Feb 12, 2025
How the DMCA Takedown Process Works & How Long It Takes
Discovering that someone has illegally copied your work can be incredibly frustrating. Not only have they stolen your content, but they’re also profiting off your hard work. Fortunately, the DMCA Takedown Process allows you to quickly remove unauthorized copies of your work from the internet. This article will walk you through the steps of the DMCA takedown Google Process so you know what to expect and can get back to business.
Once you identify where your work has been copied, Bustem’s copycat detection tool can help you quickly and effectively remove unauthorized use of your copyrighted content with minimal hassle.
Table of Contents
What is a DMCA Takedown?
A DMCA takedown is a legal process by which copyright holders can request the removal of infringing content from websites (including yours). It is a well-established and accepted internet standard followed by website owners and internet service providers everywhere. Content owners can process a takedown notice against a website owner and/or an Online Service Provider (e.g., ISP, hosting company, etc.) if their property is found online without their permission.
Why Acting Quickly is Crucial in the DMCA Takedown Process
Note: although the DMCA is part of US Copyright law, a DMCA Takedown does not always require the content to be copyrighted to process a takedown notice and for the content to be taken down by the website owner or OSP. Simply stated, the fact the content is yours, or if the subject in the photo or video is you, can be reason enough to process a takedown notice AND for the content to be taken down. It is essential to act quickly. Often, stolen content is redistributed to many websites for republication. Try to get a list of as many websites or platforms where your content may have been republished without your permission.
The DMCA and Its Purpose
In 1998, the United States Congress established the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to modernize the country's copyright laws in the digital era. The DMCA was a response to developing e-commerce websites and the need to fulfill the nation's treaty obligations regarding copyright law. The DMCA aims to prevent widespread piracy of creative works on the internet, such as:
Videos
Photograph
Graphics
Technology
The Act
DMCA 17 USC 512 (c) (3) is a section of the US Copyright Act that outlines the requirements for the "DMCA Takedown" process to take place. DMCA Takedowns are a "notice-and-takedown" process that requires OSPs and ISPs to remove access to alleged infringing material upon receipt of a valid DMCA notice from a copyright owner. Failure to comply with the DMCA Takedown Notice risks the OSP/ISP losing its statutory immunity or "Safe Harbor" protection under the Act.
The Law
The DMCA addresses the role of Online Service Providers (OSPs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in responding to reported copyright infringement through their services. To avoid liability for copyright infringement, ISPs and OSPs must block access or remove the infringing content upon receipt of a DMCA notice from a copyright owner.
Related Reading
• Instagram DMCA
• Etsy DMCA
• Tiktok DMCA
• YouTube DMCA Takedown
• Instagram Copyright Infringement
• Copycat Website
Overview of the DMCA Takedown Process
Copyright owners can file a DMCA takedown request to remove infringing content from a service provider. The process begins when a copyright owner or the owner’s authorized agent sends a DMCA takedown notice to a service provider. The notice requests the provider remove material infringing on their copyright(s). A service provider can be:
An internet service provider (e.g., Comcast)
A website operator (e.g., eBay)
A search engine (e.g., Google)
A web host (e.g., GoDaddy)
Other types of online site operators
Key Elements of a DMCA Takedown Notice
DMCA takedown notices should include several elements specified by copyright law. If most of these elements are not included, the service provider may refuse to take down the material. Even if a takedown notice meets all the legal requirements, the service provider may refuse to remove the material. If they fail, they open themselves up for potential secondary liability for assisting with copyright infringement. (See Safe Harbors for more)
How to Use Online Tools for Faster Results
The DMCA takedown process can be used regardless of whether the copyright owner has registered their work with the U.S. Copyright Office. It should not be used for anything other than copyright infringement claims. Many service providers offer easy-to-use online tools to submit claims directly to the provider through an online DMCA takedown form.
What Happens After a Takedown Notice Is Sent?
After a takedown notice is sent to a service provider, the provider usually notifies the user, subscriber, or other person responsible for engaging in the infringing activity. Suppose that person—the alleged infringer—in good faith does not think the activity is infringing. In that case, they can send a counter notice to the service provider explaining why they disagree with the copyright owner.
After receiving a counter notice, the service provider must forward that counter-notice to the person who sent the original takedown notice. Once the service provider has received a valid DMCA counter notice, they must wait 10–14 days. The material will remain down if the copyright owner sues the alleged infringer in that time. Still, if no suit is filed, the service provider must re-activate or allow access to the alleged infringing activity.
What Happens If You Get a DMCA Notice?
If you receive a DMCA takedown, you will get a warning from the DMCA. Usually, you get a warning (or “strike”) for the first few infractions. Service providers will typically terminate your accounts after multiple infractions.
Consequences of Copyright Violations
If you knowingly and willingly post copyrighted material, you can be subject to criminal punishment and further lawsuits. Each ISP or web host has its system for removing content that violates the DMCA. For example, if you post a video on Facebook with copyrighted music, they might leave it up but remove the sound. This will happen quickly since the DMCA protects the hosts from lawsuits if they remove the material immediately.
