The Collective Press

DMCA/COPYRIGHT POLICY

Digital Millennium Copyright Act Compliance & Copyright Protection

Effective Date: December 2025
Version: 1.0

INTRODUCTION

The Collective Press respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects our community to do the same. This policy outlines our procedures under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and our broader copyright practices.

Our Commitment: We balance three principles:

  1. Protecting creators’ rights: Copyright holders deserve recognition and control
  2. Enabling free knowledge: Information wants to flow, especially transformative wisdom
  3. Safeguarding community: Fair processes protect against abuse

1.1 The Collective Press Content

Sacred Synthesis and Related Works:

  • Website design, branding, and book content: © The Collective Press, all rights reserved
  • Some content may have different licenses (clearly marked)
  • Cannot be used commercially without permission
  • Short excerpts (up to 500 words) with attribution for commentary/criticism
  • Block quotes with clear citation
  • Excerpts in book reviews

Attribution Required: “From [Work Title] by Memoriam, published by The Collective Press (thecollectivepress.org)”

1.2 User-Generated Content

You Retain Ownership: When you post content (comments, forum posts, contributions), you retain copyright.

License You Grant Us: By posting, you grant The Collective Press a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to:

  • Display your content on our platforms
  • Distribute your content to other users
  • Make technical reproductions (caching, backups)
  • Create derivative works necessary for formatting/display

Your Responsibilities:

  • Post only content you own or have permission to share
  • Respect others’ copyrights
  • Provide attribution when sharing others’ work
  • Don’t post pirated content (unauthorized books, articles, etc.)

SECTION 2: DMCA SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS

2.1 Designated Copyright Agent

The Collective Press designates the following agent to receive DMCA takedown notices:

Copyright Agent
The Collective Press
Email: dmca@thecollectivepress.org
30 N Gould St #11074

Sheridan, WY, 82801, USA

Response Time: We review and respond to valid DMCA notices within 48-72 hours.

2.2 What is the DMCA?

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. § 512) provides a legal process for copyright holders to request removal of infringing content from online platforms.

Safe Harbor: If we follow DMCA procedures, we’re protected from liability for user-posted content, provided we:

  1. Respond promptly to valid takedown notices
  2. Remove or disable access to allegedly infringing material
  3. Notify the user who posted the content
  4. Have a repeat infringer policy

We comply with these requirements.

SECTION 3: FILING A DMCA TAKEDOWN NOTICE

3.1 Before Filing

Ask Yourself:

  • Do I actually own the copyright to this work?
  • Is the use actually infringing, or could it be fair use? (commentary, criticism, education, parody)
  • Have I tried contacting the user directly to resolve this?

Fair Use Consideration: Not all unauthorized uses are infringement. US law allows “fair use” for purposes like:

  • Commentary and criticism
  • News reporting
  • Teaching and education
  • Research and scholarship
  • Parody

We encourage resolving disputes informally when possible.

3.2 Required Elements of Valid DMCA Notice

Under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3), your notice must include:

  1. Physical or electronic signature of copyright owner or authorized agent
  2. Identification of copyrighted work claimed to be infringed
    • If multiple works, a representative list
  3. Identification of infringing material and location on our site
    • Specific URLs or other identifying information
    • “Everything this user has ever posted” is insufficient
  4. Your contact information:
    • Name
    • Address
    • Phone number
    • Email address
  5. Statement of good faith belief: “I have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.”
  6. Statement of accuracy: “The information in this notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, I am the copyright owner or authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.”
  7. Signature: Physical or electronic

3.3 How to Submit

Email (preferred): dmca@thecollectivepress.org

  • Subject line: “DMCA Takedown Notice”
  • Include all required elements from Section 3.2

Mail:
The Collective Press
DMCA Copyright Agent
[Address]
[City, State, Zip]

Do NOT send incomplete notices. We can only act on notices containing all required elements.

3.4 What Happens Next

Step 1: Review (24-48 hours)
We review your notice for completeness and validity.

Step 2: Action (if valid)
We remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing material.

Step 3: Notification
We notify the user who posted the content, providing them your notice (minus your contact info, unless they file counter-notice).

Step 4: User Response
User has opportunity to file counter-notice (see Section 4).

Step 5: Resolution (10-14 business days)
If no counter-notice, material remains removed.
If counter-notice filed, we may restore content per DMCA process.

