Copyright Policy

This Copyright and Content Complaints Policy (“Policy”) sets out the procedure for submitting and reviewing complaints concerning user content posted or created using FanficForge, available at fanficforge.online.

This Policy applies, in particular, to complaints relating to:

• copyright and related rights;

• trademarks and other intellectual property rights;

• unlawful copying of third-party works;

• use of the name, image, or identity of a real person;

• violations of privacy rights;

• disclosure of confidential or personal information;

• illegal content;

• violations of the FanficForge Acceptable Use Policy;

• other infringements of third-party rights.

This Policy forms part of the rules governing use of FanficForge and applies together with the Terms of Service, Acceptable Use Policy, and Privacy Policy.

1. General Principle

FanficForge provides users with tools for creating and publishing original stories and fan fiction.

User content may include materials created by the user, materials created using artificial intelligence, and elements inspired by existing works, characters, fandoms, and fictional worlds.

FanficForge does not claim that every item of content published by a user is free from third-party rights.

If you believe that specific material infringes your rights, another person’s rights, applicable law, or FanficForge rules, you may submit a complaint in accordance with this Policy.

2. Where to Send Complaints

Content complaints may be sent to:

support@fanficforge.online

If a feedback form is available on the website, it may also be used for an initial report.

For intellectual property complaints, email is preferred because FanficForge may need additional information and documents.

In an emergency involving an immediate threat to a person’s life or safety, you should first contact the appropriate emergency services or competent authorities.

3. What to Include in a General Complaint

To allow FanficForge to identify the disputed material and reasonably assess the complaint, it is helpful to include:

1. the exact URL of the story, chapter, image, profile, or other material;

2. a description of the material being reported;

3. the reason the complainant believes the material infringes rights, law, or FanficForge rules;

4. the specific rights or rules that the complainant believes have been violated;

5. a contact email address;

6. any additional information or documents that may help verify the complaint.

FanficForge may review an incomplete complaint if the information provided is sufficient to clearly identify a serious violation.

However, the absence of necessary information may make a full review impossible.

4. Copyright Complaints

If you believe that material published on FanficForge unlawfully uses a work whose copyright belongs to you or a person you represent, it is helpful to include:

1. the name or legal name of the rights holder;

2. information about the representative, if the complaint is submitted on behalf of the rights holder;

3. a contact email address;

4. identification of the original work;

5. where possible, a link to the original work or other information that allows it to be identified;

6. the exact URL of the disputed material on FanficForge;

7. a description of which part of the material you believe infringes rights;

8. the basis on which you believe the use is unlawful;

9. confirmation that, to the best of your knowledge, the information you have provided is accurate;

10. confirmation that you are the rights holder or are authorized to act on the rights holder’s behalf.

FanficForge may request additional evidence of the complainant’s rights or authority.

5. Fan Fiction and Use of Existing Works

FanficForge is specifically intended, among other things, for the creation of fan fiction.

Therefore, the mere presence in a story of:

• the name of a fandom;

• the name of a character;

• the name of a fictional universe;

• a reference to a book, film, game, television series, or anime;

• recognizable elements of an original work;

does not automatically mean that the material will be removed following a complaint.

The legality of a particular use may depend on:

• the amount taken from the original work;

• the nature of the material;

• the degree of originality and transformation;

• the commercial nature of the use;

• applicable law;

• the rights held by the complainant.

FanficForge may take these circumstances into account when reviewing a complaint.

At the same time, FanficForge may restrict or remove material if it considers this necessary to protect third-party rights, comply with the law, or reduce legal risk.

6. Direct Copying of Third-Party Text

Using FanficForge to publish another person’s work as one’s own is not permitted.

This particularly applies where a user:

• copies another person’s story in full or in substantial part;

• publishes another person’s fan fiction as their own;

• uploads a substantial portion of a book or other work;

• intentionally removes information identifying the original author;

• uses another person’s translation or adaptation as their own work.

If a complaint concerns direct copying, FanficForge may compare the disputed materials and take action, including removal or restriction of access.

Similarity in individual ideas, plot devices, genre elements, generic names, or short expressions does not by itself necessarily constitute copyright infringement.

7. AI-Generated Content and Similarity Between Works

Artificial intelligence may create materials containing similar literary devices, plot structures, phrases, or ideas.

The mere fact that two works are similar does not automatically mean that one was copied from the other.

When reviewing such complaints, FanficForge may consider:

• the nature and extent of the similarity;

• the likelihood of independent generation;

• the presence of significant verbatim overlap;

• the original User Input;

• the sequence in which the materials were published;

• other available circumstances.

FanficForge does not guarantee that it will be possible to determine the origin of every element of AI-generated text.

8. Trademarks and False Impression of Official Origin

A complaint may be submitted if use of a name, logo, or other designation creates the false impression that:

• FanficForge or the user is officially affiliated with the rights holder;

• a story is an official continuation of a work;

• the rights holder has approved the material;

• a profile is an official brand profile;

• the user is a representative of a company or rights holder.

