Myth: If someone accuses you of infringement, if they do not have a copyright registration number, you can ignore them.
The Jury Says: FALSE. You should never ignore an accusation of infringement. Copyright attaches the moment a qualifying item is created. In other words, if the work in question is creative, original and fixed in some tangible way, then it is automatically copyrighted. You do not need a registration number to file a takedown notice under the DMCA. You do not need a registration number to get an infringing item removed or disabled. A registration number is only required if you plan to file a lawsuit in federal court. Otherwise, if someone without a registered copyright accuses you of infringement, the failure to provide a registration number has little meaning as they may take action under the DMCA without such a number.
Comments