What Happens if We Receive a Copyright Complaint (DMCA)

Sometimes we receive copyright complaints about content hosted on HelpDocs. Here's everything you need to know about what happens next, your rights, and how the process works.

What a Copyright Complaint Is

A copyright complaint—also called a DMCA takedown notice—is a legal request from someone who believes their copyrighted material is being used without permission. When we receive a valid complaint, we're legally required to act on it.

This process exists to protect both copyright owners and our customers. It's a standardized way to handle copyright disputes that keeps everyone's rights in mind.

What Happens When We Receive One

Here's our step-by-step process:

• We may temporarily disable the specific content mentioned in the complaint
• We notify the account owner immediately via email
• We stay neutral throughout the process—this doesn't mean we think anyone did anything wrong

We're simply following the law and maintaining a fair process for everyone involved.

What You Can Do if Your Content Was Taken Down

If you believe your content was wrongly disabled, you can file a counter-notice. This applies if you:

• Own the rights to the content
• Have permission to use it
• Believe the complaint was made in error

The counter-notice process is straightforward—just send us a short statement explaining why the content should be restored (we can provide you with a template for this). After the legal waiting period (usually 10–14 business days), we can reinstate your content.

How to Submit a Copyright Complaint

Think someone's using your copyrighted material without permission? Here's how to let us know:

Contact our Abuse Department:

• Email: hi+abuse@helpdocs.io
• Or use the contact form on this page

For a valid complaint, please include:

• Description of your copyrighted work
• Location of the infringing material (specific URL)
• Your contact information
• Statement that you believe in good faith the use is unauthorized
• Statement that the information is accurate
• Your signature (electronic is fine)

Our Commitment to Fairness

We handle every copyright matter with care and follow a legally recognized process that protects everyone involved. Our goal is to:

• Act promptly and fairly on all complaints
• Keep communication clear and transparent
• Maintain a safe, lawful platform for all users

This process helps keep HelpDocs a trusted platform where everyone's rights are respected 🛡️