Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Takedown Policy

Effective Date: June 11, 2026

American Society for Collective Rights Licensing, Inc. (ASCRL)

 

1. Our Commitment

ASCRL respects the intellectual property rights of visual artists, photographers, illustrators, and all creators whose works we help represent through collective licensing. We are committed to addressing valid claims of copyright infringement on our platforms promptly and in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. § 512).

We maintain a clear process for handling reports of alleged copyright infringement involving content hosted on ASCRL websites or services. This includes works uploaded by members or appearing in our collective rights administration systems. Users who repeatedly infringe copyrights may have their accounts or membership privileges terminated.

2. Designated Copyright Agent

All DMCA notifications must be sent to our designated agent:

 Name  DMCA Agent, American Society for Collective Rights Licensing, Inc.
 Email (preferred)  data@ascrl.org
 Mailing Address  2050 30th Street NW, Washington DC 20007
 Phone  +1 (844) 462-7275

We encourage using our online DMCA submission form at www.ascrl.org/dmca when available. We also maintain registration with the U.S. Copyright Office as required.

3. Filing a DMCA Notification

To report alleged infringement, please submit a written notice that includes all of the following:

  1. A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on their behalf.
  2. Identification of the copyrighted work(s) claimed to have been infringed (include titles, registration numbers if available, and descriptions).
  3. Identification of the specific material on our service that is claimed to be infringing, including sufficient information (such as Asset ID, image URL, or page link) for us to locate it.
  4. Contact information for the complaining party (name, address, telephone, and email).
  5. A statement that the complaining party has 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. A statement, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that the complaining party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

Incomplete notices may delay processing. We reserve the right to request additional information.

4. ASCRL’s Response to Valid Notices

Upon receipt of a compliant DMCA notice, we will:

  • Act expeditiously to remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing material.
  • Notify the affected member or user (where contact information is available) of the removal.
  • For repeat infringers, apply our termination policy as described below.

This process applies primarily to content under our direct control. It does not extend to license disputes between rights holders and licensees, which should be handled through separate channels.

5. Counter-Notification Procedure

If you believe material was removed or disabled due to a mistake or misidentification, you may submit a counter-notice. A proper counter-notice must include:

  1. Your physical or electronic signature.
  2. Identification of the material that was removed and its original location.
  3. A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief the material was removed due to mistake or misidentification.
  4. Your name, address, and telephone number.
  5. A statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located (or New York if outside the U.S.), and that you will accept service of process from the complaining party.

We will forward the counter-notice to the original complainant. If no lawsuit is filed within 10 business days, we may restore the material at our discretion.

6. Repeat Infringer Policy

ASCRL takes copyright protection seriously. Accounts or memberships found to involve repeated infringement will be terminated after appropriate warnings, consistent with our internal policies and applicable law. We also reserve the right to terminate users who submit repeated unfounded or abusive DMCA notices.

7. Misrepresentation and Liability

Anyone who knowingly materially misrepresents that material is infringing (or that removed material was removed by mistake) may be liable for damages under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f). We encourage careful review before submitting notices or counter-notices.

8. Scope of This Policy

This DMCA policy addresses copyright infringement claims under U.S. law for content on our services. It does not cover:

  • Trademark disputes
  • Privacy or publicity rights claims
  • License agreement violations (data@ascrl.org for those)
  • Content hosted by third parties

For other legal inquiries, please use data@ascrl.org.

Sample DMCA Notice Template

Copy and complete the following template for your DMCA notification:

[Your Full Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]

[Email Address]
[Phone Number]

[Date]

TO: DMCA Agent American Society for Collective Rights Licensing, Inc.
data@ascrl.org 

Subject: DMCA Takedown Notice

Dear DMCA Agent,

I am the owner of the copyright or authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the exclusive rights in the following work(s):

  1. Description of Copyrighted Work:
    [Describe the work, e.g., photograph titled 'Example Image', registration number if available]
  2. Location of Infringing Material:
    [Provide Asset ID, URL, or other identifying information on ASCRL site]
  3. I have a good faith belief that the use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
  4. The information in this notice 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.

Signature: [Electronic Signature]

Note: It is sufficient to type your name for the electronic signature if you use the following format:
/s/ [Your full name]