DMCA and Copyright Policy

Last Updated: December 29, 2024

Apparent Group Limited ("Company," "we," "us," or "our") respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects users of PolyRead AI (the "Service") to do the same.

This policy outlines how we handle claims of copyright infringement in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and other applicable intellectual property laws.

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1. Our Commitment to Copyright Protection

We are committed to:

Responding promptly to valid copyright infringement claims

Removing or disabling access to infringing content

Terminating accounts of repeat infringers

Cooperating with copyright holders in good faith

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2. Reporting Copyright Infringement

2.1 DMCA Takedown Notice

If you believe that content on our Service infringes your copyright, you may submit a DMCA takedown notice to our designated agent.

Designated DMCA Agent:

Apparent Group Limited

Attn: DMCA Agent

Flat/RM 05-06, 18/F, Hollywood Plaza

610 Nathan Road, Kowloon

Hong Kong

Email: dmca@polyreadai.com

2.2 Required Information

Your DMCA takedown notice must include:

Physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or authorized representative

Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to be infringed (or a representative list if multiple works)

Identification of the infringing material and information reasonably sufficient to locate it (URLs, file names, user account details)

Your contact information including:

- Name

- Address

- Telephone number

- Email address

Good faith statement: "I have a good faith belief that the use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law."

Accuracy statement: "The information in this notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, I am the copyright owner or authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed."

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3. How We Process Takedown Notices

3.1 Processing Timeline

3.2 What Happens When We Receive a Valid Notice

We remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing content

We notify the user who posted the content

We provide the user with information about counter-notification

We retain records of the notice and our response

3.3 Incomplete Notices

If your notice is incomplete, we will:

Notify you of what information is missing

Request you submit a complete notice

Not take action until we receive complete information

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4. Counter-Notification Procedure

4.1 When to File a Counter-Notification

If you believe your content was removed by mistake or misidentification, you may file a counter-notification.

Important: Filing a false counter-notification may expose you to legal liability.

4.2 Counter-Notification Requirements

Your counter-notification must include:

Physical or electronic signature of the subscriber

Identification of the material that was removed and the location where it appeared before removal

Statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief the material was removed by mistake or misidentification

Your contact information:

- Name

- Address

- Telephone number

- Email address

Consent to jurisdiction: Statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of:

- The federal court for the district where your address is located (if in the United States), or

- Any judicial district in which Apparent Group Limited may be found (if outside the United States)

Consent to service of process: Statement that you will accept service of process from the person who provided the original takedown notice

4.3 Counter-Notification Process

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5. Repeat Infringer Policy

5.1 Policy Statement

We will terminate, in appropriate circumstances, the accounts of users who are repeat infringers of copyrights.

5.2 What Constitutes a Repeat Infringer

A user is considered a repeat infringer if:

They receive multiple valid DMCA takedown notices

They demonstrate a pattern of copyright infringement

They repeatedly upload infringing content after warnings

5.3 Actions Against Repeat Infringers

Note: We reserve the right to immediately terminate accounts for egregious infringement without prior warnings.

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6. Misrepresentation and Abuse

6.1 False DMCA Notices

Under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material is infringing may be liable for damages, including:

Costs and attorneys' fees incurred by the alleged infringer

Any other party injured by the misrepresentation

6.2 False Counter-Notifications

Similarly, filing a false counter-notification may result in:

Legal liability for perjury

Damages to the copyright holder

Termination of your account

6.3 Abuse Prevention

We take seriously:

Fraudulent takedown notices designed to harass competitors

Bad faith claims without legitimate copyright basis

Repeat false notifications

We may report abuse to relevant authorities and take legal action.

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7. Copyright and Voice Cloning

7.1 Special Considerations for Voice Content

Our Service involves voice cloning and audio generation, which raises unique copyright considerations:

Voice Cloning:

Voices themselves are generally not copyrightable

However, voice performances and recordings may be protected

Using someone's voice without consent may violate other laws (right of publicity)

Generated Audio:

Text used for generation may be copyrighted

Scripts, books, and written works are protected

You must have rights to the text you convert to audio

7.2 What We Can Remove

We can take action on:

Audio generated from copyrighted text without authorization

Voice clones created from copyrighted recordings

Content that infringes third-party copyrights

7.3 What We Cannot Determine

We cannot determine:

Whether you have a license for source material

Complex fair use questions

Contractual disputes between parties

These may require legal resolution outside our DMCA process.

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8. International Copyright

8.1 Jurisdiction

While the DMCA is U.S. law, we:

Honor valid copyright claims from any jurisdiction

Apply similar processes for international claims

Comply with local laws where required

8.2 International Claims

For non-U.S. copyright claims:

Identify the applicable law and jurisdiction

Provide equivalent documentation to DMCA requirements

Include proof of copyright ownership valid in your jurisdiction

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9. Record Keeping

We maintain records of:

All DMCA notices received

All counter-notifications received

Actions taken in response

Communications with parties involved

Records are retained for a minimum of 3 years.

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10. Good Faith and Safe Harbor

10.1 Our Safe Harbor Protections

We operate as a service provider under DMCA Section 512 and:

Do not have actual knowledge of infringing material

Act expeditiously to remove material upon notification

Have designated an agent to receive notifications

Have adopted a repeat infringer policy

10.2 User Responsibility

Users are responsible for:

Ensuring they have rights to content they upload

Not infringing on others' copyrights

Responding to valid takedown notices

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11. Contact Information

DMCA Agent:

Apparent Group Limited

Attn: DMCA Agent

Flat/RM 05-06, 18/F, Hollywood Plaza

610 Nathan Road, Kowloon

Hong Kong

Email: dmca@polyreadai.com Response Time: We aim to acknowledge all notices within 24 hours on business days.

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12. Policy Updates

We may update this policy as laws evolve or our practices change. Material updates will be posted on this page with a new "Last Updated" date.

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Note: This policy is for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal questions, please consult a qualified attorney.