SECTION 4: FILING A DMCA COUNTER-NOTICE

4.1 If Your Content Was Removed

If we removed your content due to a DMCA notice, you’ll receive notification including:

  • The takedown notice (minus complainant’s contact info)
  • Reason for removal
  • Information about counter-notice process

Your Options:

  1. Accept removal: If infringement claim is valid, no action needed
  2. Contact complainant: Try to resolve directly (we may provide contact info upon request)
  3. File counter-notice: If you believe removal was mistaken or content is non-infringing

4.2 Required Elements of Valid Counter-Notice

Under 17 U.S.C. § 512(g)(3), your counter-notice must include:

  1. Your physical or electronic signature
  2. Identification of removed material and location where it appeared before removal
    • URL or specific description
  3. Statement under penalty of perjury: “I swear, under penalty of perjury, that I have a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification of the material.”
  4. Consent to jurisdiction: “I consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for [your district] and will accept service of process from the person who filed the original DMCA notice or an agent of that person.”
  5. Your contact information:
    • Name
    • Address
    • Phone number
    • Email address
  6. Signature: Physical or electronic

4.3 How to Submit Counter-Notice

Email (preferred): dmca@thecollectivepress.org
Subject line: “DMCA Counter-Notice”

Mail:
The Collective Press
DMCA Copyright Agent
[Address]
[City, State, Zip]

4.4 What Happens After Counter-Notice

Step 1: Review (24-48 hours)
We review counter-notice for completeness.

Step 2: Forward to Complainant (2-3 business days)
We send your counter-notice to the original complainant, including your contact information.

Step 3: Waiting Period (10-14 business days)
Complainant has 10-14 business days to file lawsuit against you. If they do, they must notify us.

Step 4: Restoration
If complainant doesn’t file lawsuit within 10-14 days, we restore your content.

Legal Risk: By filing counter-notice, you may be subject to lawsuit from complainant. Consider consulting an attorney if unsure.

SECTION 5: REPEAT INFRINGER POLICY

5.1 Three-Strike Policy

The Collective Press maintains a policy of terminating accounts of repeat copyright infringers in appropriate circumstances.

Strike 1: Warning

  • First valid DMCA takedown results in warning
  • Removal of infringing content
  • Education about copyright

Strike 2: Temporary Suspension

  • Second valid DMCA takedown results in 30-day account suspension
  • Required copyright education before reinstatement

Strike 3: Permanent Termination

  • Third valid DMCA takedown results in permanent account termination
  • Appeal available (see Section 5.2)

What Counts as a “Strike”:

  • Valid DMCA takedown notice (all required elements, not subject to successful counter-notice)
  • Determined to be actual infringement (not fair use or other authorized use)

What Does NOT Count:

  • False or invalid DMCA notices
  • Content successfully restored via counter-notice
  • Fair use or authorized uses
  • Good faith mistakes

5.2 Appeals

If your account is terminated, you may appeal by emailing legal@thecollectivepress.org with:

  • Your account information
  • Explanation of why termination was error
  • Evidence supporting your position (counter-notices, licenses, fair use arguments)

Appeals reviewed within 30 days. Decision is final.

SECTION 6: MISUSE OF DMCA PROCESS

6.1 False Claims

17 U.S.C. § 512(f) imposes liability for knowingly making material misrepresentations in DMCA notices or counter-notices.

Consequences of False DMCA Notices:

  • You may be liable for damages (legal fees, lost profits)
  • Perjury penalties (statements made under oath)
  • Account termination on our platform

We reserve the right to:

  • Refuse future notices from abusive filers
  • Report abusive filers to appropriate authorities
  • Seek damages for harm caused by false notices

6.2 Fair Use Consideration

We encourage copyright holders to consider fair use before filing DMCA notices. Not every unauthorized use is infringement.

Factors Suggesting Fair Use:

  • Educational or research purpose
  • Transformative use (commentary, criticism, parody)
  • Small amount used
  • No market harm to original work

If you’re not sure whether use is fair use, consider:

  • Consulting the Copyright Office’s Fair Use Index: copyright.gov/fair-use/
  • Seeking legal advice
  • Contacting the user directly before filing DMCA notice

SECTION 7: COPYRIGHT FOR SPECIFIC CONTENT TYPES

7.1 Quotations and Excerpts

Acceptable:

  • Short excerpts (up to 500 words) with attribution for commentary/criticism
  • Block quotes with clear citation
  • Excerpts in book reviews

Not Acceptable:

  • Posting entire copyrighted articles, books, or long-form works
  • Reposting substantial portions without permission
  • Systematic reproduction of copyrighted materials

Best Practice: When in doubt, link to the original source rather than reposting full text.

