When copyright applies
Original photographs, video, writing, artwork, software and similar works that you created or control, copied to Reddit without permission. If the content is an opinion, a fact, or criticism of you, copyright does not apply, however unwelcome it is.
What a valid notice contains
- The signature of someone authorised to act for the copyright owner.
- Identification of the copyrighted work.
- Identification of the infringing material and where it is (the URLs).
- The complainant's contact details.
- A statement of good-faith belief that the use is not authorised.
- A statement, under penalty of perjury, that the notice is accurate and the sender is authorised.
What happens next
Reddit follows a notice-and-takedown process consistent with the DMCA. If the notice is valid, it removes the content and notifies the account holder where appropriate. The poster can file a counter-notice if they believe the removal was a mistake; the statute then provides for content to be restored after a waiting period unless the complainant shows it has started a court action.
When not to use it
Careless notices carry risk. Section 512(f) makes knowing material misrepresentation actionable, and the Ninth Circuit held in Lenz that copyright owners must consider fair use before sending a notice. Reddit also rejects invalid notices, including trademark notices used against criticism. A notice is a legal statement and should be checked before it is sent.
What copyright covers on Reddit
Copyright protects original creative works: photographs, illustrations, writing, video, music and software. It is automatic when the work is created, and the owner is usually the creator or the person they assigned it to. On Reddit, most copyright problems are someone reposting a photograph, a piece of writing, artwork or a video without permission.
Copyright does not protect facts, ideas, or titles, names and short phrases. It also does not cover opinions about you or your business. A post that says something unflattering is not infringing your copyright unless it copies your work. This distinction matters because a DMCA notice used against criticism is a misuse of the system.
- Covered: your photographs, your articles, your artwork, your video, your software.
- Not covered: facts about you, a review, a description of what happened, a short quote.
- Different routes: privacy, harassment, defamation and impersonation are not copyright questions.
What a valid DMCA notice contains
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act sets out what a takedown notice must include. Section 512(c)(3) of the US Copyright Act lists the elements, and a notice that is missing them can be rejected.
- A physical or electronic signature of someone authorised to act for the owner.
- Identification of the copyrighted work.
- Identification of the infringing material, with enough information to find it, such as the URL.
- The sender's contact information.
- A statement of good-faith belief that the use is not authorised by the owner, its agent or the law.
- A statement that the information is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, that the sender is authorised to act.
Reddit says it operates under the DMCA, removes or disables access when it receives a valid notice, and ends the accounts of repeat infringers in appropriate circumstances. It accepts notices through an online form. Check Reddit's current copyright page for the exact route before you send anything.
Fair use and why you should think about it first
Fair use is a US doctrine that allows some uses of copyrighted work without permission. Courts look at four factors: the purpose and character of the use, including whether it is commercial or transformative; the nature of the work; how much of it was used; and the effect on the market for the original. Criticism, commentary, news reporting and parody are common fair-use categories.
The Ninth Circuit held in Lenz v. Universal Music (2015) that copyright owners must consider fair use before sending a takedown notice. A notice sent without that thought can support a claim for misrepresentation under Section 512(f). Another well-known case, Online Policy Group v. Diebold (2004), found a company liable after it sent notices for leaked emails that were clearly fair use. The lesson is that a notice is a legal statement and needs to be checked.
What happens after you send a notice
If Reddit accepts the notice, it removes the material or disables access to it and may tell the person who posted it. That person can respond with a counter-notice, and under Section 512(g) a counter-notice must include their signature, an identification of the removed material, a statement under penalty of perjury that it was removed by mistake or misidentification, their contact details and consent to the jurisdiction of a federal court.
When a platform receives a valid counter-notice, it forwards it to the person who sent the notice. The material is to be restored not less than ten and not more than fourteen business days later, unless the sender tells the platform that they have filed a court action. A counter-notice therefore puts the next move with the copyright owner, and it reveals the poster's contact details to them, which is why neither side should act without understanding the consequences.
Repeat infringers, subreddit bans and Reddit's numbers
Reddit's transparency reports show how large the copyright system is. In the second half of 2024 it received 54,110 notices and actioned 40,527 in whole or in part, 74%, removing 229,226 of the 459,697 pieces of content that were requested. Press coverage of later reports describes notices rising in the first half of 2025, with hundreds of communities and hundreds of user accounts banned for repeat copyright violations, and a second-half 2025 report of 69,154 notices identifying 425,471 pieces of content, of which 217,787 were removed.
These numbers show that copyright is an established route that Reddit acts on, and that not every notice results in removal. Reddit also declines invalid notices, including trademark notices where the content made fair use of a mark. Repeat infringement can end an account or a community.
Copyright outside the United States
The DMCA is a US law, and Reddit, Inc. is a US company, so US law governs Reddit's process. Other countries have their own rules. The EU has its own exceptions, such as quotation and parody, and the Digital Services Act creates a notice-and-action system for platforms. The UK and Canada use "fair dealing" rather than fair use. If your work is being used in another country and the stakes are high, speak to a copyright lawyer there.
When copyright is not the right tool
- A negative review or critical discussion that does not copy your work.
- Private information or intimate images, which go through Reddit's privacy route.
- Impersonation or a fake account, which is an authenticity rule matter.
- A false statement of fact about you, which is a defamation question for a lawyer.
- Trademark disputes, which Reddit handles through a separate process.
If you are unsure, read the matching guides, or ask us to assess the URL first. A careful assessment before a notice is sent is almost always cheaper than fixing a mistaken one.
Your action plan
- 1
Confirm you own it
You need to own the work or act for the owner. Keep the original file and its date.
- 2
Find every copy
Collect the URLs of each post or comment that uses it.
- 3
Write the notice
Identify the work, identify the material, include the required statements and sign it.
- 4
Send it through Reddit's process
Use the route Reddit provides for copyright notices and keep a copy.
- 5
Expect a response
Reddit may remove the content and tell the poster. The poster may send a counter-notice.
DMCA notice checklist
- Identification of the copyrighted work
- The exact location (URL) of the infringing material
- Your contact information
- A statement of good-faith belief that the use is not authorised
- A statement, under penalty of perjury, that the notice is accurate and you are the owner or authorised
- Your physical or electronic signature
Common mistakes
Claiming a whole page for one image
A notice should identify specific material. Broad claims get rejected.
Using DMCA against criticism
Reviews, opinions and quotations are not infringement, and misuse can backfire.
Ignoring fair use
Courts expect you to consider fair use before sending a notice (Lenz). Think about it first.