Brand Protection & Content Protection
-Takedown Guides-
TikTok
A Guide To The TikTok Infringement Complaint Webform
TikTok – owned by ByteDance, has rapidly become the killer app dominating screen time of Generation Z. ByteDance also own Douyin – the Chinese (and original) version of TikTok. Douyin and TikTok look almost identical, however, content is kept separate in an attempt to comply with Chinese government regulations.
The focus of this guide below is how-to submit a notification for copyright infringement using the TikTok report copyright infringement webform. ByteDance generally process removal requests in under three days. Intellectual property infringements can be reported via the webform, click here to access.
Click on the image to enlarge
Contact Information
The first section for the reporter to complete covers the basic contact details, identification and the type of infringement. In the first box, the reporter should enter their name or company they represent. In the second box the reporter must enter the copyright holder’s full name. If the reporter is not the copyright holder, then the reporter must ensure the copyright holder correctly corresponds with the name on the authorisation document (i.e. power of attorney) which is required to be uploaded below. The next three boxes require the reporter to enter an email address, a physical address and a phone number. It is recommended to have an email account and phone number designated to handle communications with platforms and uploaders.
Copyright ownership
Selecting the correct option to state the relationship the reporter has with the copyright owner (if not the copyright owner) is vital to having the notice processed in a timely manner. Following the selection of being copyright owner or relationship status with the copyright owner the reporter must upload a document which proves the authorisation and relationship the reporter has with the copyright owner. A copyright owner requires proof of identification, either personal or company.
Click on the image to enlarge
Content to report
Infringements must be identified by URL. To save a video URL for reporting via the webform if using the TikTok app, click the arrow on the right side of the video which opens the operating system’s options to share or save the URL. Multiple URLs can be sent in a single notice. As detailed below, only a single work can be protected within a single complaint, therefore it is advised to only include videos infringing the same material in a single notice.
About your copyrighted work
The reporter is provided with options to select the type of work they own which is being infringed, including “Video”, “Original Music”, “Non-Music Audio”, “Photo”. Confusingly, “Logo” is also an option at this point – helpfully, this protects trade mark holders and those with a logo that is not registered. If selecting this option the reporter is advised to use the optional “Upload file” button to show uses of the logo or trade mark registration. A description of the work must be included, it is advised to include a thorough description to ensure timely processing of the complaint.
Click on the image to enlarge
Statement
The final section has three checkboxes, these must be selected to agree to the terms of the submission, however, agreeing to the statements has legal consequences and should be read carefully. The first statement confirms the reporter is submitting the notice in good faith; the second statement confirms the accuracy of the information; and the final statement explains how the data in the submission will be used, including being forwarded to the uploader of the infringing content.
Signature
To finish, the reporter must type their name, matching the name included at the start of the report and then click the send button. The notice will be sent for the infringing content to be removed, pending review.