7.2 Images and Multimedia

Acceptable:

  • Your own original photos, videos, artwork
  • Public domain images (published before 1928 in US, or explicitly in public domain)
  • Creative Commons licensed images (following license terms)
  • Fair use (commentary on the image itself, in appropriate context)

Not Acceptable:

  • Google Image Search results (just because it’s on Google doesn’t mean it’s free to use)
  • Screenshots of copyrighted content (unless fair use applies)
  • Memes using copyrighted images (may be fair use, but risky)

Best Practice: Use your own images or explicitly licensed images from sites like Unsplash, Pexels, Wikimedia Commons.

7.3 Teaching and Study Materials

Sacred Synthesis Study Groups:

  • May use short excerpts from all sources for educational discussion
  • Should not copy and distribute entire copyrighted books or articles

Educational Fair Use:

  • Nonprofit educational purposes have stronger fair use arguments
  • Still limited to what’s necessary for educational purpose
  • Commercial test prep or for-profit education has weaker fair use protection

7.4 Linking vs. Embedding

Links: Always okay to link to lawfully published content elsewhere on the internet (no copyright issue).

Embedding: Embedding videos/content hosted elsewhere (e.g., YouTube embeds) is generally okay if:

  • Original content was posted lawfully
  • You’re not circumventing access restrictions

Hot-linking Images: Displaying images hosted on someone else’s server without permission is discouraged (bandwidth theft, even if not copyright infringement).

SECTION 8: OUR PROACTIVE MEASURES

8.1 What We Do to Prevent Infringement

  • Community Guidelines: Educate users about copyright
  • Moderation: Remove obvious infringement when we become aware
  • Reporting Tools: Easy process for reporting potential infringement
  • Repeat Infringer Policy: Deter chronic infringers

8.2 What We Do NOT Do

We are not copyright police:

  • We don’t proactively monitor all user content for potential infringement
  • We don’t make legal determinations about fair use (that’s for courts)
  • We respond to valid DMCA notices but don’t independently investigate every post

Safe Harbor: DMCA § 512 protects platforms like us from liability for user content, provided we respond to valid notices. Proactive monitoring is not required.

9.1 Berne Convention

Most countries are parties to the Berne Convention, meaning:

  • Copyright is automatic upon creation (no registration required)
  • Foreign works are protected in most countries
  • US DMCA applies to content on our US-based platform, regardless of where user is located

9.2 Special Considerations

Public Domain Varies by Country:

  • A work in public domain in one country may still be copyrighted in another
  • Generally, we follow US copyright law since our servers are in the US
  • International users should be aware of their local laws

EU Copyright Directive:

  • Additional provisions apply to EU users
  • Article 17 (formerly Article 13): Platforms must obtain licenses or implement measures to prevent infringement
  • We comply through DMCA process and repeat infringer policy

SECTION 10: RESOURCES AND EDUCATION

10.1 Learn More About Copyright

US Copyright Office: copyright.gov

  • FAQs, guides, fair use information

Stanford Fair Use Center: fairuse.stanford.edu

  • Fair use explanations and case law

Creative Commons: creativecommons.org

  • Learn about open licensing

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): eff.org

  • Digital rights and fair use advocacy

10.2 When to Consult an Attorney

Seek legal advice if:

  • You receive a DMCA notice and aren’t sure if content is infringing
  • You’re considering filing a DMCA notice for high-value work
  • You receive a counter-notice and are considering lawsuit
  • You’re facing account termination and believe it’s unjust
  • Copyright issues involve significant financial stakes

We cannot provide legal advice. This policy is educational, not legal counsel.

SECTION 11: CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

We may update this Copyright Policy to reflect:

  • Changes in copyright law (including DMCA amendments)
  • Court decisions affecting our obligations
  • Operational improvements

Notification: Material changes will be announced via:

  • Updated “Last Modified” date
  • Email to registered users
  • Website notice

Review: We recommend checking this policy periodically.

SECTION 12: CONTACT US

DMCA Takedown Notices: dmca@thecollectivepress.org
DMCA Counter-Notices: dmca@thecollectivepress.org
General Copyright Questions: legal@thecollectivepress.org
Other Inquiries: contact@thecollectivepress.org

Mail:
The Collective Press
DMCA Copyright Agent
30 N Gould St #11074

Sheridan, WY, 82801, USA

CONCLUSION

Copyright law balances creators’ rights with public access to information. At The Collective Press, we honor both:

  • We protect copyright holders through DMCA compliance
  • We enable free knowledge through Creative Commons licensing
  • We safeguard fair use through careful consideration

Thank you for respecting intellectual property while participating in our community.

Last Updated: December 29, 2025 | Version 1.0