Update and Reminder Concerning Electronic System for Designating Agents under DMCA
Issue No. 683 - September 27, 2017
Today, the U.S. Copyright Office issued a new release of its electronic system to designate and search for agents to receive notifications of claimed infringement under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”). This release makes a number of updates designed to enhance user experience. The primary updates are:
- The Copyright Office can now transfer a designation from one user account to another upon request. For more information about transfers, please see the Office’s FAQ page, here.
- By default, search results in the public directory now only show active service provider designations. There is now a box that users can check if they wish to also see terminated designations.
- System users can now delete in-process designations.
- There is now a preview screen that users will see before submitting payment.
In addition to these updates, the Office wishes to remind service providers that have previously registered a designation with the Office through the old paper-based system, that in order to maintain an active designation with the Office, a new designation must be made electronically using the new online registration system by December 31, 2017. Registration in the new system only costs $6 and only takes a few minutes.
Please note that any designation made in the old paper-based registration system will only continue to be valid until December 31, 2017, after which it will expire.
For more information about the Office’s DMCA Designated Agent Directory, please visit the system’s home page here. From this page, users can access the directory, create or login to a registration account, review regulations, watch video tutorials demonstrating how to use the system, read answers to frequently asked questions about the system, or contact the Office with any questions.