How do I remove copyright from a video on Facebook?

Copyrights exist to protect the intellectual property rights of creators. On Facebook, users agree to their Terms of Service which prohibits posting content that violates someone else’s copyright. However, users may sometimes unintentionally upload copyrighted material without proper licensing. Reasons for wanting to remove copyrighted content from Facebook include receiving a takedown notice, facing penalties for violations, or simply wishing to respect copyright law.

This article provides an overview of how to remove copyrighted videos from Facebook in order to comply with intellectual property rules. It will cover confirming you have the rights, submitting removal requests, penalties, and tips for avoiding future copyright problems.

Determine If You Have the Rights

The first step is to evaluate if you have permission or rights to post the video content on Facebook. There are a few scenarios where you may have implicit rights:

• You created the video yourself and own full copyright.
• The video is in the public domain and not protected by copyright.
• You have gotten explicit written permission from the copyright holder to share the video.
• Your use qualifies as fair use under copyright law. However, fair use can be complex to determine. It depends on factors like the amount used, purpose, effect on the copyrighted work’s value, and more. In general, sharing an entire copyrighted video does not qualify as fair use.¹

If none of the above apply, you likely do not have the rights to share the full video. Proceeding without permissions opens you up to potential copyright infringement claims.

Options If You Don’t Have Rights

If you receive a copyright notification from Facebook stating that you do not have the rights to post certain content, you have a few options:

You can take down or remove the infringing content immediately to avoid further action from Facebook or the copyright holder. Simply delete the photo, video or text that was flagged from your profile or page.

You may choose to dispute the claim if you believe it was made in error. Facebook provides an appeals process that allows you to explain why you believe you have the rights to post the content. However, disputed claims are rarely overturned, so removing the content is often the safest option.

Your other option is to seek explicit permission or a license from the copyright holder to use their content. You would need to contact them directly to negotiate terms of use for their protected work. Having a written license or permission protects you from further claims of copyright infringement.

If you are unable to get permission, cannot successfully dispute the claim, and choose not to remove the content, Facebook may penalize your account by restricting access or removing your profile or page entirely.

Facebook’s Copyright Removal Process

When a copyright owner submits a valid copyright infringement claim to Facebook, Facebook follows a strict process to handle it according to their policies and legal obligations. The steps include:

1. The copyright owner files a copyright infringement report through Facebook’s online form, detailing the infringing content and providing proof of valid copyright ownership. As per Facebook’s Help Center article, “Reporting Copyright Infringements,” the fastest way to submit a claim is through their online reporting tool (source).

2. Facebook reviews the claim to ensure it meets the requirements of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The claim must identify the infringing content and establish the claimant’s copyright ownership.

3. If the claim meets the DMCA requirements, Facebook promptly removes the identified infringing content and notifies the user who posted it. The user receives an email and notification about the removal as stated on the Facebook Help page, “Copyright” (source).

4. The user has the option to file a counter-notice disputing the removal. But if no counter-notice is filed, the content remains removed as per the copyright holder’s request.

Facebook handles this process carefully to comply with copyright law. Their Help Center resources provide detailed information on how they assess claims and remove infringing content when required.

Submitting a Copyright Removal Request

To submit a copyright removal request to Facebook, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Copyright Report Form on Facebook.
2. Fill out the online form with details about the infringing content. You will need to provide:
   • The specific URL where the infringing content is located
   • A description of the infringing content
   • Proof that you hold the rights to the infringed content, such as registration certificates or licensing agreements
3. Check the box to certify that you have reviewed the Facebook Community Standards and that your request complies with Facebook’s policies.
4. Click “Submit” to send the copyright removal request to Facebook.

Once submitted, Facebook will review your request and determine if the reported content should be removed. This process may take some time, so patience is required. If Facebook agrees the content infringes your copyrights, they will remove the content and notify the uploader.

Exceptions and Disputes

There are some exceptions to copyright that may apply in certain situations on Facebook. One important exception is fair use, which permits limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the rights holder for purposes such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, and research (source). When determining if a video qualifies as fair use, factors like the purpose of the use, nature of the copyrighted work, and amount used are considered.

