- Authorized agent
- A person or entity granted authority by a rights holder to assert and enforce copyright claims on the rights holder’s behalf. Verights acts as authorized agent for the rights holders we represent under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3)(A)(vi).
- Claim reference number
- The unique identifier (format IC-XXXXX) we assign to each copyright claim. Use it to look up the underlying evidence in our portal.
- Counter-notification (§ 512(g))
- A federal statutory instrument filed with the platform that received a takedown, asserting that the takedown was a mistake or misidentification. Triggers a 10–14 business-day window during which the rights holder may sue in federal court before content is restored.
- DMCA
- The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, codified primarily at 17 U.S.C. § 512. The federal framework governing online copyright enforcement, takedowns, and counter-notifications.
- Designated Agent (§ 512(c)(2))
- An agent registered with the U.S. Copyright Office by an online service provider seeking safe harbor for user-uploaded content. NOT applicable to rights-enforcement agents like Verights. We are not an online service provider seeking safe harbor; we are an authorized agent of rights holders.
- Expedited Settlement Window
- The 30-day period during which a respondent can resolve a claim through our portal at the disclosed price. Tolled automatically by a timely Review Request or GDPR Art. 22 human-review request.
- Fair use (17 U.S.C. § 107)
- A defense against infringement based on a four-factor analysis: purpose, nature of the work, amount used, and market effect. Decided case-by-case by courts.
- Fingerprinting
- The process of generating a unique digital signature from a copyrighted work that allows automated detection of unauthorized copies across platforms.
- Lenz
- Lenz v. Universal Music Corp., 815 F.3d 1145 (9th Cir. 2016). Established that copyright owners must consider fair use in good faith before issuing a takedown notice. Our team reviews each material claim and considers fair use in good faith before notice issues, consistent with this standard.
- License
- Express or implied permission from a rights holder authorizing a particular use of a copyrighted work.
- Master Representation Agreement (MRA)
- The contract between Verights and a rights holder that grants us authority to assert claims and execute settlements on the rights holder’s behalf.
- Misrepresentation (§ 512(f))
- A federal cause of action against anyone who knowingly materially misrepresents that material is infringing in a takedown notice. The reason we consider fair use in good faith before issuing material notices.
- Notice (DMCA § 512(c)(3))
- The takedown notice itself. The formal communication to a platform asserting that user-posted content infringes a copyrighted work. Must contain specific statutory elements.
- Retraction
- A formal withdrawal of a takedown notice. Filed with the platform when a settlement is reached or when Verights determines the original notice was incorrect.
- Review Request
- An internal Verights process where a respondent can challenge a claim on grounds like valid license, original-creator status, fair use, or misidentification. Not the same as a § 512(g) counter-notification.
- Rights holder
- The owner of a copyrighted work, or the holder of an exclusive right under copyright. The party Verights acts on behalf of.
- Safe harbor
- The DMCA § 512 protection that shields online service providers from liability for user-uploaded content, provided they meet specific conditions including registering a Designated Agent.
- Takedown
- The removal or disabling of access to user content by a platform in response to a copyright notice.
- Whitelist
- Authorized accounts whose use of your content will not be flagged by our detection system. Configured during onboarding.
