DMCA Takedown Requests

If you own copyright in a photograph and believe Face ID Search indexes or displays it in violation of US copyright law, you may submit a DMCA takedown notice under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. This page explains required elements, our process, counter-notice rights, and how DMCA differs from opt-out privacy requests.

What DMCA Applies To

DMCA takedown applies to copyright infringement — unauthorized reproduction or display of works you own or exclusively license.

Common valid claims:

• Selfies you took appear in search results without authorization
• Professional photos where you hold copyright per contract
• Creative works unlawfully scraped into public index

Typically not DMCA (use other paths):

• Privacy-only concerns without copyright — use opt-out
• Photos you do not own copyright in (photographer retained rights)
• Defamation or harassment without copyright angle — platform reports or legal counsel

When unsure who holds copyright, review photographer contract or consult attorney before filing.

Required DMCA Notice Elements

17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3) requires these elements. Incomplete notices cannot be processed.

1. Physical or electronic signature of copyright owner or authorized agent
2. Identification of copyrighted work — describe work or attach representative copy (your original photo)
3. Identification of infringing material — specific URLs on faceidsearch.com or indexed location identifiers we provide in results, plus information reasonably sufficient to locate material
4. Contact information — address, telephone, email
5. Good faith statement — "I have a good faith belief that use of the material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law."
6. Accuracy statement under penalty of perjury — "The information in this notification is accurate, and I am the copyright owner or authorized to act on behalf of the owner."

How to Submit

Email support@faceidsearch.com

Subject line: DMCA Notice

Attach or inline all required elements. Use clear headings for each statutory element so reviewers process faster.

Include URLs — every result link or page showing unauthorized copy. Generic complaints without locators delay action.

We are not the host of third-party websites appearing in results — send separate DMCA notices to those hosts' designated agents listed in their Terms of Service.

Our Review Process

| Step | Action | |------|--------| | Receipt | Auto-acknowledgment within 3 business days | | Completeness check | Missing elements → request correction | | Substantive review | Valid notices → suppress indexed/displayed material | | Notification | Email complainant when action taken | | Records | Maintain per statutory requirements |

We aim for 5–10 business days for complete notices. Volume spikes may extend timelines slightly.

Counter-Notice Procedure

If material was removed due to DMCA notice and you believe removal was mistake or misidentification, submit counter-notice to support@faceidsearch.com subject DMCA Counter-Notice.

Counter-notice must include per 17 U.S.C. § 512(g):

1. Physical or electronic signature
2. Identification of removed material and prior location
3. Statement under penalty of perjury that removal was mistake or misidentification
4. Name, address, phone, consent to federal district court jurisdiction
5. Contact email

Upon valid counter-notice, we may restore material after statutory waiting period unless complainant files court action.

Repeat Infringer Policy

Face ID Search maintains policy to terminate, in appropriate circumstances, accounts of users who are repeat infringers. DMCA notices contribute to that record.

False Claims Warning

DMCA requires statements under penalty of perjury. Knowingly materially misrepresenting infringement or counter-noticing exposes you to liability for damages including costs and attorney fees under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f).

Do not weaponize DMCA to suppress lawful speech or harass others.

DMCA vs Platform Takedowns

Face ID Search indexes public web content. Your photo may appear on:

• Our search results (DMCA us or opt-out)
• Instagram (report Instagram)
• Random website (DMCA their host)

Full removal strategy: how to remove your photos from the internet.

International Users

DMCA is US law. International copyright holders may still submit notices — we evaluate under applicable law and treaties. EU users may also invoke GDPR erasure alongside copyright claims where personal data processing applies.

Unauthorized Use Without Copyright

If someone uses your photo for impersonation but DMCA is unavailable (you did not take the photo), use:

• Platform impersonation reports — fake profile using my pictures
• Opt-out for index suppression
• Legal counsel for right of publicity claims

Contact

DMCA Agent contact: support@faceidsearch.com

For non-DMCA privacy: same address, subject Opt-Out Request.

For general support: support@faceidsearch.com.

We do not accept postal DMCA at this time — email only for faster processing.

