To report copyright infringement, send a DMCA takedown notice to whoever controls the copy: the platform, the website owner, its hosting company, or a search engine. Only the owner of the work, or someone allowed to act for them, can file it.
Every platform and site handles reports its own way, and many ignore the first one. That is where most reports stall. Use our DMCA takedown request form and our team reports it, follows up, and keeps going until it comes down, from $199 per site.
Reviewed by the DMCA.com Takedown Team · Last reviewed November 2026
How to report copyright infringement, step by step
- Check it's yours to report. You can report content you own, or content you're allowed to act for.
- Collect every copy. The exact page, post or file links, not just the site's home page.
- Send the report to whoever controls the copy. In copyright terms, the report is a DMCA takedown notice. What goes into it is covered in How can I file a DMCA takedown notice?
- Follow up until it's gone. Many first reports get no answer, so the report often has to go further.
- Watch for a reply. The uploader can push back with a counter notice if they think the report was a mistake.
Where to report copyright infringement
Who handles your report depends on where the copy is. Here is who to report to on each kind of site, and where people get stuck.
Social media
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X and the rest each run their own copyright report. Each asks for different details, and most only accept a report from the owner. Reports get rejected for a missing link or a vague description, and a deleted post often comes back on a new account. More on stolen Facebook pictures and takedowns on X (Twitter).
Video sites
YouTube and other video sites remove videos after a valid copyright notice, and the uploader can send a counter notice to get them back. Re-uploads under new titles are common. More in DMCA takedowns and YouTube.
Online stores and marketplaces
Amazon, Etsy, eBay and Shopify stores remove listings that copy your photos, designs or product text. Most want each listing link separately, and sellers often relist. More in DMCA takedowns and Shopify.
Websites and blogs
The site owner can remove the copy. Some list a DMCA or copyright contact, but many hide it or never answer. When a site ignores reports, its hosting company can remove the content or take the site offline. Finding the real host is hard when the site hides behind a service like Cloudflare (see Can you file a DMCA notice if the site uses Cloudflare?).
Sites outside the US
The DMCA is a US law, but many hosts and platforms around the world accept DMCA notices. Some countries have their own removal rules, so the report sometimes needs adapting. More in Will a DMCA takedown work in other countries?
On a managed takedown, our team works out who to report to on each site, sends every notice, and follows up until the content comes down.
What every report needs
Whoever you report to will ask for the same core details. Have these ready before you start:
- Every copied link. The exact page, image, video or listing link for each copy, not just the site's home page. Take a screenshot of each one too.
- Your original. The link where you first posted it. If it was never online, say where it came from, like your phone or camera.
- Proof it is yours. How you own it (you made it, bought the rights, or act for the person who did), and when. For example: "I took this photo on my camera and posted it on my Instagram."
- A notice that meets the law. A DMCA notice must include six items, including your signature, your contact details and two statements. The full list is in What is a DMCA takedown?, and the filing steps are in How can I file a DMCA takedown notice?
Why reports stall
- The report goes to the wrong place. The site, its host and the platform it runs on are often three different companies.
- A detail is missing. One missing link or statement and the report is rejected, often without saying why. Once it's fixed, it can be sent again.
- Nobody answers. Many sites ignore reports, so the report has to go further.
- The copy comes back. Stolen content spreads and gets re-uploaded, so one report is rarely the end of it.
- The uploader pushes back. They can send a counter notice, and the content may go back up.
DMCA.com Fast Tip
Save a dated screenshot of every copy before you report it. Content often disappears when the owner notices a report, then comes back later, and your screenshots show what was there.
Is it copyright infringement?
If someone copies, posts or sells your original work without your permission, it is usually infringement. Close copies and edited versions can count too, if they are clearly based on your work. Your work is protected by copyright as soon as you create it, and you do not need to register it first to send a DMCA notice. Some uses, such as commentary or criticism, can count as fair use. We're not a law firm and can't give legal advice, but if you are not sure your case qualifies, ask us about your situation.
Are you the person in a photo or video posted without your permission? See our personal takedowns.
Found someone else's content being copied?
Only the owner, or someone allowed to act for them, can file a DMCA notice. If you spot a copy of someone else's work, the best thing you can do is let the owner know. More in How do I report copyright infringement of content that is not mine?
If the original site shows a DMCA.com Protection badge, you can tell us. Send the name of the content (and the owner, if you know it), the copied links, and the badge or Protection Certificate link through our report infringement form and we will let the owner know. We keep your name private unless you say otherwise.
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Report it yourself or let us do it
Do it yourself
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The DIY Takedown Toolkit gives you notice templates and host lookup tools, and you send and track the reports.
See the DIY Toolkit
Most managed cases come down within 24 to 48 hours. The average is 5 to 10 business days, and rare cases can take a month or longer. Want to protect your work before it gets copied? Protection Pro is $10 per month and includes 10 free professional takedowns a year.
Related DMCA takedown FAQs