DMCA / Copyright Policy

1. Overview

BookAuth respects the intellectual-property rights of others and expects users to do the same. This policy describes how to report copyright infringement under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA"), 17 U.S.C. § 512, and how we handle notices, counter-notices, and repeat infringers. It is incorporated by reference into our Terms of Service.

This process applies to content hosted by BookAuth or its infrastructure, including the main platform, author websites (subdomains and connected domains), and any other hosted feature.

2. Reporting Infringement

We review and act on properly submitted copyright reports as described in this policy. The DMCA allows a service provider that has filed a designated agent with the U.S. Copyright Office (37 C.F.R. § 201.10) to claim the §512 safe harbor; BookAuth intends to file such a designation and, until then, accepts and responds to notices sent to the contact above. We encourage rights holders to contact us directly, as most issues are resolved quickly.

3. Takedown Notice Requirements

Under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3), a valid notice must include:

• A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or an authorized agent;
• Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed (or a representative list if multiple works);
• Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing and information reasonably sufficient to permit us to locate it (URLs preferred);
• Your contact information (address, telephone, email);
• A statement that you have a good-faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law;
• A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.

Notices that do not meet these requirements may be rejected or returned for clarification. Under §512(f), a person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material is infringing may be liable for damages.

4. How We Respond

Upon receiving a valid notice, we will expeditiously remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing material and take reasonable steps to notify the user who posted it. Where BookAuth hosts author-site content, we may remove or restrict access to the specific material; where BookAuth merely provides tools (e.g., a domain connection to content hosted elsewhere), we may not be able to remove the content and you may need to contact the actual host.

5. Counter-Notice

If your content was removed and you believe it was removed by mistake or misidentification, you may submit a counter-notice under 17 U.S.C. § 512(g)(3), including:

• Your physical or electronic signature;
• Identification of the removed material and the location at which it appeared before removal;
• A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good-faith belief the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification;
• Your name, address, telephone, and a statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located (or, if outside the U.S., any judicial district in which BookAuth may be found) and that you will accept service of process from the person who provided the original takedown notice.

Unless the original complainant files an action seeking a court order against you within 10–14 business days, we may restore the material.

6. Repeat-Infringer Policy

As required by 17 U.S.C. § 512(i), BookAuth maintains and implements, in appropriate circumstances, a policy of terminating the accounts of users who are determined to be repeat infringers. We generally consider a user a repeat infringer after they have been the subject of multiple valid, uncountered takedowns (typically two or more within a reasonable period). We may also restrict or terminate accounts in response to a single instance of clear, large-scale infringement.

7. Trademark & Other IP Claims

For trademark infringement or other IP claims (e.g., right of publicity), send a description of the rights, the material, and your contact information to [email protected]. We will review and respond under similar principles.