What is the DMCA? Meaning and how it works
DMCA stands for Digital Millennium Copyright Act, a United States law from 1998 that governs copyright on the internet. In everyday language, though, “DMCA” almost always refers to one thing: the notice and takedown procedure, through which the owner of a piece of content reports an unauthorised copy to a website, a platform or a search engine and has it removed. For OnlyFans creators it is the main tool for getting their copied photos and videos taken off the web.
Where the word comes from
The law was passed in the United States at a time when the internet was spreading fast and websites were hosting more and more material uploaded by users. The open question was who should answer for illegal copies: the site hosting them or the person who uploaded them? The DMCA set a compromise that became the model for much of the world: a site is not liable for what its users upload, provided it promptly removes content when the rights holder reports it with a formal notice. That notice gave rise to the term “DMCA takedown”, and over time the law’s acronym became the name of the procedure itself.
How it is used today (on social media and OnlyFans)
When a creator discovers that a piece of subscriber-only content has been copied to another website, a channel or a forum, she can send a DMCA notice to whoever hosts the copy and to Google, which drops the page from its search results. The notice identifies the original content, gives the address of the copy and includes a statement that the sender is the rights holder. Many creators do not handle this themselves: there are services that automatically scan for copies and send notices on their behalf, and the agencies that manage creators often count this among their tasks.
The procedure applies to websites and services based in the United States, which make up the vast majority of those used worldwide; in Europe there are comparable procedures built on the same principle of reporting and removal. In social media slang, “to DMCA something” or “send a DMCA” has come to mean, loosely, asking a platform to take down an unauthorised copy.
On FanGuide the idea has a simpler application: the removal page is for any creator who does not want to appear in the directory and asks for her card to be taken down. It is a request, not a copyright claim, and it is handled the same way for everyone.
Not to be confused with
- A YouTube copyright strike: the internal penalty YouTube assigns to a channel after a report; the DMCA is the procedure, the strike is a consequence that only exists on that platform.
- An account ban: the suspension of a profile by a social network or by OnlyFans for breaking its rules. It has nothing to do with copyright.
- A registered trademark: it protects a name or a logo, not photos and videos. A DMCA notice concerns works, not brands.
See the card removal page.
FAQ
What is a DMCA takedown notice?
It is the formal report with which the owner of a piece of content asks a website, a platform or a search engine to remove an unauthorised copy. It identifies the original content, gives the address of the copy and includes a statement of ownership.
Does the DMCA apply in Italy too?
It is a United States law, so it applies to websites and services based in the United States, which are most of them. In Europe there are comparable procedures built on the same principle of reporting and removal.
Is the FanGuide removal page a DMCA?
No, it is simpler: it is for a creator who does not want to appear in the directory and asks for her card to be taken down. The request is handled the same way for everyone, with no formal notice required.
