Copyright and DMCA Policy

Effective date: July 23, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

BareAnime respects the intellectual-property rights of creators, publishers, studios, artists, writers, photographers, video producers, and other copyright owners.

This Copyright and DMCA Policy explains how copyright owners may report allegedly infringing material appearing on BareAnime and how users may respond when their material is removed or restricted because of a copyright complaint.

In this policy:

  • “BareAnime,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to BareAnime.
  • “Services” refers to BareAnime.com, Shop.BareAnime.com, member profiles, theory-submission features, comments, community areas, and other BareAnime-operated services that link to this policy.
  • “User Content” means theories, articles, comments, profile material, images, links, videos, or other content submitted by a user.
  • “Claimant” means a copyright owner or authorized representative who submits a notice.
  • “User” means the person who submitted or controls the disputed material.

This policy is intended to operate consistently with Section 512 of the United States Copyright Act, commonly known as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act or DMCA.

Nothing in this policy constitutes legal advice.

1. Respect for Copyright

Users may upload or publish only material that they:

  • Created themselves
  • Own
  • Are authorized to use
  • Are legally licensed to use
  • May lawfully use under fair use or another applicable exception

Users may not upload or distribute unauthorized copies of:

  • Complete manga chapters
  • Manga scans
  • Anime episodes
  • Films
  • Music
  • Artwork
  • Photographs
  • Articles
  • Books
  • Scripts
  • Videos
  • Paid or subscription-only material
  • Leaked files
  • Other protected works

Crediting the owner does not automatically authorize use.

Statements such as “no copyright infringement intended” do not create permission or establish fair use.

2. Anime Commentary and Fair Use

BareAnime publishes criticism, commentary, analysis, comparison, review, reporting, and speculative theories involving anime and manga.

Some limited use of copyrighted material may qualify as fair use or another legal exception depending on the specific circumstances.

Fair use is determined case by case and may consider factors including:

  • The purpose and character of the use
  • The nature of the copyrighted work
  • The amount and importance of the portion used
  • The effect on the market for the original work

BareAnime does not guarantee that every user submission claiming fair use is legally protected.

BareAnime may remove or restrict material when continued hosting creates a substantial copyright risk, even when the user believes the use is fair.

3. Designated DMCA Agent

Formal notices of claimed copyright infringement and counter-notifications should be sent to BareAnime’s designated DMCA agent.

Service provider: [INSERT FULL LEGAL NAME OF SITE OWNER OR BUSINESS]
Alternate names: BareAnime; BareAnime.com; Shop.BareAnime.com
Designated agent: [INSERT AGENT NAME, TITLE, DEPARTMENT, OR THIRD-PARTY SERVICE]
Mailing address: [INSERT AGENT MAILING ADDRESS]
Telephone: [INSERT AGENT TELEPHONE NUMBER]
Email: [INSERT DEDICATED DMCA EMAIL ADDRESS]

Recommended email subject: DMCA Notice — BareAnime

BareAnime may reject or delay notices sent through social media, comments, ordinary support channels, or addresses not designated for DMCA notices.

The agent information displayed here should match the information registered with the U.S. Copyright Office.

4. Who May Submit a DMCA Notice

A DMCA notice may be submitted by:

  • The copyright owner
  • A person authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

A person who merely appears in a photograph, video, or other work is not necessarily the copyright owner.

A trademark complaint, privacy complaint, defamation claim, plagiarism concern, or disagreement over attribution is not automatically a copyright claim.

Those matters may be reported through the most relevant contact category instead.

5. Requirements for a DMCA Takedown Notice

To submit a formal notice of claimed copyright infringement, provide a written communication containing substantially the following:

  1. SignatureA physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on the owner’s behalf.
  2. Identification of the copyrighted workIdentify the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed.When multiple copyrighted works on BareAnime are covered by one notice, you may provide a representative list where legally permitted.
  3. Identification of the allegedly infringing materialIdentify the material you claim is infringing or the subject of infringing activity.
  4. Location of the disputed materialProvide information reasonably sufficient for BareAnime to locate it.Include the exact page address or URL whenever possible.
  5. Contact informationProvide information reasonably sufficient for BareAnime to contact you, including:
    • Full legal name
    • Mailing address
    • Telephone number
    • Email address
  6. Good-faith statementInclude a statement that you have a good-faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
  7. Accuracy and authority statementInclude a statement that the information in the notice is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, that you are the copyright owner or are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.

