Last Updated: December 2024
Introduction
Coventry City Insider (www.coventrycityinsider.co.uk) respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects its users to do the same. In accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (“DMCA”) and other applicable intellectual property laws, we will respond promptly to claims of copyright infringement that are reported to our designated copyright agent.
This page outlines our policies and procedures for handling claims of copyright infringement on our Website. We take all copyright concerns seriously and are committed to addressing legitimate claims in a timely and efficient manner.
If you believe that your copyrighted work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement and is accessible on our Website, please notify our copyright agent as set forth below.
Please note: Filing a DMCA notice is a serious legal matter. Under Section 512(f) of the DMCA, any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material or activity is infringing may be subject to legal liability. We strongly advise you to seek legal counsel before filing a DMCA notification.
Table of Contents
- Filing a DMCA Takedown Notice
- Required Elements of a DMCA Notice
- Where to Send Your DMCA Notice
- What Happens After We Receive Your Notice
- Filing a DMCA Counter-Notification
- Required Elements of a Counter-Notification
- What Happens After We Receive a Counter-Notification
- Repeat Infringers Policy
- Good Faith Belief Requirement
- Misrepresentations
- Limitations and Exceptions
- Contact Information
- Changes to This Policy
Filing a DMCA Takedown Notice
If you are a copyright owner (or an agent acting on behalf of a copyright owner) and you believe that content available on or through Coventry City Insider infringes your copyright, you may submit a written DMCA Takedown Notice (“Notice”) to our Designated Copyright Agent.
Your Notice must include all of the following information to be considered valid. Incomplete or inaccurate Notices may not receive a response.
Before filing a Notice, please consider the following:
- Fair Use – Not all uses of copyrighted material constitute infringement. Uses that may qualify as “fair use” (or “fair dealing” under UK law) include criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Please consider whether the use you are reporting might qualify as fair use before filing a Notice.
- Public Domain – Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and may be freely used.
- Licences – If you have granted a licence for the use of your work (e.g., through a Creative Commons licence), the use may be authorised.
- Permission – If you have given someone permission to use your work, the use is not infringing.
Required Elements of a DMCA Notice
To file a valid DMCA Takedown Notice with Coventry City Insider, your written communication must include each of the following:
A. Identification of the Copyrighted Work
You must provide a detailed description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed. This may include:
- The title of the work
- A description of the work (if it is not a text-based work)
- A URL or link to an authorised example of the work
- Registration number (if the work is registered with a copyright office)
If you are reporting multiple copyrighted works, you may provide a representative list of all works claimed to have been infringed.
B. Identification of the Infringing Material
You must provide specific identification of the material that you claim is infringing, including:
- The exact URL(s) of the page(s) on our Website where the allegedly infringing material is located.
- A detailed description of the specific content that you believe infringes your copyright.
- Sufficient information for us to locate the material on our Website.
Please note: We cannot take action based on vague or general descriptions. We need the specific URL(s) where the allegedly infringing content appears.
C. Your Contact Information
You must provide your full contact information, including:
- Your full legal name
- Your mailing address
- Your telephone number
- Your email address
D. Good Faith Statement
You must include the following statement:
“I have a good faith belief that the use of the copyrighted materials described above is not authorised by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.”
E. Accuracy Statement
You must include the following statement:
“I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in this notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorised to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.”
F. Signature
The Notice must be signed by:
- The copyright owner, or
- A person authorised to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
An electronic signature (e.g., typed full legal name) is acceptable.
Where to Send Your DMCA Notice
Please send your completed DMCA Takedown Notice to our Designated Copyright Agent:
📧 Email: dmca@coventrycityinsider.co.uk
📬 Postal Address: DMCA Copyright Agent Coventry City Insider [Insert Business Address] Coventry, United Kingdom
Important Notes:
- Email is the preferred and fastest method for submitting DMCA Notices.
- Please include “DMCA Takedown Notice” in the subject line of your email.
- We will acknowledge receipt of your Notice within 48 hours.
