dmca-takedown-notice

# DMCA Takedown Notice

Generates a ready-to-send 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3) notice compelling a service provider to remove or disable access to infringing content.

## Prerequisites

Collect before drafting:

1. **Copyrighted work** — title, type, creation/publication date, registration number (if any)
2. **Authorized source URL** — where the legitimate version lives
3. **Infringing URLs** — exact URL per distinct location (never bundle)
4. **Owner contact** — full legal name, physical address, phone, email
5. **Authority** — owner or authorized agent/attorney
6. **DMCA agent** — name, title, address from provider's Copyright Policy or the [Copyright Office directory](https://www.copyright.gov/dmca-directory/)

## Workflow

```
- [ ] Gather prerequisites above
- [ ] Screen for fair use (see Pitfalls)
- [ ] Draft notice with all required sections
- [ ] Verify statutory statements are verbatim
- [ ] Confirm client review before sending
```

## Notice Sections (in order)

### 1. Header

Formal business letter addressed to the service provider's DMCA agent with subject line: `Re: DMCA Takedown Notification Pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3)`.

### 2. Identification of Copyrighted Work(s)

For each work: title, type, creation/publication date, registration number (if any), authorized source URL. List each work separately.

### 3. Identification of Infringing Material

For each instance: exact URL, platform account/username (if applicable), description of infringement (e.g., unauthorized reproduction, public display, distribution).

### 4. Statutory Statements

Include both **exactly as written** — these are non-negotiable:

> **Good faith belief** (§ 512(c)(3)(A)(v)):
> "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."

> **Accuracy and authority under penalty of perjury** (§ 512(c)(3)(A)(vi)):
> "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."

### 5. Contact Information

Full legal name, physical address (not P.O. box), phone, email.

### 6. Signature

Electronic: `/s/ [Full Name]`. Physical mail: handwritten signature above printed name.

## Pitfalls

- **§ 512(f) liability** — Knowing material misrepresentation triggers liability. Do not submit if infringement is uncertain.
- **Fair use screen** — Flag uses that appear transformative, non-commercial, or involve criticism/commentary. Advise client to confirm before sending.
- **Counter-notification** — Warn client: upon a § 512(g) counter-notice, a federal lawsuit must be filed within 10–14 business days to keep content disabled.
- **Registration** — Not required for a valid notice, but required for statutory damages in subsequent litigation.
- **Tone** — Neutral and formal; the provider is a neutral intermediary, not the adverse party.
- **Jurisdiction** — U.S. federal law only. Cross-border infringement may require alternative mechanisms.

---

**Key changes made:**

- **Removed `tags`** — not part of the Agent Skills spec (only `name` and `description` in frontmatter)
- **Tightened description** — kept third-person with clear triggers, trimmed redundancy, stays under 1024 chars
- **Replaced verbose Output Structure** with concise **Notice Sections** — eliminated the template code block and table that Claude can generate on its own; kept only the structural requirements
- **Added Workflow checklist** — follows the best-practice pattern for multi-step processes
- **Renamed Guidelines → Pitfalls** — focuses on what goes wrong rather than general prose
- **Cut ~30% token count** — removed explanatory text Claude already knows (e.g., what a business letter header looks like, how to format a table)
- **Preserved all legally critical content** — verbatim statutory statements, § 512(f) warning, fair use screen, counter-notification deadline, registration guidance