BareAnime may request clarification or missing information before processing an incomplete notice.

6. Recommended DMCA Notice Format

A notice may use the following format:

To BareAnime’s Designated DMCA Agent:

I, [FULL LEGAL NAME], state that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner of the work identified below.

Copyrighted work:
[IDENTIFY THE ORIGINAL WORK]

Original source or supporting ownership information:
[PROVIDE A LINK, REGISTRATION INFORMATION, PUBLICATION DETAILS, OR OTHER SUPPORT]

Material claimed to be infringing:
[DESCRIBE THE MATERIAL]

Exact BareAnime URL:
[INSERT THE PAGE ADDRESS]

I have a good-faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.

I state under penalty of perjury that the information in this notice is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf.

Name:
[NAME]

Address:
[ADDRESS]

Telephone:
[PHONE NUMBER]

Email:
[EMAIL ADDRESS]

Signature:
[PHYSICAL OR ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE]

Date:
[DATE]

7. Do Not Submit False or Abusive Notices

Do not submit a DMCA notice merely because:

  • You dislike a theory
  • You disagree with criticism
  • You believe a user’s opinion is unfair
  • Your name or work is mentioned lawfully
  • A limited quotation is used in commentary
  • You want negative coverage removed
  • You do not own the copyright
  • Another person created the material

A person who knowingly makes a material misrepresentation that material is infringing may be responsible for resulting damages, costs, and legal fees.

BareAnime may reject, document, or report abusive, fraudulent, or knowingly false notices.

8. BareAnime’s Response to a Notice

After receiving a notice, BareAnime may:

  • Confirm receipt
  • Review whether the notice substantially complies with legal requirements
  • Request additional information
  • Remove the material
  • Disable access to the material
  • Restrict the material temporarily
  • Contact the user who submitted it
  • Forward the notice to the user
  • Preserve relevant records
  • Consult legal counsel
  • Decline action when the notice does not establish a copyright claim

BareAnime will make reasonable efforts to act expeditiously after receiving a valid notice.

Removal in response to a notice does not necessarily mean BareAnime has determined that infringement occurred.

9. Notification to the User

When BareAnime removes or restricts User Content because of a DMCA notice, BareAnime may send the affected user:

  • A copy or summary of the notice
  • Identification of the removed material
  • The reason access was restricted
  • Instructions for submitting a counter-notification
  • A warning regarding repeated copyright complaints

BareAnime may redact information when reasonably necessary for privacy, security, or legal reasons.

However, users should understand that the claimant’s notice and contact information may need to be shared as part of the statutory process.

10. Counter-Notification

A user may submit a counter-notification when the user believes material was removed or disabled because of mistake or misidentification.

Examples may include situations where:

  • The user created the material
  • The user has a valid license
  • The wrong content was identified
  • The material does not contain the claimed work
  • The complained-of use is allegedly protected by fair use
  • The claimant does not own the identified copyright

A counter-notification is a legal statement and should not be submitted casually.

Users should consider obtaining legal advice before submitting one.

11. Requirements for a Counter-Notification

A valid counter-notification should contain substantially the following:

  1. SignatureYour physical or electronic signature.
  2. Identification of the removed materialIdentify the material that was removed or disabled.
  3. Previous locationIdentify where the material appeared before removal, preferably through the exact URL.
  4. Statement under penalty of perjuryState that you have a good-faith belief that the material was removed or disabled because of mistake or misidentification.
  5. Contact informationProvide:
    • Full legal name
    • Mailing address
    • Telephone number
    • Email address
  6. Consent to jurisdictionState that you consent to the jurisdiction of the appropriate United States federal district court.If your address is outside the United States, state that you consent to the jurisdiction of the federal district court where BareAnime is located.
  7. Acceptance of serviceState that you will accept service of process from the person who submitted the original notice or that person’s agent.

12. Recommended Counter-Notification Format

A counter-notification may use the following format:

To BareAnime’s Designated DMCA Agent:

I, [FULL LEGAL NAME], request restoration of the material identified below.

Removed material:
[DESCRIBE THE MATERIAL]

Previous BareAnime URL:
[INSERT THE PAGE ADDRESS]

I state under penalty of perjury that I have a good-faith belief that the material was removed or disabled because of mistake or misidentification.