Examples of fair use of a video on Facebook could include using short clips for parody, commentary, or educational purposes. However, reposting an entire video without permission would likely not qualify as fair use (source).

If you believe your video was removed incorrectly due to a copyright claim, you can dispute the decision and request reinstatement. When submitting a dispute, you’ll need to provide details explaining why you believe your content is authorized or falls under fair use exceptions (source).

Facebook reviews disputes carefully, so make sure you have a valid reason for objecting to the claim. If your dispute is rejected, you can file an appeal explaining why you still believe the decision was mistaken. However, once a final decision has been made, the content will remain down.

Penalties for Copyright Violations

Facebook takes copyright infringement seriously and will penalize users who repeatedly violate others’ copyrights. Penalties may include:

• Account restrictions – Facebook may temporarily restrict certain features like posting, commenting, sharing, etc. The length of the restriction depends on the severity and frequency of violations.
• Copyright strikes – Accounts that receive multiple valid copyright complaints may get a strike. After 3 strikes, Facebook may permanently disable the account.
• Permanent suspension – In severe cases of repeated copyright infringement, Facebook may permanently disable a user’s account and delete it. This is usually after multiple strikes.

According to Facebook’s Terms of Service, “If you repeatedly infringe other people’s intellectual property rights, we will disable your account when appropriate.” Users should take copyright matters seriously to avoid penalties.¹

Avoiding Future Copyright Issues

There are multiple ways you can help prevent future copyright infringement on Facebook:

• Always seek written permission from the copyright holder before posting content you did not create yourself (see Facebook’s Copyright Help Center).
• Avoid re-posting content in its entirety – consider sharing short excerpts or snippets and linking to the original source instead.
• Clearly give credit by tagging or mentioning the original creator of any content you share.
• Be familiar with and follow Facebook’s Terms of Service related to copyright and intellectual property.
• Educate yourself on principles of fair use and what types of content reuse may qualify under fair use provisions.
• If you believe your content falls under fair use, be prepared to provide documented evidence as to why if a dispute arises.
• Limit use of copyrighted music, video clips, images and other media in your own content.
• Set your account’s visibility settings to limit access to copyrighted content only to close friends rather than the general public.

Staying informed on Facebook’s policies, seeking permission, providing attribution, and limiting copyrighted content reuse are key ways to avoid future copyright problems.

Seeking Proper Licensing

Before uploading any copyrighted material on Facebook, it is important to seek proper licensing from the content owner. This involves getting explicit permission from the copyright holder to use their work on your Facebook page or profile. Some ways to obtain proper licensing include:

Contacting the artist, photographer, writer or company that owns the copyright and requesting permission to use their content on Facebook. Many copyright holders have procedures in place to grant licenses. Be sure to get permission in writing via email or a licensing agreement.

Using content from stock media sites like Getty Images or Shutterstock. These sites allow you to purchase licenses for photos, videos and other media that grant legal permission for certain types of use, including on social media. Just be sure the license you purchase permits Facebook usage.

Obtaining a Creative Commons license for content published under flexible copyright terms. This allows reuse with attribution. Look for works marked as CC BY when sourcing Creative Commons media to legally repurpose.

Ensuring you have a license or permission is the best way to avoid copyright issues on Facebook. Relying on fair use provisions alone can be risky. Whenever possible, take time to seek proper licensing. It shows respect for artists and helps foster creativity.

Conclusion

To summarize, if you want to remove copyrighted material from your Facebook videos, first determine if you have the rights to use the content. If not, submit a copyright removal request via Facebook’s online form. Be sure to provide all required information to expedite the process. Going forward, seek proper licensing and avoid copyright infringement to keep your account in good standing.

In closing, while sharing copyrighted material on social media may seem harmless, you could face penalties like account suspension for repeat violations. Always check that you have the rights or a valid Fair Use argument before posting. When in doubt, it’s best to request permission or remove the content to avoid legal issues.