistical research. Almost all of them encountered copyright infringement in some way, whether as a perpetrator or a victim. The internet may seem like an open-source with content available to everyone, but that is not the case. Every . . .

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The Ins and Outs of a DMCA Strike

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is one of the pillars of how copyright works, but it's also the cause of discontent for many artists, especially those streaming on Twitch. Streamers get hit with Twitch DMCA takedowns and strikes, even for old videos. As a content creator, you should learn . . .

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Common-Law Copyright Rules

Common Law, in regards to the copyright-related issues, is a confusing matter. Since the U.S. Congress passed the Copyright Act in 1976, common law in copyright is almost non-existent. In some cases, common-law copyright refers to state-level copyright bills, which are mostly insignificant because the . . .

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How To Copyright a Document Properly

A document is defined as a written or printed paper that gives information about or proof of something. It can also be regarded as a drawn, presented, or memorialized representation of a thought, either of fictional or non-fictional nature. If you created something, even a document, it is your right . . .

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Learn How To Check Copyright

If you want to use someone else’s work, you should first get familiar with copyright laws, including the Copyright Act and Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). When you use copyright-protected material without the copyright owner’s permission, you are most likely committing an infringement. Sometimes, . . .

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Learn How To Copyright a Design

Have you finally finished designing a new and unique t-shirt or shoes? Have you made a distinctive piece of jewelry? Make sure you save your designs from copycats. Many designers face copyright infringement, and if you want to protect your work, you should learn how to copyright and how copyright works . . .

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Use the Best DMCA Form Sample

As a content creator, you should learn how to copyright your work, and it may seem simple at first glance. Once you start digging into how copyright works, you'll discover that there is more to keeping your work safe from copyright infringement than registering it with the U.S. Copyright Office . One . . .

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DMCA Fair Use Rules Explained

When dealing with copyright infringement, you should use the most powerful tool at your disposal—the DMCA takedown notice. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and other U.S. copyright laws grant you the default ownership over your creations and the right to take down unauthorized copies of . . .

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What Is a DMCA Counter-Notice?

When you are a content creator, it's not enough to think about how to copyright your work and protect it from copyright infringement. You also have to learn how copyright works in general and use that knowledge to avoid committing copyright infringement. If you find yourself on the wrong side of a copyright . . .

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DMCA Abuse in a Nutshell

Since the introduction of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), copyright owners enjoy full DMCA protection and various tools that enable them to fight copyright infringement. The rules brought on by the copyright laws still seem to favor big copyright owners, such as music labels and corporations, . . .

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DMCA — What It Is and Everything You Need To Know About It

Copyright laws in the United States have been around since the late 18th century. When the internet and new challenges it brought proved they’re here to stay, it was necessary to introduce new protection against copyright infringement. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 ( DMCA ) was the answer . . .

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How To Copyright and Avoid Infringement

As an artist, you want to know that your work is safe and that no one is going to steal, repost, or claim it as their own. Thanks to the way the copyright works, your creations are protected by the U.S. copyright laws, such as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), from the moment they come to . . .

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YouTube Copyright Explained

YouTube creators invest a lot of time in their videos, so seeing their content blatantly stolen can be infuriating. YouTube provides an assortment of tools to fight copyright infringement enabling creators to initiate DMCA takedowns easily and keep their content safe. There are plenty of additional ways, . . .

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How To Copyright a Song in a Few Easy Steps

Before you dive into the music copyright laws and learn how to copyright your work, take notice that as soon as you create your song, it's legally yours. Whether it's music, lyrics, or a combination, the U.S. copyright laws, like the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), guarantee that you are the . . .

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How Long Does a Copyright Last?

Whether you're thinking of copyrighting a song, a book, or any other artwork, you may want to know how long your copyright will last. It may also prove useful to learn how copyright works. When does it start and end, and when a work of authorship becomes available for public use? If you want to learn . . .

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How Does DMCA Takedown Work?

If you are a victim of copyright infringement, or you ended up being a perpetrator, learn all about the DMCA and how it works. To get acquainted with the DMCA, you have to learn the basics of how copyright works, how long it lasts, and how to copyright your work. What Is the DMCA? Copyright existed . . .

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How To Make a Copyright Notice?

When trying to figure out how to copyright your content, you're likely to get a bit confused about how copyright works in general. While the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and other copyright laws guarantee you full protection as soon as you put your work in a tangible form, it's generally recommended . . .