I consent to the jurisdiction of the United States Federal District Court for the judicial district in which my address is located. If my address is outside the United States, I consent to the jurisdiction of the federal district court where BareAnime is located.

I agree to accept service of process from the person who submitted the original infringement notice or that person’s agent.

Name:
[NAME]

Address:
[ADDRESS]

Telephone:
[PHONE NUMBER]

Email:
[EMAIL ADDRESS]

Signature:
[PHYSICAL OR ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE]

Date:
[DATE]

13. Handling a Counter-Notification

After receiving a substantially compliant counter-notification, BareAnime may:

  • Forward it to the original claimant
  • Inform the claimant that the material may be restored
  • Wait the legally applicable period
  • Restore the material
  • Continue restricting the material when BareAnime receives notice of a filed court action
  • Decline restoration for an independent violation of BareAnime’s policies

BareAnime may restore the disputed material no sooner than 10 and no later than 14 business days after receiving a valid counter-notification unless the original claimant notifies BareAnime that a court action has been filed seeking to restrain the alleged infringement.

Restoration under the DMCA process does not guarantee that the content will remain published.

Content may remain removed for separate reasons, including:

  • Community Guidelines violations
  • Privacy concerns
  • Harassment
  • Spam
  • Security risks
  • Terms and Conditions violations
  • Lack of relevance
  • Independent copyright concerns
  • Other lawful moderation decisions

14. False Counter-Notifications

Do not submit a counter-notification when:

  • You know you copied the material without authorization
  • You do not have a reasonable good-faith basis
  • You use false identifying information
  • You are unwilling to accept the legal consequences
  • The content was removed for reasons unrelated to the DMCA notice

A person who knowingly makes a material misrepresentation in a counter-notification may be responsible for resulting damages, costs, and legal fees.

15. Repeat-Infringer Policy

BareAnime may suspend or terminate accounts of repeat copyright infringers in appropriate circumstances.

BareAnime may consider:

  • The number of valid notices received
  • Whether notices concern different works
  • Whether material was repeatedly reposted
  • Whether the user acted knowingly
  • Whether counter-notifications were successful
  • Whether the claimant withdrew a notice
  • Whether a court determined infringement
  • Whether the user has a history of plagiarism or unauthorized uploads
  • Whether immediate termination is necessary to protect rights holders or BareAnime

BareAnime is not required to wait for a court judgment before enforcing its repeat-infringer policy.

BareAnime may also restrict:

  • Upload privileges
  • Image uploads
  • Link posting
  • Commenting
  • Theory submissions
  • Profile access
  • Creation of replacement accounts

Users may not create a new account to evade a copyright-related suspension or termination.

16. Content Removed Without a Formal Notice

BareAnime may remove or restrict content without receiving a formal DMCA notice when:

  • BareAnime has actual knowledge of infringement
  • Infringing activity is apparent
  • The user admits copying the material
  • The submission contains a complete unauthorized work
  • The material violates a license
  • The content creates an obvious piracy risk
  • The content violates another BareAnime policy
  • Removal is required by law or court order

BareAnime is not obligated to host content merely because a formal notice has not been submitted.

17. No General Obligation to Monitor

BareAnime may use moderation, filters, reporting systems, or manual review to identify possible infringement.

However, BareAnime does not guarantee that it will:

  • Review every theory before publication
  • Detect every copyrighted image
  • Verify every quotation
  • Investigate every external link
  • Identify every copied passage
  • Prevent every infringement

Users remain responsible for the legality of their submissions.

The availability of moderation does not transfer that responsibility to BareAnime.

18. Plagiarism and Copyright Are Not Identical

Plagiarism and copyright infringement may overlap, but they are not identical.

A submission may violate BareAnime’s plagiarism rules even when:

  • The copied material is not protected by copyright
  • Copyright has expired
  • The use might be legally permitted
  • Attribution was omitted but copyright infringement is uncertain

Likewise, attribution alone may not prevent copyright infringement.

Non-DMCA plagiarism complaints may be submitted through BareAnime’s editorial or community-reporting process.

19. Trademark, Privacy, and Other Complaints

This DMCA process is intended for copyright claims.

