Intellectual Property Policy

1. Our Commitment

dtf.market respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects all users — especially Vendors (sellers) — to do the same. We comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), 17 U.S.C. § 512, and other applicable intellectual property laws.

As an online marketplace, dtf.market operates as a service provider under the DMCA safe harbor provisions. We do not pre-screen all uploaded designs, but we respond expeditiously to valid notices of infringement and maintain a strict repeat infringer policy.

2. What Constitutes Infringement

The following are examples of intellectual property infringement on dtf.market:

2.1 Copyright Infringement

• Uploading designs you did not create and do not have a license to sell
• Copying or closely imitating another artist's original artwork
• Using licensed characters (Disney, Marvel, Nintendo, anime characters, etc.) without authorization
• Using copyrighted photographs, illustrations, or digital art without permission
• Reproducing album covers, movie posters, or book covers

2.2 Trademark Infringement

• Using brand names, logos, or slogans (Nike, Adidas, Supreme, etc.) without authorization
• Using sports team names, logos, or mascots (NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA, etc.)
• Creating designs that could cause consumer confusion with a registered trademark
• Using "inspired by" or similar language to sell designs that replicate trademarked elements
• Trade dress infringement — imitating the distinctive visual appearance of a branded product

2.3 Right of Publicity

• Using a celebrity's name, likeness, or image for commercial purposes without consent
• Using catchphrases, signatures, or other identifiable attributes of public figures
• Creating caricatures or artistic renderings of identifiable individuals for sale

2.4 Design Copying

• Uploading designs that are substantially similar to another vendor's existing listings on dtf.market
• Tracing, recoloring, or making minor modifications to another artist's work and claiming it as original
• Using AI-generated art that reproduces copyrighted characters, styles, or compositions identifiably

3. DMCA Takedown Procedure

If you are a copyright owner (or authorized agent) and believe your work has been infringed on dtf.market, you may submit a DMCA takedown notice.

3.1 How to File a Takedown Notice

Submit your notice via:

• Online form: dtf.market/dmca (fastest)
• Email: dmca@dtf.market

3.2 Required Information (17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3))

Your notice must include all of the following:

1. A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or authorized agent
2. Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to be infringed (or a representative list if multiple works)
3. Identification of the infringing material on dtf.market, with sufficient detail to locate it (URL of the listing)
4. Your contact information: name, address, telephone number, and email address
5. A good faith statement: "I have a good faith belief that the use of the material described above is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law."
6. A statement of accuracy under penalty of perjury: "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."

Warning:Under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), knowingly making material misrepresentations in a DMCA notice may subject the filer to liability for damages, including costs and attorneys' fees.

3.3 What Happens After We Receive a Valid Notice

1. We will remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing material promptly (typically within 1-3 business days)
2. We will notify the vendor whose listing was removed, providing a copy of the takedown notice (with the filer's personal address redacted)
3. The takedown will be logged against the vendor's account as part of our repeat infringer policy
4. The vendor may submit a counter-notice (see Section 4)

4. Counter-Notice Procedure

If you are a vendor whose listing was removed and you believe the removal was a mistake or misidentification, you may file a DMCA counter-notice.

4.1 How to File a Counter-Notice

Send your counter-notice to dmca@dtf.marketwith the subject line "DMCA Counter-Notice".

4.2 Required Information (17 U.S.C. § 512(g)(3))

Your counter-notice must include:

1. Your physical or electronic signature
2. Identification of the material that was removed and its location before removal (the listing URL)
3. A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief the material was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification
4. Your name, address, and telephone number
5. A statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located (or, if outside the US, any judicial district in which dtf.market may be found), and that you will accept service of process from the person who filed the original takedown notice

4.3 What Happens After a Counter-Notice

1. We will forward your counter-notice to the original complainant
2. The complainant has 10-14 business days to file a court action seeking a restraining order against you
3. If no court action is filed, we will restore the material within 10-14 business days after receiving the counter-notice
4. If a court action is filed, the material remains down pending resolution

5. Trademark Complaints

Trademark complaints are not governed by the DMCA but are handled under our platform policies. If you are a trademark owner and believe a listing infringes your mark:

• Email dmca@dtf.market with the subject "Trademark Complaint"
• Include your trademark registration number (if registered), the infringing listing URL(s), and a description of the infringement
• We will review the complaint and take appropriate action, which may include removing the listing

Trademark complaints are factored into our repeat infringer policy alongside DMCA takedowns.

6. Repeat Infringer Policy

In accordance with 17 U.S.C. § 512(i), dtf.market maintains and enforces a policy for the termination of repeat infringers. This policy applies to all vendor accounts.

6.1 Strike System

6.2 Immediate Termination

We reserve the right to immediately and permanently terminate a vendor account without the progressive strike process in cases of:

• Wholesale counterfeiting of branded goods
• Uploading large quantities of obviously infringing content
• Re-uploading previously removed infringing content
• Creating new accounts to circumvent a prior ban
• Filing fraudulent counter-notices

6.3 Strike Resolution

A successful counter-notice (where the original complainant does not file suit within the statutory period) will result in the removal of that strike from the vendor's record. Strikes that are not resolved via counter-notice remain on record for 12 months from the date of issuance, after which they expire (except for 3rd strikes, which are permanent).

6.4 Payout Holds

When a vendor account is under active IP review or has received a 2nd or 3rd strike, we may place a temporary hold on pending payouts. Held payouts will be released once the review is resolved, unless the vendor is found liable for infringement damages, in which case payouts may be forfeited.

7. Proactive Measures

In addition to responding to takedown notices, dtf.market proactively protects IP rights by:

• Manual review: New vendor accounts and first-time listings undergo human review before going live
• Keyword filtering: Automated detection of common brand names, trademarked terms, and known infringing patterns in listing titles, descriptions, and tags
• Community reporting: Users can report suspected infringement directly from listing pages
• Vendor education: Onboarding materials and warnings about IP compliance during the listing process

8. Designated DMCA Agent

Our designated agent to receive DMCA notifications is:

DMCA Agent
dtf.market
Email: dmca@dtf.market

Our DMCA agent designation is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office as required by 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(2).

9. Vendor Best Practices

To avoid IP issues, we recommend vendors:

• Only upload original work that you created yourself
• Keep proof of creation — layered source files (PSD, AI, SVG), sketches, work-in-progress screenshots
• Do not use brand names or logos in designs, titles, tags, or descriptions — even as "parody" or "inspired by"
• Be cautious with AI-generated art — ensure outputs do not reproduce copyrighted characters or identifiable copyrighted styles
• When in doubt, don't upload it — if you're unsure about the legality, consult an attorney
• Respond promptly to notices — if we contact you about an IP concern, respond within 5 business days

10. Limitation

This IP Policy is not legal advice. We encourage all users to consult with qualified legal counsel regarding their specific intellectual property questions. dtf.market is not responsible for determining the merits of any IP dispute between users and rights holders.

11. Contact

For all IP-related inquiries:

• DMCA takedowns: dtf.market/dmca or dmca@dtf.market
• Trademark complaints: dmca@dtf.market (subject: "Trademark Complaint")
• General IP questions: legal@dtf.market