PDFNova respects intellectual-property rights and expects users and contributors to do the same. This DMCA Policy describes how a copyright owner or authorized agent can report material that is publicly hosted, displayed, or linked by the website. It does not apply merely because a visitor privately processes a file in the browser; locally processed file contents are not intentionally published or received by PDFNova. Copyright notices involve legal statements and should be accurate, complete, and submitted in good faith. Consider obtaining legal advice before sending a notice or counter-notice.
Purpose of This Policy
This policy provides a structured process for reporting alleged copyright infringement involving content controlled by PDFNova, such as a blog post, image, downloadable asset, or public link. The process helps the site owner identify the exact material, evaluate the claim, contact the affected contributor when appropriate, and take action consistent with applicable law. A complaint about search results, a third-party website, or a private file that was never published by PDFNova may need to be directed elsewhere. The notice should clearly explain why the identified public material falls within the website owner’s control.
Before Submitting a Notice
Confirm that you own the copyrighted work or are authorized to act for the owner. Review whether the use may be licensed, permitted by law, in the public domain, or otherwise non-infringing. A disagreement about facts, criticism, quotation, or ownership may require legal analysis. The website owner cannot provide legal advice or decide complex disputes through a general support message. A knowingly false or materially misleading notice can expose the sender to consequences, so the claim should be investigated carefully before submission.
Identify the Copyrighted Work
A notice should identify the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed. When the complaint covers multiple works on one page or site, provide a representative list that is specific enough to understand the claim. Titles, publication dates, registration information, authorship, and an authorized source can help. Do not send an entire confidential manuscript when a clear description or legitimate reference is sufficient. The information should distinguish the protected expression from a general idea, method, fact, file format, or commonly used phrase.
Identify the Allegedly Infringing Material
Provide the exact PDFNova URL for each item claimed to infringe and describe where the material appears on the page. A home-page address without a specific location may be insufficient. Screenshots can assist but do not replace working URLs when the content remains online. If the complaint concerns an image, identify the image and the surrounding page. If it concerns downloadable material, identify the file name and link. The owner must be able to locate the content without guessing which part of a long page is disputed.
Provide Contact Information
Include the claimant’s legal name or the authorized agent’s name, organization when applicable, mailing address, telephone number, and a monitored email address. Accurate contact details allow the website owner to request clarification and may be shared with the person who provided the challenged material, subject to applicable law. Consider using professional contact information if personal details raise safety concerns. Anonymous or unverifiable complaints may be difficult to process because the required statements and authority cannot be confirmed.
Required Good-Faith Statement
The notice should include a statement that the sender has a good-faith belief that use of the material in the complained-of manner is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law. This statement should reflect an actual review rather than automatic bulk detection alone. Automated tools can identify similarities but may not understand licenses, ownership transfers, quotation, public-domain status, or legal exceptions. The sender remains responsible for the accuracy of the notice even when a vendor prepared or transmitted it.
Accuracy and Authority Statement
The notice should state, under penalty of perjury where required, that the information in the notification is accurate and that the sender is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the exclusive right allegedly infringed. The exact legal wording can matter. PDFNova does not provide a form intended to replace advice from counsel. A person uncertain about authority, ownership, or jurisdiction should obtain qualified guidance before making sworn or legally significant statements.
Signature Requirement
A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or authorized agent should be included. Typing a full legal name at the end of an email may function as an electronic signature in some contexts, but the sender is responsible for satisfying applicable requirements. A company name alone may not identify the person making the statement. The signature should correspond with the contact information and claimed authority so the notice can be evaluated consistently.
Where to Send a Notice
Send a complete notice to the email address displayed on the Contact Us page with a clear subject such as “Copyright Notice” or “DMCA Notice.” Do not send the notice to unrelated authors, advertisers, hosting customers, or social-media accounts unless instructed. Email delivery does not guarantee that a notice is legally sufficient or that immediate removal is required. Keep a copy of the sent message, attachments, delivery confirmation, and any response. Avoid including malware, password-protected archives, or unnecessary personal information.
Review and Initial Action
After receiving a sufficiently complete notice, the site owner may review the identified material, request clarification, temporarily restrict access, remove content, preserve relevant records, or contact the person who supplied it. Action depends on the apparent validity of the claim, the website’s role, applicable law, and available information. Removal is not an admission of infringement. The owner may decline to act on notices that are incomplete, fraudulent, unrelated to content under the owner’s control, or clearly inconsistent with the required process.
Notification to the Content Provider
When appropriate and legally permitted, the person who provided the affected material may receive a copy or summary of the complaint and information about any restriction. Contact details from the notice may therefore be disclosed as part of the process. The provider may have an opportunity to explain a license, correct attribution, remove the material voluntarily, or submit a counter-notice. The website owner is not required to mediate every ownership dispute and may direct the parties to resolve complex issues through legal channels.
Counter-Notice Process
A person whose material was removed or disabled because of a copyright notice may submit a counter-notice when they believe the action resulted from mistake or misidentification. A counter-notice can carry significant legal consequences and should include the information, statements, consent to jurisdiction, and signature required by applicable law. The sender should obtain legal advice before proceeding. PDFNova may forward a valid counter-notice to the original claimant and may restore material after the relevant waiting period unless the claimant reports appropriate legal action.
Repeat Infringement
PDFNova may restrict or terminate access for contributors or users who repeatedly submit infringing public material when the website has the ability and legal basis to do so. A repeat-infringer decision can consider valid notices, counter-notices, retractions, court outcomes, ownership disputes, and the nature of the account or contribution. Automated accusations alone should not determine the result. This policy does not create a promise that every complaint will lead to an account action, especially when the website does not maintain user accounts for ordinary tool use.
Misrepresentation and Abuse
The copyright process must not be used to silence criticism, remove lawful competition, expose personal information, harass a user, or claim rights that the sender does not own. PDFNova may preserve and disclose information about abusive notices when reasonably necessary to defend rights, protect users, or comply with law. A claimant who discovers an error should promptly send a written retraction identifying the original notice and affected URLs. Repeatedly sending duplicate or deceptive complaints may lead to filtering or other protective measures.
Private File Processing Is Different
Many PDFNova tools process a file locally in the visitor’s browser. The website owner does not intentionally receive, inspect, publish, or index that file content. A copyright complaint about a privately processed file generally cannot be investigated because PDFNova has no public URL or server copy to remove. Users remain responsible for having permission to process, convert, extract, or modify documents. A rights holder should direct a claim to the person or service that actually hosts or distributes the disputed material.
Policy Updates and Legal Advice
This policy may be updated to reflect changes in website features, contact details, service-provider requirements, or applicable law. It is a general operational policy and not legal advice to claimants, content providers, or visitors. Copyright law is fact-specific and differs across jurisdictions. Anyone facing a significant dispute, deadline, counter-notice, subpoena, or litigation risk should consult a qualified attorney. Questions about where to send a notice can be directed through the Contact Us page without attaching confidential evidence that is not needed for routing.
Complete Notice Checklist
Before sending a notice, verify that it identifies the protected work, gives the exact public URL, explains the disputed material, includes reliable contact details, contains the required good-faith and accuracy statements, and carries an appropriate signature. Remove unrelated personal information and retain a complete copy. A clear notice can be reviewed faster than a demand containing only screenshots or broad accusations. The site owner may ask for missing information and is not responsible for deadlines the claimant assumes without confirming the legal process that applies.