If you want your picture removed from a website where it is being published without your permission, DMCA.com can help.
DMCA.com handles cases every day where someone has found their personal, private picture(s) hosted on websites without their permission. Often these pictures were stolen from email, phones, laptops or even a friend's camera.
If this has happened to you, we can help. DMCA.com has been very successful at getting this kind of infringement taken down.
If someone has gained access to your email, computer files, video, phone or camera and published your picture on the internet without your permission DMCA.com can get them removed.
DMCA Fast Tip
DMCA.com can provide professional services to help you find copies of your photos for takedown. When completing your takedown notice form on the site make sure and request a quote for this service if you are interested.
Instructions on how to get your picture taken off a website
- Find as many copies (URL's) and versions of the picture as you can. It can be a tough and difficult process but you are the best person to identify this content. Often the image will be cropped or altered in some way so often you can identify it the quickest. Make a list. Like a weed if you can get at the source, you can stop it from spreading. Often only one website was the source of the uploaded picture or video. It is important to get it removed from there and move on to the other sites, if there are any.
- Do not assume that once your photo or video is off one (Facebook) page the issue is resolved. It could have been copied and uploaded somewhere else. The longer the picture has been up the more likely it has spread to other networks and websites.
- Do not become a victim of extortion! Do not send money or a picture of your ID to hosting companies or website owners in order to get your picture removed. This is a serious act of privacy violation and not required within any takedown process, anywhere. If you must pay to have your image taken offline it is extortion or a bribe under most laws. If you must pay or follow some other bizarre process to have your content taken offline do so with a lawyer, inform the police and where possible, have an internet specialist with you.
- Begin Processing (DMCA) Takedowns immediately! The faster the better. Do it now! Staying on top of getting your content taken down means you can stop or slow the spread of pictures.
- You can conduct takedowns yourself if you are internet savvy (DMCA.com has a very inexpensive DIY Program)
- Use a lawyer or
- Use a service like DMCA.com's Professional Takedown Service.
Regardless of the method you use, the quicker the better. Processing takedown can also help any legal action you have started or will start later. If you choose to conduct the process yourself here are a few important tips:
- Follow the (DMCA) Takedown process of website where you have found the pictures or video exactly. If the website has its own policy follow that.
- Do not be emotional in your description or request for removal
- Do not tell a story or give background or incident details
- Clearly the state facts related to the photo or picture usage - it's your picture, or you are in it and you did not give permission to be used in this manner or you own the copyright.
- Stop the source. Find out where the content came from and make sure no more theft of your pictures can occur. If the images are on your email, mobile, camera, laptop etc. make sure to remove access to the internet. If someone has gained access to your mobile or cell phone, email, computer files, GoPro, camera or iCloud storage and published your pictures on the internet change your passwords and remove the content.
DMCA Takedown Testimonial
Recently I found out that an organization I was once affiliated with was using my photos without permission. I spent weeks going back and fourth with their management asking them to take down the photos, but it quickly became clear that I was getting nowhere. A friend suggested I file a DMCA takedown through DMCA.com. I'm glad I did. The staff was so helpful and professional throughout the whole process. I couldn't believe how quickly they were able to get the offending site to remove my photos. If I ever run into a similar situation again, there's no question about it - I'm going straight to DMCA.com.
What do I need to get my picture taken off a website?
Three pieces of information are needed to start the takedown of a picture:
1: Links to the Stolen Content
What is the link that you want the picture removed from? Where on the internet (or platform like Facebook or Instagram) is your stolen picture located? Be sure to provide the URL or website/webpage link of the content you want removed, provide the direct link of the content contained in the site.
An example link would look like: https://www.badguy_site.com/webpage/image_2
2: Links to the Original Content
Was the picture stolen from your own website? Where was your picture located when it was stolen? Was it on you social media profile like Reddit or Tumblr? Provide the exact URL where it was stolen from, even if the picture has already been removed from it's original location. The original URL is still valuable to the notice. If it was not online you can reference cell phone, computer, or camera etc. If it was online such as a website or cloud storage provide the link to the exact page it was stolen from. You can upload the original picture to a cloud storage service and provide that URL with an expalanation of where it was originally stolen from.
An example link would look like: https://share.icloud.com/photos/my_original_content
3. The Description of How the Content was Stolen
How is the picture yours? How do you own it? What is the picture owner's name and how was the picture stolen? Did you create it, buy it, copyright it? Who is claiming ownership of the picture? Who is authorized to file the DMCA Takedown? When did you create the picture and when was it stolen?
An example description would read like: "My picture I took of myself using my camera was stolen from my Google Drive and was posted on this website without my knowledge and I would like it removed."
If you are unsure how to collect the information for these three categories the Professional Takedown Team at DMCA.com can help with the answers. Click here to ask us about your situation.
How long does it take to have my picture taken off a website?
The length of time for the picture to be taken down from a website can be hours or days. It depends on the site and conditions of the takedown notice.
The main advantage of using a professional company like DMCA.com get your pictures removed is expertise and experience in building and processing takedown notices.
- Expertise means, getting it right the first time. It is critical to get notice process right the first time to not waste time in the getting the picture removed.
- Experience means, the team is familiar with the site where your picture is located and will know what it takes to get it removed quickly.
What if my stolen picture is published on more than one site?
Most often stolen picturea are on multiple websites or platforms. Our takedown signup form has all the space you need to add as many links as you want so that our Professional Takedown team can review the list and advise you on best options to proceed.
Our team is familiar with the process of multiple website and platform takedown notices. They'll help guide you through what you need to do.
If there is one site in particular that is of the most concern for you be sure and highlight that when you submit your takedown request. This will help the team prioritize what is most important to you.
What if I don't have a copy of the original picture?
Not having source copies or information of proof is a common problem that can make the issue more complex.
Our Professionaly Takedown team is familiar with the process of missing source information for takedown notices. They'll help guide you through what is needed to do and fix.
Please be sure to clearly state why the information is not available.
Related DMCA Takedown FAQ's
- What is the DMCA Protected Badge
- What is DMCA Protection
- What is DMCA Takedowns
- What is DMCA.com
- What is DMCA Protected Certificate
- What is DMCA Website Certificate
- What is DMCA Website Status Page and Protection Certificate