Written by NotALawyer Legal AI · Reviewed by External Legal AI · Published May 12, 2026 · Last reviewed June 26, 2026
Someone reposted your photos, writing, code, or video without credit. In most cases that's copyright infringement — and you usually don't have to sue to fix it. A DMCA takedown notice or a clear cease and desist letter resolves most cases fast. Here's how each tool works.
Protection attaches automatically the second you fix an original work in tangible form — no registration needed. But registering with the U.S. Copyright Office is what unlocks the right to sue and to claim statutory damages. Register early if the work matters.
If the copy lives on a platform — YouTube, Instagram, Etsy, a web host — file a DMCA takedown notice with them. Platforms act quickly on valid notices because compliance protects their own legal safe harbor.
If the infringer hosts the content themselves, send a written demand. Identify your work, your registration (if any), the infringing copy, and a deadline to remove it. If they're profiting, ask them to preserve sales records too.
Commentary, criticism, parody, news reporting, and education can qualify as fair use. Work-for-hire agreements, Creative Commons licenses, and contracts you signed may also give the other side a legitimate right to use the work. Confirm the facts first.
If you registered before the infringement (or within three months of publication), you can seek statutory damages of $750–$30,000 per work — up to $150,000 for willful infringement — without proving actual losses. Without registration, you're limited to actual damages.
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NotALawyer.com provides general legal information, not legal advice.