Copyright and DMCA Policy

What types of copyright complaints do Twitter respond to?

We respond to valid claims of alleged copyright infringement such as the unauthorized use of a copyrighted image as an account background or account avatar, or Tweets containing a link to allegedly infringing materials.

Tip: If you are concerned about the use of your brand or entity’s name, please review Twitter’s Trademark Policy. If you are concerned about the use of a fictional character, please see our Parody, Commentary, and Fan Accounts Policy .

Am I a copyright holder? How do I know?

If you are unsure whether you hold rights to a particular work, please consult an attorney or another third-party as Twitter cannot provide legal advice. There are plenty of resources to learn more about copyright law including http://copyright.gov, http://chillingeffects.org/copyright/, and http://www.eff.org/issues/bloggers/legal/liability/IP, to name a few.

Tip: In general, the photographer and NOT the subject of a photograph is the actual rights holder of the resulting photograph.

What information do you need to process a copyright complaint?

To submit a notice of claimed copyright infringement, you will need to provide us with the following information:

1. A physical or electronic signature (typing your full name will suffice) of the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on their behalf;
2. Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed (e.g., a link to your original work or clear description of the materials allegedly being infringed upon);
3. Identification of the infringing material and information reasonably sufficient to permit Twitter to locate the material on our website or services;
4. Your contact information, including your address, telephone number, and an email address;
5. A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use of the material in the manner asserted is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
6. A statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and, under penalty of perjury, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
   

Tip: If you are reporting the content of a Tweet, please give us a direct link to that Tweet following these instructions: http://support.twitter.com/entries/80586. Or please specify if the alleged infringement is in the background, avatar, etc. A LINK TO A PROFILE PAGE IS INSUFFICIENT FOR TWITTER TO IDENTIFY INFRINGING MATERIALS.

How do I file a copyright complaint?

You can report alleged copyright infringement by visiting Twitter’s Help Center and filing a copyright report. If you are logged in to Twitter.com, you can visit the Twitter Help Center directly from your Twitter account by clicking the ‘Help’ link located in the sidebar of #NewTwitter (or via the top navigation classic Twitter).

If you're unable to submit a request through our support form, we will also accept an email with ALL of the required information listed above. As listed in our Terms of Service, the direct email address is copyright@twitter.com. Please submit the text in the body of your request as we discard all attachments for security reasons.

Tip: Submitting a report through our Help Center will generally result in a faster turn around time than submitting via email.

Please be aware that under 17 U.S.C. 512(f), you may be liable for any damages, including costs and attorneys’ fees incurred by us or our users, if you knowingly materially misrepresent that material or activity is infringing. If you are unsure whether the material you are reporting is in fact infringing, you may wish to contact an attorney before filing a notification with us.

How are claims processed?

We process reports in the order in which they are received. Once you've submitted your ticket, we will email you a ticket confirmation. Please refrain from submitting duplicate requests. You can check on your ticket status anytime by visiting your Twitter Support home page and clicking "check on your existing requests."

What happens next?

Twitter’s response to notices of alleged copyright infringement may include the removal or restriction of access to allegedly infringing material, and in some cases result in user account suspension. If we remove or restrict access to user content in response to a notice of alleged infringement, Twitter will make a good faith effort to contact the affected account holder with information concerning the removal or restriction of access, along with instructions for filing a counter notification.

Furthermore, in an effort to be as transparent as possible with regards to user content removal or restriction, Twitter has partnered with Chilling Effects. A copy of each DMCA takedown and counter-notice may be transmitted to Chilling Effects, and posted to a public-facing website (with your personal information removed).

Under appropriate circumstances, Twitter may suspend and warn repeat violators, and in more serious cases, permanently terminate user accounts.

What happens if I receive a DMCA takedown notice?

Receiving a notice of content removal can be a bit jarring to many people, especially those who had no idea that what they were posting was potentially infringing. Please take the time to read through our notice to you, which includes instructions on how to file a counter-claim should you believe that the content was removed in error. Repeatedly posting allegedly infringing materials may result in account suspension or termination.

Submitting a takedown notice is serious business!

Please think twice before submitting a claim, especially if you are unsure whether you are the actual rights holder or authorized to act on a rights holder’s behalf! There are legal and financial consequences for fraudulent and/or bad faith submissions. Please be sure that you are the actual rights holder, and that you understand the repercussions of submitting a malicious claim.