Copyright
Fern hosts what people post; we don't make it. If someone has posted work that belongs to you, tell us and we'll take it down. If we took down something of yours by mistake, you can tell us that too.
The quick way
If you have an account, tap the ⋯ on the post and choose Report post → Copyright. A moderator looks at every report within 24 hours. It's anonymous and it's fast, and for most cases it's enough.
The formal way: a takedown notice
A notice under the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act can't be anonymous — the law sets out what it has to contain. Email all six of these to thefern.app@gmail.com with “Copyright notice” in the subject line.
Your work
Describe the video, image, writing or other work you own. If several works are involved, a list is fine.
Where it is on Fern
The link to the post or comment, and a handle if it's a whole profile. We can't act on "somewhere on the app" — we need to be able to find it.
How to reach you
Your name, postal address, phone number and email address.
A statement of good faith
That you believe in good faith the use is not authorised by you, your agent or the law.
A statement of accuracy
That the information in your notice is accurate, and — under penalty of perjury — that you are the copyright owner or authorised to act for them.
Your signature
Physical or electronic. Typing your full name at the end of the email counts.
What happens next
If the notice is complete, we remove the content promptly and tell the person who posted it what came down and why — including a copy of your notice, which means they see your name and contact details. We keep a record of every notice.
If we removed your post by mistake
You have 14 days to send a counter-notice to the same address. It has to include:
- Your name, postal address, phone number and email address.
- The post that was removed and where it used to be.
- A statement, under penalty of perjury, that you believe in good faith it was removed by mistake or misidentification.
- A statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the federal court where you live — or, if you're outside the US, any district where we may be found — and that you will accept service from the person who filed the notice.
- Your signature.
We pass it to the person who filed the notice. If they don't tell us within 10 business days that they've gone to court, we may put your post back.
Repeat infringers
An upheld notice is a strike. At 3 strikes the account is removed and the person isn't welcome back. A strike comes off if a counter-notice resolves in the creator's favour.
Don't send one you don't mean
Knowingly misrepresenting that something infringes — to silence a critic, or to take down a rival's post — makes you liable for the other side's damages and legal costs under section 512(f). Quoting a chart, a headline or a short clip to talk about it is often fair use. If you aren't sure the work is yours, ask a lawyer before you send anything.
Questions? thefern.app@gmail.com