Ordinary reference to a brand, work, or character in a fictional or descriptive context does not by itself necessarily constitute an infringement.

9. Complaints from Real People

A person may contact FanficForge if they believe published material unlawfully uses:

• their name;

• their photograph or image;

• their likeness;

• their voice;

• personal information;

• confidential information;

• other elements of their identity.

It is helpful for the complaint to state:

• which material relates to the complainant;

• why the complainant believes they are the person depicted;

• the exact URL;

• the nature of the alleged violation;

• what action the complainant is requesting.

FanficForge may request reasonable proof of identity where necessary to verify that the complaint actually comes from the person depicted or their lawful representative.

You should not provide more personal information than is objectively necessary for review of the complaint.

10. Public Figures

The mere fictional mention or depiction of an adult public figure is not automatically grounds for removal of a story.

When reviewing a complaint, FanficForge may consider:

• whether the material is clearly fictional;

• whether it creates a false impression of a factual report;

• whether it contains threats, harassment, or doxxing;

• whether it violates privacy;

• whether it uses the person’s identity in a prohibited commercial context;

• whether it complies with the Acceptable Use Policy;

• requirements of applicable law.

FanficForge may restrict material even where it concerns a public figure if it considers the risk of rights infringement to be substantial.

11. Private Individuals

FanficForge applies a more cautious approach to content concerning identifiable private individuals.

Material may be restricted or removed, in particular, if it:

• publishes non-public personal data;

• concerns intimate or sensitive information;

• is used for harassment;

• presents serious fictional accusations as real facts;

• creates a risk of physical, reputational, or other substantial harm;

• violates applicable privacy rights.

12. Doxxing and Personal Data

Complaints involving publication of the following information without sufficient justification are given higher priority:

• home address;

• precise current location;

• personal phone number;

• identity documents;

• banking information;

• passwords or access keys;

• confidential medical information;

• other non-public information whose disclosure may create a serious risk to a person.

FanficForge may remove such information immediately before completing a full review of the complaint.

13. Illegal and Dangerous Content

A complaint may also concern material that, in the complainant’s view:

• contains real threats;

• facilitates serious crime;

• is used for fraud;

• violates the law;

• contains illegal sexual material;

• sexualizes minors;

• violates other mandatory legal requirements.

For such complaints, it is helpful to explain the basis of the alleged illegality as precisely as possible and identify the relevant jurisdiction where appropriate.

14. What FanficForge Does After Receiving a Complaint

After receiving a complaint, FanficForge may:

1. review the completeness of the complaint;

2. identify the disputed material;

3. request additional information;

4. review available information;

5. temporarily restrict the material while the complaint is being reviewed;

6. contact the user who posted the material;

7. remove or restrict the disputed content;

8. leave the content unchanged;

9. change its status from Public to Private;

10. restrict specific account features;

11. take other reasonable measures.

Receipt of a complaint does not automatically mean that the complainant is correct or that the material will necessarily be removed.

FanficForge seeks to take into account the interests of rights holders, users, freedom of artistic expression, and applicable law.

15. Interim Measures

Before review is complete, FanficForge may temporarily:

• hide a story from the public catalog;

• change it to Private;

• restrict access to a specific chapter;

• hide an image;

• disable a public link;

• restrict account actions.

An interim measure does not constitute a final determination that a violation occurred.

It may be used where the potential harm from continued distribution of the material substantially outweighs the inconvenience caused by the temporary restriction.

16. Notice to the User

Where reasonably possible and not prohibited by law, FanficForge may notify a user that their material:

• has become the subject of a complaint;

• has been restricted;

• has been changed to Private;

• has been removed;

• or is under review.

FanficForge may provide a general reason for the measure.

FanficForge is not required to disclose to the user:

• confidential information about the complainant;

• information whose disclosure is prohibited by law;

• information that could create a security risk;

• internal moderation methods;

• information that could facilitate circumvention of safeguards.

17. Disclosure of Information About the Complainant

For fair review of a dispute, in some cases it may be necessary to provide the user with certain information about the complaint.

FanficForge seeks not to disclose more personal data about the complainant than necessary.

If the complainant acts on behalf of an organization or rights holder, FanficForge may provide the user with:

• the name or legal name of the rights holder;

• the general nature of the complaint;

• identification of the work or right involved;

• other information necessary to understand the complaint.

Contact details or other personal information may be withheld where disclosure is not necessary or legally required.

18. User Response to a Complaint

If a user’s content was restricted or removed following a complaint, the user may contact:

support@fanficforge.online

and explain why they believe the decision was incorrect.

It is helpful for the response to include:

1. a link to or identifier of the disputed material;

2. a description of the action taken by FanficForge;

3. the reasons why the user believes the material does not infringe the relevant rights or rules;

4. information about the user’s own rights or permission, if any;

5. any other relevant circumstances.

FanficForge may reconsider its decision in light of the information provided.

