If someone complains that you are using material on your website without proper authorization, you should immediately remove that material. In the case of unauthorized uploads, downloads or links, you should disable access to the offending material or link. This is not to imply that you should cave into every complaint, but you should remove the material while you investigate the claim and, if necessary, talk to a lawyer. Courts often respond favorably to attempts to “contain” the damage. On the other hand, continuing to use material after being notified that you are violating someone else’s rights may aggravate the claim and increase your chances of having to pay money to the owner of the work.

Removing infringing material is an element of a 1998 law establishing that an Internet Service Provider (ISP, the company that hosts the website on its computer server) can avoid liability by following certain rules including speedy removal of the offending material. You can view or download the text of this law at the U.S. Copyright Office’s website: http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/. Click on “The Digital Millennium Copyright Act” and review Title II.