DMCA Copyright Policy

1. Overview

Upvote.link respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects our users to do the same. We respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement that comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") and other applicable intellectual property laws.

This policy outlines the procedure for reporting copyright infringement on our platform and our response process.

2. Important Distinction

Upvote.link is a link aggregation platform. Users share links to content hosted elsewhere. We cache certain content for technical and performance reasons:

What We Host:

• User-generated content: Comments, descriptions, profile information
• Cached preview images: We download and store optimized versions of Open Graph (OG) images from shared URLs to:
  • Bypass cross-origin restrictions (CORS)
  • Improve loading performance via CDN caching
  • Ensure consistent user experience
  These cached images are optimized (resized to 1200×630, compressed), link back to the original source, and serve as visual previews for content discovery.

When Submitting a DMCA Notice:

• If the infringing content is on Upvote.link (user comments, descriptions, or cached preview images), we will remove it within 24-48 hours.
• If the infringing content is on an external website, we can remove the link to that content and any cached preview images associated with it. You should also contact the website hosting the original material.
• For cached preview images specifically: Provide the Upvote.link URL where the image appears. We can remove the cached image without removing the entire link if preferred.

3. Filing a DMCA Takedown Notice

If you believe that content on or linked from Upvote.link infringes your copyright, please send a written notice to our designated Copyright Agent with the following information:

Required Information:

1. Identification of the copyrighted work:
   • A description of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed
   • If multiple works, a representative list
2. Identification of the infringing material:
   • The specific URL(s) on Upvote.link where the allegedly infringing material appears
   • Sufficient detail to locate the material (e.g., content ID, username, share title)
3. Your contact information:
   • Full legal name
   • Email address
   • Phone number
   • Physical address
4. Good faith statement:
   • "I have a good faith belief that use of the copyrighted materials described above is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law."
5. Accuracy statement:
   • "I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in this notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner, or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner, of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed."
6. Physical or electronic signature:
   • A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or authorized agent

Send DMCA Notices To:

4. What Happens After You Submit a Notice

1. Review (24-48 hours): We will review your notice to ensure it meets DMCA requirements
2. Action: If valid, we will:
   • Remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing material (content, comments, links, and/or cached preview images)
   • Delete cached preview images from our servers and CDN
   • Notify the user who posted the material
   • Document the takedown for our records
3. Notification: We will send you a confirmation email once action is taken
4. Repeat Infringers: Users who repeatedly infringe copyrights may have their accounts terminated

5. Counter-Notification Process

If you believe your content was removed in error or misidentification, you may file a counter-notification with the following information:

Required Information:

1. Identification of removed material:
   • The URL(s) where the material appeared before removal
   • Description of the material
2. Your contact information:
   • Full legal name
   • Email address
   • Phone number
   • Physical address
3. Consent to jurisdiction:
   • "I consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which my address is located, or if my address is outside the United States, the judicial district in which Upvote.link is located, and will accept service of process from the complainant."
4. Good faith statement:
   • "I swear, under penalty of perjury, that I have a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification."
5. Physical or electronic signature

Send Counter-Notifications To:

6. Counter-Notification Response

1. We will forward your counter-notification to the original complainant
2. If the complainant does not file a court action within 10-14 business days, we may restore the removed material
3. If a lawsuit is filed, we will comply with court orders

7. Repeat Infringer Policy

Upvote.link has adopted a policy of terminating, in appropriate circumstances, accounts of users who are deemed to be repeat infringers. We may also, at our sole discretion, limit access to the site and/or terminate the accounts of any users who infringe any intellectual property rights of others.

Three-Strike System:

• First violation: Warning and content removal
• Second violation: Temporary account suspension (7 days)
• Third violation: Permanent account termination

Severe violations may result in immediate termination without warning.

8. False Claims

Warning: Filing a false DMCA notice or counter-notification is perjury and may result in:

• Legal liability for damages under Section 512(f) of the DMCA
• Criminal prosecution
• Attorney fees and court costs

Only submit a DMCA notice if you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on their behalf.

9. Limitations of Our Service

Please understand:

• We are a link aggregator: We do not control content on external websites
• Our cached images: We will promptly remove cached preview images upon valid DMCA request
• External cached copies: Search engines (Google, Bing) and web archives (Wayback Machine) may still have cached versions of images we've removed
• Third-party responsibility: Removing a link or cached image from Upvote.link does not remove content from the source website. Contact the original host for complete removal.
• International content: Some linked content may be hosted in countries with different copyright laws

10. Non-Copyright Complaints

If your complaint is not related to copyright infringement (e.g., defamation, privacy, trademark), please use our general reporting system:

• Report Content: Use the "Report" button on any share
• General Inquiries: [email protected]
• Privacy Issues: [email protected]

11. Transparency

We believe in transparency regarding copyright enforcement:

• We maintain records of DMCA notices received
• We may publish anonymized statistics about takedown requests
• We will not disclose reporter identities without consent or legal requirement

12. Designated Agent Information

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this DMCA policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Additional Resources

• Full text of the DMCA (PDF)
• U.S. Copyright Office
• U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17)

15. Contact Information

For questions about this DMCA policy or copyright issues:

• DMCA Notices: [email protected]
• General Inquiries: [email protected]
• Website: https://upvote.link