DMCA & Copyright Policy

1. Policy Overview

Rent A Route respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects our customers to do the same. This policy outlines our procedures for handling copyright infringement claims under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and applicable copyright laws.

2. DMCA Safe Harbor Compliance

As a hosting service provider, Rent A Route qualifies for the DMCA "safe harbor" provisions under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c). We act as an intermediary and do not monitor or control content our customers place on their VPS instances. We respond promptly to valid copyright infringement notices.

3. Designated Copyright Agent

All copyright infringement notices should be sent to our designated DMCA agent:

DMCA Agent
Rent A Route
Email: dmca@rentaroute.io
Mail: 1317 Edgewater Dr #4282
Orlando, FL 32804
United States

4. Filing a DMCA Takedown Notice

4.1 Requirements for Valid Notice

To file a valid DMCA takedown notice, you must provide the following information:

1. Identification of the copyrighted work: Describe the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed. If multiple works, provide a representative list.
2. Identification of infringing material: Provide specific URLs or IP addresses where the allegedly infringing material is located. Generic information is insufficient.
3. Contact information: Include your name, address, telephone number, and email address.
4. Good faith statement: Include the following statement: "I have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law."
5. Accuracy statement: Include the following statement: "I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in this notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner, or am authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner."
6. Physical or electronic signature: Sign the notice (physical or electronic signature acceptable).

4.2 Notice Format

Please use the following format for your DMCA notice:

4.3 Incomplete or Invalid Notices

Notices that do not meet the above requirements may not be processed. We may contact you to request clarification or additional information.

5. Our Response to Valid Notices

Upon receiving a valid DMCA notice, we will:

1. Acknowledge receipt within 1-2 business days
2. Forward the notice to the customer whose content is allegedly infringing
3. Remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing material within 24-48 hours
4. Notify the customer of the removal and their right to file a counter-notice
5. Terminate repeat infringers in accordance with our policy

6. Filing a DMCA Counter-Notice

6.1 When to File a Counter-Notice

If you believe your content was removed in error or that you have the right to use the material, you may file a counter-notice.

6.2 Requirements for Counter-Notice

A valid counter-notice must include:

1. Your contact information: Name, address, telephone number, and email
2. Identification of removed material: Describe the material that was removed and where it was located
3. Good faith statement: "I swear, under penalty of perjury, that I have a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification."
4. Consent to jurisdiction: "I consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which my address is located, or if outside the United States, for any judicial district in which Rent A Route may be found, and I will accept service of process from the person who provided the original DMCA notice or an agent of such person."
5. Physical or electronic signature

6.3 Counter-Notice Process

After receiving a valid counter-notice, we will:

1. Forward the counter-notice to the original complainant
2. Wait 10-14 business days
3. If the complainant does not file a court action, restore the removed content

7. Repeat Infringer Policy

We maintain a policy for terminating accounts of repeat copyright infringers:

• First Offense: Content removed, warning issued
• Second Offense: Service suspended for 24 hours, final warning
• Third Offense: Account terminated without refund

We reserve the right to terminate accounts immediately for egregious violations (e.g., commercial piracy operations).

8. Misuse of DMCA Process

Warning: Filing false or fraudulent DMCA notices or counter-notices has legal consequences. Under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), you may be liable for damages, including costs and attorneys' fees, if you knowingly materially misrepresent that material is infringing or was removed by mistake.

We reserve the right to take legal action against parties who abuse the DMCA process.

9. Copyright Best Practices for Customers

To avoid copyright issues:

• Only host content you own or have permission to use
• Obtain proper licenses for commercial content (music, videos, software)
• Implement your own DMCA procedures if you host user-generated content
• Respond promptly to copyright complaints
• Remove infringing content immediately upon notice

10. Trademark Complaints

While this policy primarily addresses copyright, we also handle trademark complaints. Trademark issues are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Contact legal@rentaroute.io for trademark concerns.

11. Other Intellectual Property Issues

For intellectual property issues not covered by DMCA (patents, trade secrets, etc.), contact our legal department:

Email: legal@rentaroute.io

12. International Copyright Claims

We comply with U.S. copyright law. For international copyright claims, we recommend working through appropriate legal channels in your jurisdiction. We will cooperate with valid legal orders from foreign courts that are properly domesticated in U.S. courts.

13. Processing Time

Expected processing times:

• Notice Acknowledgment: 1-2 business days
• Content Removal: 24-48 hours after validation
• Counter-Notice Processing: 10-14 business days waiting period
• Content Restoration: 1-2 business days after waiting period (if no legal action filed)

14. Limitations of Service Provider

As a hosting provider, we:

• Do not monitor customer content proactively
• Cannot determine if copyright infringement has actually occurred (this is for courts to decide)
• Act as intermediary between copyright holders and customers
• Remove content based on valid DMCA notices, not our own judgment

15. Preservation of Evidence

We may preserve evidence of alleged infringement for legal proceedings. Both complainants and accused parties should preserve all relevant evidence.

16. No Legal Advice

This policy provides information about our DMCA procedures but does not constitute legal advice. Both copyright holders and customers should consult with attorneys regarding their specific situations.

17. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes in law or our procedures. Material changes will be posted on our website.

18. Contact Information Summary