- We aim to process valid Notices within 5-7 business days.
- Please do not send general enquiries or other correspondence to the DMCA email address.
What Happens After We Receive Your Notice
Once we receive a valid DMCA Takedown Notice, we will take the following steps:
- Review – We will review your Notice to ensure it contains all required elements and appears to be valid.
- Acknowledgement – We will acknowledge receipt of your Notice within 48 hours.
- Removal or Disablement – If the Notice is valid, we will remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing material in a timely manner. We will also make reasonable efforts to contact the user who posted the material.
- Notification – We will promptly notify the user who posted the allegedly infringing material, providing them with a copy of the DMCA Notice (with your personal contact details removed for privacy).
- Counter-Notification – The user will have the opportunity to file a Counter-Notification if they believe the material was removed in error or is not infringing.
Timeline:
| Action | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgement of Notice | Within 48 hours |
| Review and Processing | 5-7 business days |
| Removal of Infringing Content | Promptly upon confirmation of validity |
| Notification to User | Within 24 hours of removal |
Filing a DMCA Counter-Notification
If you are a user whose content has been removed or disabled as a result of a DMCA Takedown Notice, and you believe that the removal was a mistake or that you have the right to use the material, you may file a DMCA Counter-Notification.
A Counter-Notification is a formal request to have the removed content restored. Like the original Notice, it must meet specific legal requirements.
Before filing a Counter-Notification, please consider the following:
- Filing a false Counter-Notification can have serious legal consequences.
- You should only file a Counter-Notification if you genuinely believe that the material was removed by mistake or misidentification.
- We strongly recommend seeking legal advice before filing a Counter-Notification.
Required Elements of a Counter-Notification
To file a valid DMCA Counter-Notification with Coventry City Insider, your written communication must include each of the following:
A. Identification of Removed Material
You must identify the specific material that was removed or disabled, including:
- The specific URL(s) where the material appeared before it was removed.
- A description of the material that was removed.
- Any other information that will help us identify the material.
B. Your Contact Information
You must provide your full contact information, including:
- Your full legal name
- Your mailing address
- Your telephone number
- Your email address
C. Statement of Consent to Jurisdiction
You must include a statement consenting to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located (or, if you are outside the United States, the judicial district in which we may be found), and that you will accept service of process from the person who filed the original DMCA Notice or their agent.
D. Good Faith Statement
You must include the following statement:
“I swear, under penalty of perjury, that I have a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled.”
E. Signature
The Counter-Notification must be signed by you. An electronic signature (e.g., typed full legal name) is acceptable.
What Happens After We Receive a Counter-Notification
Once we receive a valid DMCA Counter-Notification, we will take the following steps:
- Review – We will review your Counter-Notification to ensure it contains all required elements.
- Forward – We will forward a copy of your Counter-Notification to the original complainant.
- Waiting Period – We will wait 10-14 business days to allow the original complainant to file a court action seeking an order to prevent the restoration of the material.
- Restoration – If the original complainant does not file a court action within the waiting period, we will restore the removed material within 10-14 business days.
| Action | Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Review of Counter-Notification | Within 48 hours |
| Forwarding to Complainant | Within 24 hours of review |
| Waiting Period | 10-14 business days |
| Restoration of Material | If no court action filed |
Important: We will not restore material if the original complainant provides evidence that they have filed a court action seeking an order to restrain the allegedly infringing activity.
Repeat Infringers Policy
In accordance with the DMCA and other applicable laws, Coventry City Insider has adopted a policy of terminating, in appropriate circumstances, the accounts or access of users who are deemed to be repeat infringers.
How It Works
- A “repeat infringer” is a user who has been the subject of two or more valid and uncontested DMCA Takedown Notices.
- We may, at our sole discretion, terminate the access of any user who is determined to be a repeat infringer.
- We also reserve the right to terminate the access of any user, even in cases of a single infringement, where circumstances warrant it.