Designated Agent Registration

Face ID Search maintains DMCA designated agent registration with the U.S. Copyright Office as required for safe harbor eligibility. Agent contact: support@faceidsearch.com. Update notices if contact changes — check Copyright Office directory for current listing at time of submission.

Subpoena and Legal Process

Separate from DMCA, law enforcement and civil subpoenas follow different validation procedures. Legal process requests should be clearly marked distinct from copyright notices to route correctly. Consult counsel when receiving or serving such process.

Fair Use and News Reporting

Indexed images appearing in search results may include thumbnail or link context protected under fair use in some US analyses. DMCA notices should address specific infringing displays we control, not merely disagreement with journalistic republication on third-party sites we do not host.

Trademark vs Copyright

Trademark disputes (logo misuse) do not use DMCA — different legal framework. Route trademark complaints separately with mark registration details.

Retention of Notices

We retain redacted DMCA notices and counter-notices per statutory requirements for transparency repositories where applicable. Personal contact details may be redacted in published logs.

Mistaken Identity in DMCA

Copyright owner may misidentify similar photo as theirs — counter-notice process protects good-faith posters. We evaluate both sides neutrally within statutory framework.

Automated DMCA Abuse

Bots sending junk DMCA notices harm ecosystem — incomplete notices rejected; pattern abusive submitters may lose processing priority or face 512(f) exposure themselves.

International Copyright Treaties

Berne Convention signatories receive analogous notice consideration — US DMCA form adapted with international contact details accepted when US nexus exists for service provider.

Enterprise Copyright Compliance Teams

Brand protection teams monitoring logo misuse should not route trademark issues through DMCA email — separate workflow reduces misrouting delay.

Educational Institution Agents

University general counsel sometimes submits DMCA for faculty photos misused on predatory conference sites — same statutory elements apply; mark academic affiliation in subject line for routing efficiency.

Counter-Notice Timeline Communication

Statutory waiting period before restoration after counter-notice explained plainly to both parties reduces support ticket volume asking "why still down after counter-notice day one."

Coordination With Opt-Out Team

Submitters sometimes file both DMCA and opt-out simultaneously — acceptable; teams coordinate to avoid duplicate processing conflicting outcomes. Single email with both requests flagged preferred.

SLAPP and Bad-Faith Notice Awareness

Bad-faith DMCA used to silence criticism — we evaluate notices for obvious fair use journalism context and may request additional substantiation before removal in edge cases within legal safe harbor framework. Counter-notice rights protect lawful users.

Record Keeping for Compliance Audits

Internal audit trail retains DMCA notices seven years for safe harbor compliance demonstration to potential litigation — redacted logs available to legal counsel upon internal request only.

Media Organization Agent Protocol

News organizations submitting DMCA for syndicated photo misused on scraper site should identify authorized licensing entity in notice — confusion between photographer copyright and publisher license slows review when notice submitted by wrong party without chain of authorization letter attached.

Post-Removal Verification Steps

After we confirm DMCA action, complainant should verify URL returns 404 and run optional face self-search if their face no longer appears in results referencing removed display — separate confirmation paths closing loop on complaint satisfaction without assuming automatic instant global delisting from all possible derivative references.

Complainant Communication Standards

We acknowledge receipt within three business days, explain expected timelines honestly, and request missing elements instead of silently ignoring incomplete notices. Good-faith complainants and good-faith posters both receive clear communication. Suspected abusive or bad-faith notices may be referred for legal review under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f).

Closing Contact

All DMCA matters: support@faceidsearch.com — complete notices processed fairly, counter-notice rights preserved, and abuse resisted consistent with our trust infrastructure.

Template Outline (Not Legal Advice)

Subject: DMCA Notice

1. Signature: [Your name / electronic signature]

2. Copyrighted work: [Description + attach original photo]

3. Infringing material: [Full URLs on faceidsearch.com or specific result identifiers]

4. Contact: [Name, address, phone, email]

5. Good faith statement: I have a good faith belief that use of the material 
   in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, 
   its agent, or the law.

6. Accuracy statement: The information in this notification is accurate, 
   and under penalty of perjury, I am authorized to act on behalf of the 
   owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

Consult attorney for complex ownership or licensing disputes.

This policy supports YMYL trust alongside opt-out and zero-retention upload handling described on find your photos online.