19. Restoration of Content

If, after additional review, FanficForge concludes that a restriction was erroneous or is no longer necessary, FanficForge may:

• restore the story;

• make it public again;

• restore a specific chapter or image;

• remove a restriction from the account.

FanficForge does not guarantee restoration of content in every case.

Even if the alleged rights infringement is not confirmed, material may remain restricted for another reason, such as a violation of the Acceptable Use Policy.

20. Repeat Infringements

FanficForge may apply stricter measures to users who repeatedly infringe third-party rights.

Such measures may include:

• removal of materials;

• restrictions on publication;

• blocking specific features;

• temporary suspension of the account;

• permanent termination of access to FanficForge.

When assessing repeat infringements, FanficForge may take into account the nature of the violation, previous warnings, and the user’s good faith.

21. Knowingly False and Abusive Complaints

The complaint mechanism must not knowingly be used to:

• remove lawful content of a competitor;

• harass a user;

• falsely claim ownership of copyright;

• impersonate a rights holder;

• pressure an author;

• submit mass complaints known to be unfounded;

• obtain another person’s confidential information.

FanficForge may decline to review repeated clearly abusive complaints or may take action against the complainant’s account if the complainant is a FanficForge user.

A person submitting a complaint is responsible for the accuracy of their statements in accordance with applicable law.

22. Insufficiently Substantiated Complaints

FanficForge may request additional information if a complaint:

• does not include a link to the material;

• does not allow the disputed content to be identified;

• does not explain the nature of the alleged violation;

• does not establish the authority of a person claiming rights on behalf of another rights holder;

• contains obvious inconsistencies;

• does not allow the claim to be reasonably assessed.

If the necessary additional information is not provided, FanficForge may discontinue review of the complaint.

23. Automated and Mass Complaints

FanficForge does not guarantee automatic approval of a complaint merely because it was submitted by a large rights holder or an automated system.

A mass complaint must allow the specific materials that the complainant considers infringing to be identified.

FanficForge may reject or request clarification of an overly broad demand such as “remove everything that mentions our franchise” where there are insufficient grounds to consider every such item an infringement.

24. Request to Remove All Materials Relating to a Particular Fandom

A rights holder may request restrictions on materials relating to a particular franchise.

FanficForge will review such a request but does not guarantee automatic removal of all user-created works solely on the basis that rights exist in the underlying franchise.

FanficForge may take into account:

• applicable law;

• the nature of the user content;

• the rights holder’s arguments;

• the extent of use of source material;

• risks to FanficForge and users.

FanficForge also retains the right to voluntarily restrict a particular fandom or category of content if it considers this necessary.

25. Removal by FanficForge on Its Own Initiative

FanficForge is not required to wait for a third-party complaint.

If FanficForge independently identifies material that, in its view:

• infringes third-party rights;

• violates the law;

• violates the Acceptable Use Policy;

• creates substantial legal or other risk;

FanficForge may take action on its own initiative.

26. Government Requests

Requests from government authorities and other binding legal demands are handled separately from ordinary user complaints.

FanficForge may request confirmation of:

• the authority of the requesting body;

• the legal basis for the request;

• the scope of the action requested;

• other information necessary to verify whether the request is binding.

FanficForge complies with legally binding requirements to the extent required by applicable law.

27. Retention of Data Related to a Dispute

FanficForge may temporarily retain:

• a copy of the disputed material;

• information about the complaint;

• a history of actions taken in reviewing the complaint;

• technical identifiers;

• correspondence with the complainant and the user;

where reasonably necessary to:

• resolve the dispute;

• prevent repeat violations;

• protect the legal interests of FanficForge or third parties;

• comply with legal requirements.

Such retention may continue even after the disputed material has been removed from public access.

Processing of personal data in this context is governed by the FanficForge Privacy Policy.

28. Complaints Are Not Court Decisions

A FanficForge decision to:

• remove material;

• leave material available;

• temporarily restrict it;

• restore it;

is a decision about operation of the Service and does not constitute a legal opinion or court ruling concerning ownership of rights.

FanficForge is not a court and does not undertake to finally resolve complex disputes concerning ownership or authorship.

The parties retain the right to use legal remedies available under applicable law.

29. Procedures Required by Mandatory Law

In certain jurisdictions, the law may establish specific procedures for notices concerning illegal content, copyright infringement, appeals, or restoration of materials.

In such cases, FanficForge applies this Policy subject to the mandatory requirements of the relevant law.

If a mandatory procedure differs from this Policy, the mandatory legal requirements take precedence to the relevant extent.

30. Changes to This Policy

FanficForge may update this Policy in connection with:

• changes in law;

• development of the Service;

• emergence of new types of user content;

• changes in publication and moderation mechanisms;

• new forms of abuse;

• requirements of partners and service providers.

The current version is published on the FanficForge website together with the date of the latest update.

31. Contact

For complaints concerning user content, intellectual property infringements, privacy complaints, and other matters covered by this Policy:

support@fanficforge.online

For general inquiries:

info@fanficforge.online