Our Approach
| Number of Valid Notices | Action Taken |
|---|---|
| First Notice | Content removed; user notified and warned. |
| Second Notice | Content removed; user formally warned of repeat infringer status. |
| Third Notice | Content removed; user’s access may be permanently terminated. |
We are committed to protecting the rights of copyright owners while also ensuring that our users are treated fairly. We review each case individually and consider all relevant circumstances before taking action.
Good Faith Belief Requirement
All DMCA Notices and Counter-Notifications submitted to Coventry City Insider must be made under good faith belief. This means:
- The copyright owner (or their agent) must genuinely believe that the use of the material is not authorised by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
- The user filing a Counter-Notification must genuinely believe that the material was removed by mistake or misidentification.
Submitting a Notice or Counter-Notification without a genuine good faith belief may result in legal liability. Under Section 512(f) of the DMCA, any person who knowingly materially misrepresents:
- That material or activity is infringing, or
- That material or activity was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification
…may be subject to damages, including costs and legal fees.
Misrepresentations
Coventry City Insider takes claims of copyright infringement seriously. However, we also recognise that DMCA Notices and Counter-Notifications can sometimes be filed:
- In error – Due to a misunderstanding of copyright law or fair use.
- In bad faith – To suppress speech, remove criticism, or gain a competitive advantage.
- With inaccurate information – Due to carelessness or lack of due diligence.
We reserve the right to:
- Ignore Notices that are clearly abusive, fraudulent, or submitted in bad faith.
- Seek clarification if a Notice is vague, incomplete, or potentially inaccurate.
- Report fraudulent Notices to the appropriate authorities.
If you believe that a DMCA Notice has been filed against you in bad faith, we encourage you to seek legal advice and file a Counter-Notification.
Limitations and Exceptions
Coventry City Insider is committed to complying with the DMCA. However, there are certain limitations and exceptions to our DMCA policy:
Fair Use and Fair Dealing
Not all unauthorised uses of copyrighted material constitute infringement. Under US law, the doctrine of fair use permits limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as:
- Criticism and comment
- News reporting
- Teaching and scholarship
- Research and parody
Under UK law, the doctrine of fair dealing provides similar protections for:
- Research and private study
- Criticism, review, and quotation
- News reporting
- Parody, caricature, and pastiche
- Education and teaching
If you believe that the use of your material on our Website qualifies as fair use or fair dealing, you are not required to remove it. However, we will review all DMCA Notices on a case-by-case basis.
Creative Commons and Open Licences
Some content is released under Creative Commons or other open licences that permit certain uses. If the content on our Website uses your work under the terms of such a licence, the use may be authorised and not subject to a DMCA Notice.
Public Domain
Works that are in the public domain are not protected by copyright and may be freely used. If the content you are reporting is in the public domain, a DMCA Notice is not appropriate.
Contact Information
For all DMCA-related matters, please contact our Designated Copyright Agent:
📧 Email: dmca@coventrycityinsider.co.uk
📬 Postal Address: DMCA Copyright Agent Coventry City Insider [Insert Business Address] Coventry, United Kingdom
When contacting us, please:
- Include “DMCA Takedown Notice” or “DMCA Counter-Notification” in the subject line.
- Provide all required information as outlined in this policy.
- Allow 48 hours for acknowledgement and 5-7 business days for processing.
Please do NOT use the DMCA contact for:
- General enquiries
- Feedback or suggestions
- Advertising or sponsorship requests
- Any matter unrelated to copyright infringement
For general enquiries, please use hello@coventrycityinsider.co.uk.
Changes to This Policy
Coventry City Insider reserves the right to update or modify this DMCA Policy at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of the Website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.
Helpful Resources
If you are unfamiliar with the DMCA process or copyright law, the following resources may be helpful:
- U.S. Copyright Office: www.copyright.gov
- UK Intellectual Property Office: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/intellectual-property-office
- Creative Commons: creativecommons.org
- Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): www.eff.org
These resources are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. If you have specific legal questions about copyright infringement, please consult a qualified attorney.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping us protect intellectual property rights. We are committed to maintaining a respectful and lawful online environment at Coventry City Insider. ❤️