Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a federal law that addresses copyright protection and infringement involving digital content.

CSUN is committed to respecting intellectual property rights and complying with copyright law. Students, faculty, staff, and others using CSUN technology resources are responsible for using copyrighted materials legally and in accordance with university policy.

Using Copyrighted Material

Copyrighted material can include music, movies, videos, software, games, books, articles, photographs, course materials, and other digital content.

Downloading, copying, posting, or sharing copyrighted material without permission or other legal authorization may violate copyright law and CSUN policy.

Review the CSUN Copyrighted Materials Policy

If You Receive a DMCA Notice

If CSUN receives a copyright infringement complaint associated with your use of university technology or network resources, Information Security may contact you.

If you receive a DMCA notice from CSUN:

  1. Read the notice carefully and identify the material involved.
  2. Remove or stop sharing the material if you are not authorized to use or distribute it.
  3. Disable unauthorized file sharing, including peer-to-peer or torrent sharing when applicable.
  4. Reply to the CSUN notice within two business days following the instructions in the email.
  5. If you believe the notice was sent in error or you are legally authorized to use the material, review the counter-notification information before responding.

Failure to respond within two business days may result in your computer's access to the CSUN network being blocked.

Learn About CSUN's DMCA Response Process

Copyright & Fair Use

Copyright law allows certain limited uses of copyrighted works without permission. Fair use may apply to activities such as teaching, scholarship, research, criticism, and commentary, depending on the circumstances.

The CSUN University Library provides guidance to help the campus community understand copyright and fair use.

Learn About Copyright & Fair Use

FAQ

Copyright infringement generally occurs when copyrighted material is reproduced, distributed, displayed, performed, or otherwise used without authorization from the copyright owner or another legal basis for doing so.

Copyright protection can apply to music, movies, books, photographs, software, course materials, and many other types of creative work.

Learn More About Copyright

Peer-to-peer file-sharing applications allow users to share files directly between computers or devices.

Some applications may automatically make downloaded files available to other users. Sharing copyrighted music, movies, software, or other content without authorization may violate copyright law and CSUN policy.

Be aware of what applications are installed on your device and whether they are configured to share files.

The technology itself is not necessarily illegal. However, using it to download or distribute copyrighted material without permission or other legal authorization may violate copyright law.

Users are responsible for ensuring that the content they download or share is legally authorized.

Purchasing or subscribing to digital content generally gives you specific rights to access or use it. It does not necessarily give you permission to copy or distribute that content to others.

Review the license or terms associated with the content before copying or sharing it.

Copyright owners and their representatives may monitor publicly accessible file-sharing networks and other online services for unauthorized distribution of their works.

When suspected infringement is associated with a CSUN network address, the copyright owner may send CSUN a DMCA infringement notice.

CSUN then follows its established process for responding to the notice.

Learn About CSUN's DMCA Response Process

Information Security may contact the individual associated with the network activity described in the complaint.

If you receive a notice, follow the instructions provided and respond within two business days.

Failure to respond may result in your computer's access to the CSUN network being blocked.

Review the notice carefully and identify the material referenced in the complaint.

If the material is not legally authorized:

  • Remove the material or stop sharing it.
  • Disable unauthorized file sharing.
  • Follow the instructions contained in the CSUN notice.
  • Respond within two business days.

If you believe the complaint is incorrect or that you are legally authorized to use the material, review CSUN's DMCA response and counter-notification information before responding.

Review CSUN's DMCA Response Process

The DMCA provides a counter-notification process in certain circumstances.

A counter-notification is a formal legal response and should not be submitted simply because you disagree with a complaint.

Review the requirements carefully before submitting one.

Review Counter-Notification Information

No. Using copyrighted material for education does not automatically make the use fair.

Fair use depends on several factors, including the purpose of the use, the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount used, and the effect on the potential market for the work.

Learn About Copyright & Fair Use

Possibly. Copyright law permits certain uses for teaching, scholarship, research, criticism, commentary, and other purposes, but the circumstances matter.

Faculty, students, and researchers should review CSUN University Library's copyright and fair-use guidance when determining whether a particular use may be permitted.

View Copyright & Fair Use Guidance

Use legitimate services or sources that provide permission to access, download, stream, or otherwise use the content.

For software used for university work, check CSUN-supported technology and software resources before purchasing or downloading applications from an unknown source.

Yes. If CSUN contacts you regarding a copyright infringement complaint and you do not respond as required, your computer's access to the CSUN network may be blocked.

Repeated or serious violations may also be subject to applicable university policies and procedures.

For questions about a notice involving CSUN technology or network resources, contact:

CSUN Information Security
Email: iso@csun.edu
Phone: (818) 677-6100

For questions about copyright and fair use for teaching, learning, or research, consult the CSUN University Library's copyright resources.

Copyright & Fair Use

Resources

Need Help?

For questions about a DMCA notice, copyright infringement involving CSUN technology resources, or CSUN's DMCA process:

CSUN Information Security
Email: iso@csun.edu
Phone: (818) 677-6100