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YouTube Copyright Strike Explained

YouTube takes copyright infringement quite seriously, and as a creator, you should get acquainted with the YouTube copyright system and how copyright works in general. YouTube strikes and copyright claims are the foundation of reporting copyright infringement on the platform but have also caused copyright-claim . . .

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How To Copyright a Book

If you are about to publish a book, especially if you are a self-published author, understanding how the copyright works is crucial. Not having a publishing house to guide you through the process and complete all the technicalities can make the copyright procedure rather challenging. The question is, . . .

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Can You Copyright a Dance? Find Out Now!

If you have come up with amazing dance moves and want to save them from copycats, you should get familiar with how copyright works. Once you get the ropes of it, you will know that copyright laws can protect your work from infringement. If you want to see whether you can make a copyright claim to your . . .

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YouTube DMCA Policy Explained

YouTube uses copyright strikes to manage copyright infringement and provide protection to its users. The platform is obligated to deal with copyright infringement by filing copyright notices to retain protection and comply with the DMCA. How can this affect you as a YouTube user? When you get three copyright . . .

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Learn How To Copyright a Script

Have you got a script for a new blockbuster? Make sure no one steals it before you it gets to producers! If you want to protect your work, learn how to copyright ! Find out how copyright works and how different copyright laws can help you deal with infringement . Copyright Explained Once you create . . .

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Fight YouTube Copyright Claim Abuse

Because of the type of content that YouTube carries, this video-sharing platform provides fertile ground for copyright infringement. Created in the wake of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998 and popularized as the U.S. copyright laws tightened around free-roaming digital content, YouTube . . .

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Can You Copyright a Recipe?

Cooking requires creativity. You would assume that when chefs (and talented, enthusiastic amateurs) want to copyright their work, more precisely their recipes, it wouldn't be a problem. As it turns out, U.S. copyright laws don't protect recipes, at least not in the way copyright protection works for . . .

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Photo Copyright Release Form Explained

How many times have you walked around your neighborhood looking for an opportunity to take a picture of that beautiful balcony? Have you ever taken a picture of a stranger without their permission because you thought it would look good on your Instagram feed? You might’ve been unaware of this fact, . . .

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How To Copyright a Poem?

Avoiding copyright infringement in any field is tricky. Whether posting your poetry on a website or planning to publish a collection of poems, you should get the basics of copyrighting your work . One fact you should take note of is that according to the United States copyright laws, any poem you write . . .

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Internet Copyright Laws Explained

Once you start learning how copyright works, you'll figure out that pretty much any work of authorship is copyrighted by default. You'll also learn that, to prevent copyright infringement, you have to level up that default copyright protection and register your work with the U.S. Copyright Office. The . . .

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Twitch DMCA Rules Explained

Twitch is an online platform allowing creators to stream their content directly to the followers. It's also the website whose occasional DMCA takedowns take their users by surprise. As a creator, you should learn how copyright works on Twitch and how to avoid getting in trouble. Are Twitch DMCA Takedowns . . .

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Copyright Laws on Old Photos Explained

If you think that you own the copyright for all those old family photos because they are somewhere in your attic, you need to learn how copyright works. The U.S. copyright laws are no joke, and if you’re thinking about scanning old photos to save them from time, you might want to look into the Digital . . .

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Everything You Need To Know About a Copyright Claim

A copyright claim is a way for copyright holders to exercise their rights and stop copyright infringement . Under copyright laws, such claims can be formalized through a lawsuit or a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notice. If someone is using your original content in their YouTube videos, you . . .

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Fair Use Under the Copyright Law Defined

The most common and powerful defense to copyright infringement is fair use. It is a doctrine that allows the use of copyrighted content (or its parts) without special permission from the owner in special circumstances. This article will help you understand better how copyright works regarding fair use. . . .

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How Does Copyright Work?

Copyright is a word that seems to be ubiquitous nowadays because we create and share content more than ever before, thanks to the internet. Most information on the internet is protected by copyright or at least eligible for protection. Copyright notices, DMCA protection, and copyright claims —if these . . .

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How To Copyright Artwork

Being an artist in a world dominated by the internet is full of great opportunities and increased risks of copyright infringement. It takes just a few clicks to share images on blogs and social media without giving credit or download art from your website and use it for commercial purposes. Understanding . . .

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I Got a DMCA Notice, Should I Worry?

If you’ve ever streamed or downloaded a movie illegally, the possibility of getting a DMCA notice must have crossed your mind at least once. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998 was passed to supplement existing copyright laws in the United States and make fighting online copyright infringement . . .

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