Google Adward Copyright Policies

Objective: Understand Google's copyright policy and copyright claims procedure.

What is a Copyright?

A copyright is the legal right granted to an author, composer, playwright, or publisher to exclusive publication, production, sale, or distribution of a literary, musical, or artistic work.

Google's Copyright Policy

Google's policy on copyrights pertains to website content and can apply to ads, search results, and Google Groups postings. Google's policy stems from the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Once a copyright owner submits a form with the required information, Google will investigate the claim per the DMCA and remove the allegedly infringing material, if appropriate.
In accordance with the DMCA, ads may be removed for copyright infringement reasons. Ad disapprovals due to copyright complaints may be contested through the DMCA counter notification procedure.
Learn more about Google's copyright policy.

Copyright Claims Procedure

For Google to investigate claims of alleged copyright infringement, the copyright owner must provide the following information in a signed letter on company stationery:

1. Identify in sufficient detail the copyrighted work that you believe has been infringed. For example, 'The copyrighted work at issue is the text that appears on www.google.com/ads.'
2. Identify the material that you claim is infringing the copyrighted work listed in item #1 above. This requires you to provide the search query that you used and the URL for each allegedly infringing ad.
3. Provide information reasonably sufficient to permit Google to contact you (email address is preferred.)
4. Provide information, if possible, sufficient to permit Google to notify the owner or administrator of the web page that allegedly contains infringing material (email address is also preferred.)
5. Include the following statement: 'I have a good faith belief that use of the copyrighted materials described above on the allegedly infringing web pages is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.'
6. Include the following statement: 'I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.'
7. Your signature.

The administrator of an affected site may make a counter notification. When we receive a counter notification, we will reinstate the material in question. To file a counter notification with us, you must provide a written communication that sets forth the items specified below.

1. Identify the specific URLs of material that Google has removed or to which Google has disabled access. For Google Groups, identify the sender, date, newsgroup, and subject matter of all the material in question.
2. Provide your name, address, telephone number, email address, and a statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of Federal District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located (or Santa Clara County, California if your address is outside of the United States), and that you will accept service of process from the person who provided notification under subsection (c)(1)(C) or an agent of such person.
3. Include the following statement: "I swear, under penalty of perjury, that I have a good faith belief that each search result or message identified above was removed or disabled as a result of a mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled."
4. Your signature.

Where to Send Your Copyright Claim Letter

Copyright complaints, like Trademark complaints, should be mailed to the following address:
Google, Inc.
Attn: Google AdWords, Copyright Complaints
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
USA
You can also fax us your letter.
In the US: 650-963-3255
Outside the US: 011-650-963-3255
Attn: Google Copyright Complaints

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