Despite Instagram’s efforts to take down scammers, the problem continues to grow and puts every copyright holder at risk, including small businesses and individuals. Finding an Instagram impersonator that’s stolen your copyrighted content is a stressful experience, but you don’t have to panic if it happens to you. Learning how to report a copyright infringement on Instagram will allow you to enforce your copyrights and stop scammers, and we’re here to help.
Summary:
- A guide to Instagram’s copyright policy
- How to submit a copyright report on Instagram
- How to take the stress out of copyright enforcement
What’s Instagram copyright policy?
Instagram, like any other online site or platform, must legally follow current copyright laws. Anything published to the platform that can be considered an original work (i.e. writing, artwork, photos, etc.) is protected from infringement. That said, it can sometimes be difficult to know exactly what constitutes infringement without reading the full copyright policy.
Let’s break down some of the vital information you should know as a copyright holder to protect your content on Instagram:
Examples of copyright infringement on Instagram
Anyone who uploads your intellectual property on Instagram has created what can be considered a copy of your work. If you didn’t authorize the use of your content, this can be considered infringement and warrants a copyright report on Instagram.
Common examples of copyright infringement on Instagram:
- Uploading videos featuring copyrighted music
- Reposting another user’s photo or designs
- Advertising a product using an existing brand’s product photos
Are images on Instagram copyrighted
Yes, images on Instagram are copyrighted, but not to the platform– they still belong to the original user who captured the photo. If you find another user who has stolen your exact photos and uploaded them to their account without authorization, you can take action against them. Bear in mind, this is always that simple.
Copyright infringement has occurred, for example, if a user steals one of your photos and posts it on their profile. Alternatively, anyone can replicate one of your photos, as long as it’s their own picture; this doesn’t constitute infringement. If you do think someone has stolen your photo, it’s important to determine whether it is your photo or a close replica.
How to submit a copyright report on Instagram?
Once you have identified copyright infringement of your content on Instagram, it’s important to act fast. Getting the stolen content taken down as quickly as possible is essential to protect your brand on social media. Follow these steps to file an Instagram infringement report:
DMCA takedown Instagram
If you have never encountered infringement online before, you may have never heard of a DMCA takedown. This is an official correspondence that notifies the proper individuals infringement has occurred, and requests that it be taken down. You can send a takedown request directly to the infringing account, but they may disregard it, so one should also be sent directly to Instagram.
Instagram DMCA form
Instagram’s infringement reporting process is relatively easy, as you can use this form which should only take you a few minutes to fill out. Make sure you gather as much relevant proof as you can beforehand, even though you may not need it in your initial request. This way, your DMCA takedown is much more likely to be approved.
How can Red Points help protect your copyright on Instagram?
It’s never been easier for scammers to steal copyright content and exploit it for their own profit on the web, especially Instagram and other platforms. Whether you’re an individual copyright holder or you have a brand to uphold, your content is at risk of being stolen.
No matter what copyright content you own, it’s worth protecting. To truly ensure your intellectual property hasn’t been stolen and used on Instagram, you will have to keep a close monitor on various account’s activity. This can be a full-time job in and of itself, and even then you may not catch every instance of infringement on the platform.
Red Points can solve this problem for you, and make it easier than ever to protect your copyright on Instagram. Red Points copyright infringement protection software not only tracks and identifies instances of copyright infringement on Instagram, but also initiates the removal process for you. The software ensures infringements are caught immediately, and saves you the hassle of personally sending DMCA notices and dealing with scammers yourself.
Conclusion
Protecting your intellectual property from infringement on Instagram can be daunting, but you don’t have to give scammers free reign to abuse your content. Now that you know how to report a copyright infringement on Instagram, you will be able to properly address infringements when they occur. Request a demo to learn how Red Points can give you the ultimate protection of your copyrights, and take the stress out of reporting infringements.