Find the appropriate recipient
Identify the service involved in hosting or linking to the material. Locate its published copyright channel or designated agent. Save the instructions you followed with the case record.
Establish authority before filing
Identify the owner, work, territories and rights involved. If acting for a client, retain written authority covering the work and the action. Record authorized uses and consider licenses, public domain, fair use and other applicable exceptions. If the legal basis is uncertain, pause for review.
Prepare the notice
Identify the work and explain where the complained-of material can be located. Include the sender’s contact information and signature, a statement of good-faith belief that neither the owner, its agent nor the law permits this use, an affirmation of accuracy and a statement under penalty of perjury of your authority to act. Review the precise wording requested by the recipient.
YouTube: identify the upload
For a video, use the removal request form in YouTube Studio. Pair each video URL with the work it copies and timestamps where useful. The owner or authorized representative signs with their full legal name. YouTube may ask for proof of authority and may share claimant information with the uploader. Content ID and other advanced tools have separate eligibility reviews.
Google Search: identify the indexed page
Select Google Search in Google’s copyright reporting process. Identify the original work and list each destination URL you believe infringes it. Explain the match. Delisting affects the search result; it does not delete the source page. Contact the host separately if source removal is needed.
Shopify: identify the listing
Use Shopify’s copyright form. Supply the original work or a description, each specific listing or page URL, and the exact image, text or video at issue. A shop homepage alone is insufficient. Shopify may share the notice with the merchant. A trademark-only dispute uses a different process.
Withdraw a mistaken report
If you discover permission or identify the wrong work, contact the recipient through its correction or retraction channel. Include the original reference and affected URLs. For an error in a report sent by DMCA IP, email dmca@dmcaip.com with that reference. Never send a fresh complaint simply because the first was disputed.
Keep the correspondence
Save what was sent, when, and to whom. Retain any request for clarification. A user may submit a counter-notification alleging mistake or misidentification. Promptly refer a counter-notice to the rights holder and their counsel for a decision on next steps.