Content Leaks & DMCA Takedown Requests
At BentBox we invest heavily in preventing content leaks, but the nature of digital content means leaks can still happen. This guide explains exactly what to do if your content appears on another website: how to file a DMCA takedown request with the offending site and with the domain registrar, with a free downloadable template.
Quick answer. If your BentBox content has been uploaded elsewhere without your permission, file a DMCA takedown notice directly with the website hosting the material, and separately with the domain registrar of that website. The notice must be sent by you (the copyright owner) because BentBox does not own your content — we only facilitate its sale. A complete notice must contain six elements required by 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3); a ready-to-use template is available further down this page.
What BentBox does to prevent leaks
Since 2015, BentBox has operated as a curated content marketplace with active human moderation. We apply multiple layers of protection to reduce the risk of content ending up on unauthorised sites:
- Identity and age verification through ProntoID for every creator, with full 18 U.S.C. § 2257 record-keeping.
- Buyer account verification and behavioural monitoring to detect bulk downloading or unusual activity.
- Active human moderation of uploads and reports, supported by automated checks.
- Rapid response to creator reports of suspected leaks so that we can help you document the infringement.
Despite these measures, no digital platform can eliminate leaks entirely. A buyer who screen-records or photographs their screen can always extract an image or video, which is why copyright enforcement tools like the DMCA exist.
Why the DMCA notice must come from you
Under U.S. copyright law, a DMCA takedown notice must be submitted by the copyright owner or a person authorised to act on the owner’s behalf. Creators who sell through BentBox retain full ownership of their content: we simply provide the marketplace, the checkout, and the payout — we do not acquire any rights in your work. This is why BentBox cannot file a takedown notice on your behalf.
The practical consequence is straightforward: only you (or a lawyer or agency you explicitly authorise) can sign and send a valid DMCA notice for your content. The good news is that the process is well established, widely respected, and usually effective — especially when the notice is complete and sent to the right recipients.
How to file a DMCA takedown, step by step
Document the infringement
Gather the direct URL(s) of every page where your content appears, take screenshots with visible date/time, and collect proof of ownership (original files, RAW photos, project files, or your BentBox listing URL).
Find the website’s designated DMCA agent
Most reputable sites publish the contact details of their designated agent in
their Terms of Service or at a /dmca or /copyright URL.
The U.S. Copyright Office also maintains a public
Designated Agent Directory
that you can search by site name.
Identify the domain registrar and hosting provider
Use the ICANN Registration Data Lookup to find the domain registrar. Many sites that aggregate leaked content ignore the first notice, so having the registrar’s abuse address ready is essential: registrars can suspend a domain that repeatedly hosts infringing material.
Complete the DMCA notice with all required details
A notice missing any of the six required elements may be legally ineffective. Fill in every field of the template below — especially the direct URLs, the good-faith statement, the statement under penalty of perjury, and your signature.
Send the notice and keep records
Email the completed notice to the website’s designated agent. If there is no response within a few business days, send the same notice to the domain registrar and, if needed, the hosting provider. Archive every email, reply, and confirmation — they will be valuable if the content resurfaces.
Download the DMCA notice template
We’ve prepared a ready-to-use DMCA takedown template that already includes every element required by 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3). Just replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details.
DMCA Takedown Notice — PDF template
Two-page template with all six required elements, guidance on where to send the notice, and common mistakes to avoid.
Download template (PDF)Sample DMCA takedown notice
This is the same content that appears in the downloadable PDF — shown here so you can preview the structure and tone before downloading:
To: [Name of designated DMCA agent],
[Website name]
From: [Your full legal name],
[Email],
[Phone]
Date: [Date]
Subject: Notice of Copyright Infringement under the DMCA
Dear Designated Agent,
I am writing to notify you of material that infringes my copyright and is accessible via your service. This notice is submitted in accordance with Section 512(c)(3) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. § 512).
1. Identification of the copyrighted work. I am the owner of the following copyrighted work: [describe the original work, e.g. “Photograph titled ‘Summer Collection #04’ taken on [date] by [photographer]”, with a link to the original on bentbox.co if available].
2. Identification of the infringing material. The infringing
material is located at the following URLs:
[Paste each exact infringing URL, one per line]
3. Contact information. You can reach me at [email], [phone], [postal address].
4. Good-faith statement. I have a good-faith belief that use of the material identified above, in the manner complained of, is not authorised by me, my agent, or the law.
5. Statement under penalty of perjury. I state, under penalty of perjury, that the information in this notification is accurate, and that I am the owner of the copyrighted work described above, or am authorised to act on behalf of the owner.
6. Signature.
/s/ [Your full legal name]
[Date]
Complete every field — or your notice may be ignored
A DMCA notice is only legally effective when all six elements of 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3)(A) are present. Common reasons a notice is rejected or ignored:
- Only the homepage of the infringing site is listed, not the direct URL of the infringing page.
- No proof of ownership is offered (for example, no reference to the original work or to the BentBox listing).
- The good-faith and under-penalty-of-perjury statements are missing or paraphrased incorrectly.
- The notice is unsigned, or sent from an anonymous email the recipient cannot reply to.
- The notice is sent to a generic contact email instead of the designated DMCA agent.
Take a few extra minutes to double-check each element — it dramatically increases the chance of a fast, successful takedown.
Official references and useful resources
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17 U.S.C. § 512 — full text (Cornell LII) The statute that defines the DMCA safe harbour and the notice-and-takedown procedure.
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U.S. Copyright Office — Section 512 resource hub Official guidance from the U.S. Copyright Office on the notice-and-takedown system.
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Designated Agent Directory Search for the designated DMCA agent of any registered online service provider.
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ICANN Registration Data Lookup Identify the domain registrar and hosting provider of any domain name.
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USPTO / Department of Commerce — DMCA Good Practices Multistakeholder consensus document on how to send and respond to takedown notices responsibly.
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OCILLA / DMCA 512 — overview (Wikipedia) Plain-language summary of how the safe harbour and notice-and-takedown system work.
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European Commission — Digital Services Act EU equivalent framework for notice-and-action against illegal content.
Frequently asked questions
Does BentBox prevent content leaks?
BentBox uses buyer verification, download restrictions, human moderation, and active monitoring to reduce the risk of leaks. However, no platform can fully prevent a determined buyer from capturing content (for example by screen-recording), which is why DMCA enforcement exists.
Can BentBox file a DMCA takedown on my behalf?
No. A DMCA notice must be filed by the copyright owner or an authorised agent. Creators who sell through BentBox retain ownership of their content; BentBox only facilitates the sale and therefore cannot act as the rights holder.
Why should I also send the notice to the domain registrar?
Domain registrars can suspend a domain that repeatedly hosts infringing material. Sending the notice to the registrar is an effective second channel when the offending website ignores the original notice or hides its DMCA agent.
What must a valid DMCA takedown notice contain?
A valid notice under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3) must contain: a signature; identification of the copyrighted work; identification of the infringing material with direct URLs; your contact information; a good-faith statement; and a statement under penalty of perjury that the information is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorised agent.
What happens if I send a false or bad-faith DMCA notice?
Knowingly submitting a materially false DMCA notice can expose the sender to liability for damages and attorneys’ fees under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f). Only submit a notice for content you genuinely own and only after considering whether any exception (such as fair use) applies.
Does the DMCA work outside the United States?
The DMCA is U.S. law, but most major hosting providers, registrars, and platforms worldwide honour DMCA-style takedown notices voluntarily in order to benefit from safe-harbour protections. For infringers based in the EU, similar mechanisms exist under the Digital Services Act and national copyright laws.