Review and Respond to a DMCA Takedown Notice
If you get a DMCA notice, it will come directly to you or through your content host. Every DMCA takedown notice contains the following items you should review:
Statement that the information in the DMCA notice is accurate and the person sending the DMCA notice is the owner of the content or agent of the copyright holder
A statement that proves the owner did not grant permission to use their work
Contact information for the owner of the content
Specifics about which portion of the work is a duplicate
Identification of the copyrighted work, such as the name, title, and media type
Signature of the owner of the work
How to Handle a DMCA Takedown Against You
If you receive a DMCA takedown, your first step should be to ask yourself if you took someone else’s copyrighted material without permission. If the answer is yes, remove the content as soon as possible. You may have posted content without understanding copyright law. Or, you could’ve asked permission from someone who wasn’t the original owner. Regardless of the situation, removing the content as soon as possible is best.
Steps to Take If You Receive a False or Misleading DMCA Notice
You can still receive a DMCA notice if you use an image or content correctly based on copyright law. As you contact the issuer to resolve the problem, it is best to remove the content until you reach an agreement. Investigating every DMCA claim is also wise, as someone other than the original owner can send a DMCA notice. Whether you think the notice is a misunderstanding or someone is not being truthful, it’s always a good idea to contact whoever sent the notice and attempt to reach an agreement.
How to Issue a DMCA Takedown
The other half of the DMCA process is filing a takedown notice after finding that someone has stolen your content. Emailing the website owner can sometimes be faster than completing a formal process. If this doesn’t work, you should begin the process of filing a formal takedown notice by completing the following steps:
1. Find the Content Host
The first step in any takedown notice is to locate the person’s web host so you know where to direct your DMCA notice. You can find this by searching the site’s IP address.
2. Locate Where to Submit the DMCA Takedown Complaint
Most providers feature sections on their contact pages on the footers of their websites that say complaints or abuse. If you can’t find where to submit a DMCA complaint, you will want to contact a DMCA agent directly, the web host, or the ISP provider.
3. Include All Necessary Information in the DMCA Takedown Complaint
You will need to include the following information in your takedown complaint:
A statement that all the information is accurate
A statement that the copyright owner does not authorize the material use
Your contact information, address, phone number, and mailing address
The location or URL of the material you wish to take down
Your physical or electronic signature
4. Remove Content From Search Engines
Once the owner or the DMCA removes the content from the site, it will usually no longer be visible on search engines. If the stolen content remains on search engines, you can file a complaint directly with Bing or Google. While this may not permanently remove the content from the other person’s site, it will remove it from search results so that nobody can find it. It will also ensure that duplicate content never ranks over the original.
5. Wait for the Notice to Go Into Effect
In most instances, sending a DMCA takedown notice will take around 72 hours. The amount of time can vary depending on factors such as how fast the company can process DMCA requests and the location of the content. DMCA only applies to copyrighted material in the United States. Therefore, if you email a company outside the United States, they do not have to comply and may take longer to respond.
Related Reading
• How to Report Copyright Infringement on Etsy
• Report Infrigement Amazon
• Report Shopify Seller
• How to Report a Scammer on Instagram
• Tiktok Copyright Infringement
• Facebook Copyright Infringement Notice
• How to Submit a DMCA Takedown Notice
• DMCA Takedown Request
How Long Do DMCA Takedowns Take?
Most DMCA takedowns take 24–48 hours but can take as long as 6 months.
Here’s how long major platforms tend to take:
Websites: 48 hours–7 days
Google & YouTube: 24 hours–14 days
Bing: 5–14 days
Payment Gateways (PayPal, Stripe): 24 hours–7 days
Online course platforms (Teachable, Udemy, Coursera): 1–2 weeks
Instagram: 24 hours–7 days
OnlyFans: 48 hours–7 days
Facebook: 24 hours–7 days
Reddit: 2–7 days
Amazon: Up to 1 month
Shopify: 24 hours–3 days
eBay: 3–7 days
That's quite an enormous range. That’s because the time frame swings wildly based on:
The infringer's platform responsiveness.
How closely the platform follows DMCA takedown procedures.
Location of the platform (those outside of the U.S. will be slower)
If the platform allows the infringer 72 hours to remove the content,
The backlog of requests they're juggling.
The intricacies of your specific case, including rebuttals submitted by the other party.
Stay persistent, checking on the status of the takedown and responding to any disputes. It can take some persistence.
Related Reading
• Best DMCA Takedown Service
• Red Points Alternatives
• BrandShield Alternatives
• DMCA Protection
• Copyright Infringement Lawyers
Find and Take Down Copycats with One-click Today
Bustem is a robust copycat detection and removal tool explicitly designed for e-commerce merchants. Our platform automatically scans billions of websites to identify unauthorized use of your store's content, including:
Images
Videos
Headlines
Text
Once we spot copycats, we streamline the entire takedown process with pre-filled DMCA forms and comprehensive case management. Built by people who know the game inside out, our service offers 24/7 monitoring, instant detection, and bulk takedown capabilities to protect your brand assets. With over 2 million DMCA notices filed daily and businesses losing $29 billion annually to content theft, we've made protection simple and cost-effective. Bustem helps you identify and eliminate copycats efficiently, whether dealing with competitors:
Using your product images
Copying your ad content
Stealing your copy
Get a free scan to see who’s been stealing your content. With Bustem, you can find and take down copycats with one click today.