Emera / Answers

How to file a DMCA takedown on Instagram

Short answerUse Instagram's Copyright Report Form in the Help Center, not the in-app Report button. You must be the rights owner or their authorized representative. Have the post links, a link to your original and your contact details ready, and only submit if the claim is accurate.

Before you start

Instagram's Help Center says only the rights owner or an authorized representative can get a copyright report processed. Appearing in a photo or video does not by itself make you the copyright owner. Gather:

  • The exact URL of each infringing post or account
  • A link or file showing your original and its date
  • Your name, address and email

Read Instagram's page on what to consider before submitting an IP report, which also covers false reports and counter notices.

File the report

  1. Open the Instagram Copyright Report Form (it opens a Meta reporting form). Confirm the wording and fields on that page, since forms change.
  2. Say you are the owner or acting for the owner.
  3. Identify your work and paste the links to the content you want removed.
  4. Describe the work and why the content infringes it.
  5. Give your contact details and sign electronically.

What the law requires in a notice

Under 17 U.S.C. 512(c)(3) a notice needs a signature, identification of the work, identification of the infringing material with enough detail to find it, your contact information, a good-faith statement that the use is not authorized and an accuracy statement made under penalty of perjury. Knowingly lying in a notice can make you liable for damages (section 512(f)).

After you submit

Meta reviews the report and may remove the content. The uploader is told and can file a counter-notification. If a valid one arrives, the material can be restored 10 to 14 business days after it is received unless you file a court action first (section 512(g)). Meta says it may take action against accounts that submit fraudulent reports.

Do not use the three-dot Report menu for copyright; use the form.

How Emera handles this

Emera helps you file takedowns for copies of your work elsewhere. You report a copy you found, Emera helps with the paperwork, and every step shows on your dashboard. Nothing is sent until you confirm it.

People also ask

Is a DMCA takedown the same as reporting a post?

No. A DMCA takedown is a formal copyright notice with legal statements. The regular Report button is for other policy violations.

Does it cost anything?

The form is free to submit. A lawyer is optional.

How long does removal take?

It varies and Instagram does not promise a time. Check the Help Center for current guidance.

Can I file for someone else?

Yes, if you are an authorized representative of the owner and say so on the form.

Related

What to do if someone steals your artworkHow to prevent people from stealing your art online

Sources

  1. Instagram Copyright Report Form
  2. Instagram Help: before you submit an IP report
  3. 17 U.S.C. 512, Cornell LII
  4. U.S. Copyright Office: Title 17, chapter 5

Checked 2026-11-13.

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