How to Report Copyright Infringement on TikTok

Finding your original video re-uploaded without credit is a frustrating experience for any creator. Protecting your creative work is an essential part of growing your brand, and knowing how to handle content theft is a skill every creator needs. This guide will walk you through the steps to report copyright infringement and reclaim your content on TikTok.

What Counts as Copyright Infringement on TikTok?

Before you file a report, it's crucial to understand what constitutes copyright infringement. In simple terms, copyright is the legal right you have over your original creative work from the moment you create it. You don't need to file any paperwork for it to exist. If you filmed and edited it, it's yours.

On TikTok, copyright infringement typically looks like this:

• Full Re-uploads: Someone downloads your video and uploads it to their own account as if it's theirs. This is the most clear-cut case of infringement.
• Using Your Original Audio: If you created an original sound and someone else uses it without permission, that's infringement. This does not apply to when they use the "Use this sound" feature on an audio you've officially uploaded.
• Compilations Without Transformation: An account takes significant chunks of your video (and others') and strings them together in a "best of" compilation without adding commentary or criticism.
• Using Your Video in the Background: Another user features your video playing in the background of their own video without adding anything transformative.

A Quick Note on "Fair Use" and Giving Credit

Giving credit is nice, but it does not cancel out copyright infringement. You, the copyright holder, have the exclusive right to decide where and how your content is broadcast.

Similarly, "fair use" allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes like commentary, criticism, or parody. A reaction video that provides genuine commentary might qualify. A simple re-upload with a caption does not. Fair use is a complex legal defense, not a blanket permission slip.

Preparation is Everything: What to Do Before You File a Report

Before hitting the report button, a few minutes of preparation will increase your chances of a successful takedown. Think of it as building your case file.

Gather Your Evidence

Before you fill out any forms, have this information ready and organized:

• The URL of the Infringing Video: Navigate to the stolen video on TikTok, tap the "Share" button, and select "Copy link."
• The URL(s) to Your Original Work: Provide a direct link to where you first published the content. This could be your original TikTok video, a YouTube video, or a clip on your Instagram Reels.
• Screenshots and Screen Recordings: Take a screenshot of the infringing account's profile and a screen recording of the stolen video playing. This proves the infringement existed, even if deleted later.

Confirm It's Your Copyright to Defend

Double-check that you own 100% of the content. If you used any stock footage or licensed music, a third party owns rights to those elements. Your claim should focus on the creative work that is originally and exclusively yours.

The Official Way: How to File a Copyright Infringement Report on TikTok

You have two main ways to report copyright infringement to TikTok: the in-app tool and the online web form. The web form is generally the most effective method.

Method 1: Reporting Directly Through the TikTok App

This method is quick and works best for obvious re-uploads of your content. It’s less detailed but can sometimes lead to a fast resolution.

1. Navigate to the infringing video.
2. Tap the Share icon.
3. From the bottom menu, tap Report.
4. Select Intellectual property infringement from the list.
5. Tap Copyright infringement report and then Report.
6. Provide evidence of your original work and confirm your identity. Follow the prompts carefully.

This in-app flow often redirects to the more detailed web form, so it’s often better to start there anyway.

Method 2: Using TikTok’s Online Copyright Infringement Report Form

This is the most powerful way to file your claim. It allows you to provide all the evidence in a structured format. Find the form here: TikTok Copyright Infringement Report.

Let's break down each section of the form:

1. Contact Information

Use your real, legal information:

• Full Legal Name: Enter your full name. This will be shared with the user you are reporting.
• Your Address: Provide your physical mailing address.
• Email and Phone Number: Use an email address you check regularly, as this is where TikTok will send communications about your case.

2. Copyright Owner Information

Clarify who owns the work. Most creators will select "I am the copyright owner." If you are acting on behalf of a client, select "I am authorized to act on behalf of the owner."

3. Your Copyrighted Work

Present the evidence of your work:

• Description of the work: Be specific but concise. For example, "An original 30-second video tutorial demonstrating how to cook lasagna, which I filmed and edited."
• Link to your original work: Paste the direct link to your original TikTok, YouTube short, or Instagram Reel.

4. The Allegedly Infringing Material

Point TikTok to the stolen content:

• Describe how your work has been infringed upon. For example, "This user downloaded my entire video and re-uploaded it without my permission." Or, "This video uses a 15-second clip of my original work."
• URL(s) of the allegedly infringing work: Paste the link to the stolen TikTok video. You can add multiple URLs if several videos from the same user are infringing.

5. Legal Declarations &, Signature

This final section is where you must agree to a series of legal statements by checking the boxes:

• You have a "good faith belief" that the use is not authorized.
• The information you provided is accurate.
• You are testifying "under penalty of perjury" that you are the copyright owner. This confirms you are filing a legitimate claim.

Finally, type your full legal name in the signature box. This acts as your electronic signature. After that, hit submit.

The Waiting Game: What to Expect After You Hit ‘Submit’

Once your report is filed, TikTok's intellectual property team will review it. Be patient, as this can take anywhere from 24 hours to several days.

Here are the likely outcomes:

• The infringing content is removed. Congratulations! TikTok has sided with you, and the video has been taken down. The other user will receive a copyright strike on their account. Multiple strikes can lead to their account being permanently banned. You will receive an email notification about the successful removal.
• Your report is rejected. You may receive an email stating that your claim could not be processed. This often happens if the evidence you provided was insufficient or if TikTok's reviewers determined the use case fell under an exception like fair use.
• The user files a counter-notification. The person you reported has the right to dispute your claim. If they file a counter-notification, you will be notified by TikTok. The content may be temporarily restored unless you provide TikTok with evidence that you have filed a court action seeking an order to restrain the user's infringing activity.

Playing Offense: How to Proactively Protect Your Content

Constantly filing takedown notices is draining. The best strategy to grow your brand on TikTok is to make your content harder to steal and easier to identify as yours from the start.

Watermark Your Videos

A visible watermark with your username or logo is a great deterrent. While someone can crop it out, it adds a layer of effort that will stop lazy content thieves. You can add a subtle one in a corner using a video editing app before you upload. TikTok's watermark with your username is also automatically added when people download videos, providing a native layer of protection.

Establish a Multi-Platform Presence

Post your important videos on more than one platform, like Instagram or YouTube Shorts, around the same time you post to TikTok. This creates a wider, time-stamped public record of your ownership, making your claims even stronger.

Keep Your Raw Files

Always save your original, unedited video footage and the project files from your editing software. These raw assets are the ultimate proof of creation if you ever find yourself in a more serious dispute over ownership.

Periodically Search for Re-Uploads

Every now and then, search on TikTok for keywords from your most popular videos' titles or descriptions. You might be surprised to find smaller accounts re-uploading your content that didn’t appear on your For You Page.

Final Thoughts

Dealing with content theft is an unfortunate reality for creators, but you are not powerless. By methodically gathering evidence and correctly using TikTok's official copyright report form, you can effectively defend your work and get stolen content removed. A proactive approach, where you watermark your videos and maintain a solid record of your creations, will always be your strongest defense in the long run.

A big part of protecting your work is establishing a clear, time-stamped history of your content across multiple platforms. At Postbase, we understand that managing a multi-platform presence can feel chaotic. Our platform makes it simple to plan, schedule, and publish your content everywhere at once from a beautiful visual calendar. This not only builds your brand but also creates a public record of your original work, making it even easier to prove ownership when you need to.

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