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I have a website and it works better for me to just have an online Copyright Complaint form, under DMCA Notice of Alleged Infringement.

But I see that big websites accept notices through email and through a designated agent with telephone and physical direction (apart from the online form). But that would be more work for me.

Is that a legal requirement or with the online form would be just fine?

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  • A form would be fine if you respond to it quickly. I would advise getting an e mail to respond to and make sure you send a confirmation.
    – closetnoc
    May 20, 2017 at 5:33

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There is no specific requirement on how to receive takedown notices as long as third party authors can send you notices easily. Dropbox, for example, has an online form:

DMCA form from Dropbox via TermsFeed

While 500px uses an email address only:

DMCA process from 500px via TermsFeed

It's worth reading the current best practices on DMCA takedown notices (we researched DMCA here):

  • Make your process clear
  • Provide multiple links to your DMCA section, i.e. in your Terms agreement, in the footer of your website, in a FAQ section of your website.
  • Provide your contact information or a contact form
  • Help third parties authors to send you a complete report, i.e. users should provide the URL with the infringing content to you. Consider Dropbox's example from above.
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  • Through your link to Dropbox I see they provide an agent physical direction too. "In addition, a service provider must have filed with the Copyright Office a designation of an agent to receive notifications of claimed infringement." Bottom of page 11: copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf
    – Vixxs
    May 20, 2017 at 10:08
  • At the 500px link: "500px has registered an agent with the United States Copyright Office in accordance with the terms of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (the “Act”) and avails itself of the protections under the Act. 500px"
    – Vixxs
    May 20, 2017 at 10:14
  • So maybe I can use just a form, but I have to register an agent and inform of it.
    – Vixxs
    May 20, 2017 at 10:22

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