DMCA Policy & Copyright Takedown Procedure

Effective Date: July 6, 2025

WatchAlong.me respects the intellectual property rights of content creators, rights holders, and copyright owners. This DMCA Policy explains how we handle copyright infringement claims in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (17 U.S.C. § 512) and, where applicable, equivalent international copyright laws.

1. Understanding WatchAlong.me's Role

Before submitting a DMCA notice, it's important to understand how WatchAlong.me works.

WatchAlong.me is a synchronization and coordination platform — we do not host, store, upload, transcode, or distribute video content. When users create a watch party room, they paste URLs pointing to video content hosted on third-party platforms (YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Netflix, and others). WatchAlong.me simply coordinates simultaneous playback among room participants.

This means:

• If you believe copyrighted content is being infringed on YouTube, you should submit a copyright notice directly to YouTube/Google
• If you believe copyrighted content is being infringed on Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, or another streaming service, you should contact that platform directly
• If you believe content hosted on WatchAlong.me's servers (such as a direct `.mp4` URL hosted by us) infringes your copyright, please use the procedure below

WatchAlong.me does not have the ability to remove content from YouTube, Netflix, or any third-party platform. We can only remove content that we host directly or disable access to specific URLs within our platform.

2. How to Submit a DMCA Takedown Notice

If you are a copyright owner or authorized representative and you believe that content accessible through WatchAlong.me infringes your copyright, you may submit a written DMCA takedown notice to our Designated Copyright Agent.

2.1 Designated Copyright Agent

DMCA Agent: Legal Department, WatchAlong.me Email: [email protected] Subject Line: DMCA Takedown Notice

2.2 Required Elements of a Valid DMCA Notice

To be valid and actionable, your DMCA notice must include all of the following:

1. Your identity: Your full legal name, physical mailing address, telephone number, and email address

1. Identification of the copyrighted work: A description of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed. If your claim covers multiple works, you may provide a representative list.

1. Identification of the infringing material: The specific URL(s) or other information sufficient to locate the material you claim is infringing within WatchAlong.me. General descriptions are not sufficient — please provide the specific room URL or video URL.

1. Statement of good faith belief: A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.

1. Statement of accuracy: A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner's behalf.

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

Incomplete notices may not be actionable. Submitting false DMCA claims is a federal offense and may expose you to civil liability.

3. What Happens After We Receive Your Notice

Upon receipt of a valid and complete DMCA takedown notice, WatchAlong.me will:

1. Review the notice to confirm it contains all required elements
2. Take appropriate action — which may include removing or disabling access to the identified content within our platform
3. Notify the user who posted or linked the content, providing them with a copy of the takedown notice (with your personal contact information redacted where possible)
4. Document the action as part of our repeat infringer tracking

We aim to process valid DMCA notices within 5–7 business days. Complex or high-volume notices may take longer.

4. Counter-Notification Procedure

If you are a user and believe that content was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification, you may submit a DMCA counter-notification.

4.1 Required Elements of a Counter-Notification

Your counter-notification must include:

1. Your identity: Your full name, address, telephone number, and email address

1. Identification of the removed content: A description of the material that was removed and its location within WatchAlong.me before it was removed

1. Statement of good faith belief: A statement, under penalty of perjury, that you have a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification

1. Consent to jurisdiction: A statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located (or, if outside the US, any judicial district in which WatchAlong.me may be found), and that you will accept service of process from the person who submitted the original DMCA notice

1. Your electronic or physical signature

4.2 Counter-Notification Process

Send your counter-notification to: Email: [email protected] Subject Line: DMCA Counter-Notification

Upon receipt of a valid counter-notification, WatchAlong.me will:

1. Forward your counter-notification to the original complainant
2. Restore the removed content within 10–14 business days, unless the complainant notifies us that they have filed an action seeking a court order against you

5. Repeat Infringer Policy

WatchAlong.me has a strict policy against repeat copyright infringers. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. § 512(i), we maintain a system for tracking DMCA notices and the users or rooms associated with them. Users or rooms that accumulate multiple valid DMCA strikes may be permanently banned from creating rooms or using the Service.

We define a "repeat infringer" as any user or account against whom we have received two or more valid, non-retracted DMCA takedown notices within a rolling 12-month period.

6. Abuse of the DMCA Process

The DMCA takedown process is a legal mechanism intended to protect copyright holders — not a tool for harassment, censorship of competing viewpoints, or suppression of lawful activity.

Knowingly submitting a false DMCA notice — misrepresenting that material is infringing when you know it is not — constitutes perjury under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f) and may expose you to significant civil liability, including damages, attorney's fees, and costs.

WatchAlong.me reserves the right to ignore or flag DMCA notices that appear to be submitted in bad faith.

7. Fair Use

We acknowledge that copyright law includes the doctrine of fair use (17 U.S.C. § 107 in the United States) and equivalent doctrines in other jurisdictions. Before submitting a DMCA notice, please consider whether the use you are targeting may qualify as fair use, fair dealing, commentary, criticism, parody, educational use, or another permitted use under applicable law.

WatchAlong.me does not and cannot make legal determinations about fair use on behalf of rights holders or users. Disputes regarding fair use are matters for the courts.

8. International Copyright

For copyright owners located outside the United States, we apply the DMCA notice-and-takedown procedure as a baseline. Where applicable law in other jurisdictions provides different or additional procedures (such as the EU Copyright Directive), we will make reasonable efforts to comply. Please specify your jurisdiction and any relevant local law provisions when submitting an international copyright notice.

9. Contact Our DMCA Agent

All DMCA-related correspondence should be sent to:

Email: [email protected] Subject Line: DMCA Takedown Notice OR DMCA Counter-Notification Response Time: 5–7 business days for valid, complete notices

For questions about this policy (not for submitting notices), contact: Email: [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions About Our DMCA Policy

Can WatchAlong.me remove content from Netflix or YouTube? No. WatchAlong.me does not host content from streaming platforms. To remove infringing content from YouTube, submit a copyright notice directly to Google/YouTube. For Netflix, Disney+, or other streaming services, contact those platforms directly.

What happens to a user who receives a DMCA notice? The user is notified that a DMCA notice was received about content they linked in a WatchAlong.me room. Repeated DMCA strikes may result in restrictions or a permanent ban from the platform.

How do I know if my DMCA notice is valid? A valid DMCA notice includes all six required elements listed in Section 2.2 of this policy. Incomplete notices may not be processed. We strongly recommend consulting with an intellectual property attorney before submitting a DMCA notice.

What is the difference between a DMCA notice and a counter-notification? A DMCA notice is submitted by a copyright owner to request removal of infringing content. A counter-notification is submitted by a user who believes their content was wrongfully removed. Both are formal legal documents submitted under penalty of perjury.