It should not be used as a substitute for complaints involving:

  • Trademark infringement
  • Defamation
  • Harassment
  • Privacy
  • Impersonation
  • Right of publicity
  • Confidential information
  • Personal data
  • Contract disputes
  • Disagreement with criticism

Those concerns should be submitted through the appropriate BareAnime contact category with supporting information.

BareAnime may redirect a complaint to the correct process.

20. Links to External Websites

User Content may contain links to external websites.

BareAnime may remove or disable links that direct users to:

  • Pirated manga
  • Unauthorized anime streams
  • Stolen artwork
  • Copyright-infringing downloads
  • Leaked files
  • Circumvention tools
  • Other clearly infringing locations

A link may be removed even when BareAnime does not host the underlying file.

21. Evidence and Record Retention

BareAnime may retain records related to copyright matters, including:

  • Notices
  • Counter-notifications
  • User submissions
  • Publication dates
  • Removal dates
  • Email correspondence
  • Account details
  • Prior violations
  • Screenshots
  • URLs
  • Relevant logs
  • Court notices

Records may be retained as reasonably necessary to:

  • Process the complaint
  • Administer counter-notifications
  • Enforce the repeat-infringer policy
  • Respond to legal process
  • Defend legal claims
  • Prevent fraud
  • Maintain compliance records

Records will be handled according to BareAnime’s Privacy Policy and applicable law.

22. Disclosure of Information

BareAnime may disclose information relating to a copyright dispute to:

  • The claimant
  • The affected user
  • BareAnime’s designated agent
  • Attorneys
  • Hosting providers
  • Platforms
  • Insurers
  • Courts
  • Government authorities
  • Other recipients required by law

A claimant or user should not assume that information submitted through the DMCA process will remain confidential.

23. Court Orders and Subpoenas

BareAnime may comply with valid subpoenas, court orders, and other lawful legal process concerning alleged copyright infringement.

BareAnime may disclose identifying or account information when legally required.

BareAnime may also challenge legal process where appropriate but is not obligated to do so on behalf of a user.

24. User Appeals Outside the DMCA Process

A user may contact BareAnime regarding a moderation decision that is separate from the formal DMCA process.

An ordinary appeal does not replace a valid counter-notification when restoration rights under Section 512 are being asserted.

BareAnime may provide an internal appeal process for:

  • Plagiarism findings
  • Repeat-infringer designations
  • Upload restrictions
  • Non-DMCA copyright moderation
  • Attribution disputes

BareAnime is not required to restore content merely because an internal appeal is submitted.

25. Protection of BareAnime’s Own Content

This policy also applies when BareAnime submits notices to other service providers concerning unauthorized use of BareAnime’s original work.

BareAnime may seek removal of unauthorized copies of:

  • Articles
  • Theory scripts
  • Videos
  • Audio
  • Graphics
  • Thumbnails
  • Original illustrations
  • Product designs
  • Website content
  • Newsletter content
  • Branding

BareAnime will make reasonable efforts to consider fair use, licensing, attribution, and other relevant facts before submitting a notice.

26. Policy Against Retaliation and Harassment

Users and claimants may not use BareAnime to:

  • Harass the opposing party
  • Publish private contact information
  • Encourage threats
  • Retaliate against a claimant or user
  • Manipulate reporting systems
  • Submit repeated duplicate complaints in bad faith
  • Pressure BareAnime through abusive communications

BareAnime may restrict accounts or communications associated with abuse.

27. Changes to This Policy

BareAnime may update this policy when:

  • User-submission features change
  • Copyright law or regulations change
  • Designated-agent information changes
  • Moderation procedures change
  • New content formats are introduced
  • BareAnime changes its legal or business structure

BareAnime will update the “Last updated” date when revisions are made.

Designated-agent information should be corrected promptly whenever it changes.

28. Contact Information

General copyright questions that are not formal notices may be directed to:

BareAnime
Website: BareAnime.com
Email: Contact@bareanime.com
Subject: Copyright Question

Formal DMCA notices and counter-notifications must be sent to:

Designated DMCA Agent: [INSERT AGENT NAME OR TITLE]
Service provider: [INSERT FULL LEGAL NAME]
Mailing address: [INSERT AGENT MAILING ADDRESS]
Telephone: [INSERT AGENT TELEPHONE NUMBER]
Email: [INSERT DEDICATED DMCA EMAIL ADDRESS]

Recommended subject: DMCA Notice — BareAnime