📜Introduction

Voykuh ("we," "us," or "our") respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects our users to do the same. This Copyright Policy outlines our commitment to protecting copyrighted materials on our platform and explains the procedures we follow when we receive allegations of copyright infringement.

This policy is part of our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. By using Voykuh, you agree to comply with this Copyright Policy.

⚠️ Important Notice

Copyright infringement is a serious matter. We will respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement that comply with applicable law and are properly submitted to us. We may also terminate accounts of users who are determined to be repeat infringers.

🎯Our Commitment

We are committed to:

✅Protecting Rights Holders

  • Prompt Response: Processing valid DMCA takedown notices within 24-48 business hours
  • Clear Procedures: Maintaining transparent processes for reporting infringement
  • Enforcement: Taking appropriate action against repeat infringers
  • Cooperation: Working with rights holders to protect their content

⚖️Balancing User Rights

  • Fair Process: Providing counter-notification procedures for disputed claims
  • Fair Use: Respecting legitimate fair use of copyrighted material
  • Education: Helping users understand their rights and responsibilities
  • Transparency: Clear communication about policy enforcement

👤User Responsibilities

As a user of Voykuh, you are responsible for ensuring that the content you upload, share, or distribute does not infringe upon the copyrights or other intellectual property rights of others.

Before You Post

  • Own It: Only post content that you created yourself
  • License It: Obtain proper licenses or permissions for third-party content
  • Credit It: Properly attribute content when required by the license
  • Transform It: Understand that transformative use may qualify as fair use

Prohibited Content

You may NOT upload, post, or share:

  • Content that you do not own or have rights to use
  • Pirated software, music, movies, or other media
  • Unauthorized copies of copyrighted photographs or artwork
  • Content that infringes trademarks or other intellectual property
  • Tools or information intended to circumvent copyright protections

💡 Remember

Just because content is available online doesn't mean it's free to use. Always verify that you have the right to share content before posting it.

📋DMCA Takedown Process

If you believe that your copyrighted work has been copied and made available on Voykuh in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, you may submit a notification pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

Requirements for a Valid DMCA Notice

Your notification must include:

1. Physical or Electronic Signature

A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on their behalf

2. Identification of Copyrighted Work

Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or a representative list if multiple works are involved

3. Identification of Infringing Material

Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing and information reasonably sufficient to permit us to locate the material (such as the URL)

4. Contact Information

Your contact information, including your address, telephone number, and email address

5. Good Faith Statement

A statement that you have a good faith belief that use of the material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law

6. Accuracy Statement

A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

What Happens After You Submit

  1. Review: We will review your notice for completeness and validity
  2. Action: If valid, we will promptly remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing content
  3. Notification: We will notify the user who posted the content about the takedown
  4. Counter-Notice: The user may submit a counter-notification if they believe the takedown was improper

🔄Counter-Notification Process

If you believe your content was removed by mistake or misidentification, you may submit a counter-notification.

Requirements for a Valid Counter-Notice

Your counter-notification must include:

  • Physical or Electronic Signature: Your signature
  • Identification: Identification of the material that has been removed and the location where it appeared before removal
  • Statement Under Perjury: A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief that the material was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification
  • Consent to Jurisdiction: Your consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located, or if outside the United States, any judicial district in which we may be found
  • Acceptance of Service: A statement that you will accept service of process from the person who provided the original DMCA notification
  • Contact Information: Your name, address, and telephone number

What Happens After You Submit

  1. Forward: We will forward your counter-notice to the original complainant
  2. Wait Period: The complainant has 10-14 business days to file a court action
  3. Restoration: If no court action is filed, we may restore your content

⚠️ Important Warning

Filing a counter-notification can have legal consequences. If you file a counter-notification, you may be sued by the copyright owner. Consider consulting with an attorney before filing.

🚫Repeat Infringer Policy

Voykuh maintains a policy to terminate the accounts of users who are determined to be repeat infringers of copyrighted works.

Strike System

⚠️ First Strike

Warning: Your content is removed and you receive a formal warning explaining the violation.

⛔ Second Strike

Restriction: Content removal, temporary upload restrictions, and mandatory copyright education review.

🚫 Third Strike

Termination: Permanent account termination and potential legal action referral.

Strike Considerations

  • Strikes are assessed based on valid DMCA takedown notices
  • Counter-notifications that result in content restoration may remove a strike
  • Strikes may expire after 12 months of no further violations
  • Severe or willful infringement may result in immediate termination regardless of prior strikes

⚖️Fair Use Considerations

We recognize that not all uses of copyrighted material constitute infringement. Fair use is a legal doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without obtaining permission.

Factors Considered in Fair Use

  • Purpose and Character: Whether the use is commercial or for nonprofit educational purposes, and whether it is transformative
  • Nature of Work: Whether the copyrighted work is creative (more protection) or factual (less protection)
  • Amount Used: How much of the copyrighted work was used relative to the whole
  • Market Effect: Whether the use affects the potential market for the original work

Examples That May Qualify as Fair Use

  • Commentary and criticism with brief quotes
  • News reporting with limited excerpts
  • Parody that transforms the original work
  • Educational use in certain contexts
  • Research and scholarship

💡 Note

Fair use is determined on a case-by-case basis. We cannot provide legal advice on whether your specific use qualifies as fair use. When in doubt, seek permission from the copyright holder or consult with an attorney.

🔍Content Identification

We employ various technologies and processes to identify potentially infringing content:

🤖Automated Systems

  • Hash Matching: Comparing uploaded content against known infringing material
  • Audio Fingerprinting: Identifying copyrighted music in videos
  • Image Recognition: Detecting unauthorized use of protected images
  • Text Analysis: Identifying copied written content

👥Human Review

  • Manual Review: Human review of flagged content
  • Appeal Processing: Manual review of all counter-notifications
  • Context Assessment: Evaluating fair use claims with appropriate context

📄Licensing & Permissions

Understanding licensing is essential for sharing content legally on Voykuh.

Common License Types

  • All Rights Reserved: Default copyright - requires explicit permission for any use
  • Creative Commons: Various licenses allowing different levels of use with attribution
  • Public Domain: Works with no copyright restrictions
  • Royalty-Free: Licensed content that can be used without ongoing royalties
  • Rights-Managed: Licensed content with specific usage restrictions

Obtaining Permission

To obtain permission to use copyrighted content:

  1. Identify the copyright holder
  2. Contact them directly or through their designated agent
  3. Clearly describe how you intend to use the content
  4. Obtain written permission before posting
  5. Keep records of all permissions obtained

🌍International Copyright

While Voykuh is operated from Canada, our platform is used by people worldwide. We respect international copyright laws and treaties.

International Frameworks

  • Berne Convention: Provides automatic copyright protection across 180+ countries
  • TRIPS Agreement: Sets minimum standards for intellectual property protection
  • WIPO Treaties: Addresses digital copyright issues
  • EU Copyright Directive: Additional protections for EU users

Users from different countries may be subject to their local copyright laws in addition to this policy.

📢How to Report Infringement

📝 Report Copyright Infringement

Gather Information

Collect all required documentation including proof of ownership

Submit Notice

Send a complete DMCA notice to our designated agent

Wait for Review

Our team reviews your notice within 24-48 hours

Action Taken

We remove infringing content and notify the uploader

Required Information

Include in your report:

  • Your full legal name and contact information
  • Description of the copyrighted work
  • URL(s) of the infringing content on Voykuh
  • Proof of your ownership (registration, original files, etc.)
  • Signed statements as required by DMCA