View this policy in your local language:
At Wattpad we value the incredible amount of dedication and commitment that goes into the creation process, so helping creators protect their rights is our top priority.
Posting the copyrighted works of others without their legal consent is strictly prohibited, as outlined in our Terms of Service and Content Guidelines. As a service provider, we also comply with all applicable provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”).
Our policy is to respond to valid notices of alleged copyright infringement we receive by expeditiously removing or disabling access to the allegedly infringing material.
Repeat infringers - In addition to the above policy, we may, when appropriate and at our discretion, terminate the accounts of users who repeatedly or actively infringe the intellectual property rights of others. If an account has multiple copyright infringements or an additional violation is discovered at a later date, the account will be closed. Please note that users' actions are linked to the holder of the account, not the account(s) themselves.
Note: Copyright only protects the physical representation of an idea, not the idea itself. Please note that titles, character names, similar plots, and similar themes do not constitute as copyright infringement. If you are unsure of whether a work infringes your copyright, we encourage you to seek professional/legal advice before submitting a notice.
This establishes the proof of creation required for any copyright issues that arise. If there is any dispute about the original source of the work, the registered date of the digital work on Wattpad provides support for your claims.
When reporting, what is considered a 'published' work?
We only accept reports from individuals other than the copyright owner if the infringing content is an officially published work (works with an ISBN or ASIN: traditionally published, like Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan, or self-published works on Amazon). This is because there is a much higher chance that users do not have permission to post the content on Wattpad so we can remove it in good faith.
The DMCA takedown notice form ensures that the original owner is the one submitting the report, so we can take action without concern. If the individual who submits a DMCA report is not the owner, and the reported user submits a counter-notice, the individual who reported the content is legally liable for their report.
Published works, such as the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan, will have an ISBN or ASIN. An example of what this might look like is:
There are also some exceptions to the traditional "published" works that have ISBN/ASINs that Wattpad currently removes. This includes movies, television shows, and video game scripts. It also includes WEBTOON Originals and Wattpad Originals. If you are unsure whether or not the story you want to report is published, report it to us anyway and we will investigate and reply accordingly. You can find out how in our article: Reporting 'non-published' content on Wattpad
There are several instances where you may need to submit a report for copyright infringement. Please take a look at the following options to find which applies best to your situation:
Reporting content that you own that has been copied on Wattpad:
Please report copyright infringements of your work taking place on or through Wattpad by fully completing a DMCA takedown notice. To learn more about how to do this and what information you should include, please check out our article: How to file a DMCA takedown notice
Reporting 'published' content if you are not the owner:
Example: You need to report a published book (that has an ISBN or ASIN) such as "The Notebook" by Nicholas Sparks or a movie script such as "Spider-man: No Way Home" that has been uploaded to Wattpad.
Reporting to the original Wattpad copyright owner:
Example: You found someone copying your favorite Wattpad author's story and uploading it to their own Wattpad account.
Reporting copyright infringements located outside of Wattpad:
Example: Your Wattpad story has been taken by someone and uploaded to a website that isn't Wattpad.
Reporting 'non-published' content on Wattpad:
Example: You found someone copying a story from another 'non-published' platform (AO3, Tumblr, etc.) to Wattpad.
If the content you are reporting is not a published work, please ask the original copyright owner to submit a DMCA takedown notice. Only the owner of the work or legally authorized representatives (not just individuals given permission by the owner) may submit a DMCA takedown notice as there may be legal repercussions.
If you are unsure if the work you are reporting is published or not, but suspect it is an infringement and want to report it to us, please check out our article: Reporting 'non-published' content on Wattpad
Reporting a Wattpad Original or WEBTOON Original
Even though they are not traditionally "published" works, Wattpad Originals and WEBTOON Originals are exclusive to Naver, and therefore any infringements found on Wattpad can be reported directly to us. For information on how, please check out our article: Reporting 'published' content if you are not the owner
What is piracy?
We do not allow copyright infringement on Wattpad, including promoting and/or facilitation of piracy. This includes piracy in any form, from requesting free download links to sharing full PDFs and even uploading existing works of authors.
We kindly ask everyone to be respectful and help Wattpad to be a friendly and safe environment to enjoy. Please be advised that we reserve the right to delete messages and suspend any accounts that have violated our copyright policies without prior notice.
To report piracy on Wattpad please check out the article above that best suits your needs. For example: if you want to report piracy on Wattpad, such as someone sharing an illegal download link to PDFs of books, check out our article: Reporting 'published' content if you are not the owner. If someone is sharing your content on another website that is not Wattpad, check out our article: Reporting copyright infringements located outside of Wattpad
Can I report my fanfiction if it's been copied on Wattpad?
If your fanfiction is your own original work, aside from the existing characters, you may submit a DMCA takedown notice as the original content is protected by copyright law. To learn more about how to submit a DMCA takedown notice and what information you should include, please check out our article: How to file a DMCA takedown notice
How do I report a video within a Wattpad story for copyright?
Potentially infringing videos in your story are on the YouTube platform and are simply embedded into your story. It is YouTube's responsibility and must be reported through them. If it is removed from YouTube, it will no longer work on Wattpad. Wattpad's Content Guidelines still apply and we will remove videos from your story that are in violation of Wattpad policies but cannot remove them from YouTube. For additional information, you can also check out our Privacy Policy.
Filing a DMCA counter-notice:
If you have received a DMCA takedown notification via a personal message from Wattpad, one or more of your works have been removed in response to a notice of alleged copyright infringement. This means that your content has been deleted from Wattpad at the request of someone who claims to own the copyright to the content. If you are the copyright owner or have proof of permission from the copyright owner, you have the option to file a counter-notice. To learn more please see our article: Filing a DMCA counter-notice
We always recommend saving any original works you create outside of the Wattpad platform. In the event of an account closure due to a violation of any of our policies, we will not restore or transfer story content, which may include your original works that are not an infraction.
We also recommend checking out our Support Bot when looking for quick answers! You can find our bot by clicking on the icon in the bottom right corner of the Help Center (https://support.wattpad.com/hc/en-us), or going to your Settings > Help Center on the app.
Comments
Article is closed for comments.