[Editor Charlie sez: This is a guest post from our friends at Artists Rights that originally appeared here. Follow them @artistsrights. Copyright in the author, used by permission.]
One of our contributors discovered that all content copied by Pinterest members to the Pinterest website was actually hosted on Amazon servers. This raised the question as to who the DMCA notices for copyright infringements should be sent to. Our member contacted Amazon for an answer. Amazon has now accepted that they will process DMCA notices concerning infringements by Pinterest members.
Amazon
The Whois record for Pinterest.com shows that the servers they use are as listed below. Checking each of the four named servers on Pinterest’s Whois record reveals the following information about each –
- NS-1226.AWSDNS-25.ORG, Amazon Technologies, Inc., Amazon Legal Department, Reno, USA
- NS-1826.AWSDNS-36.CO.UK, Amazon Technologies, Inc., Reno, USA
- NS-465.AWSDNS-58.COM, Amazon Technologies, Inc., Amazon Legal Department, Reno, USA
- NS-577.AWSDNS-08.NET, Amazon Technologies, Inc., Amazon Legal Department, Reno, USA
Click any server name above for further information. All content copied to Pinterest is actually hosted on these Amazon servers, and this includes the thousands (millions?) of images that have been infringed by Pinterest members.
DMCA Notices
Amazon confirm that they will accept DMCA notices regarding copyright infringements by Pinterest members. To do so they mention using this online form and for ‘abuse type’ select ‘Hosting unlicensed copyright-protected material’. Alternatively, they suggest you may submit a notice to Amazon in writing by using the guidelines in the following link.
Amazon offered the following advice “Please note, it is best to submit these notices to us at copyright@amazon.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please include all pertinent information in the body of your e-mail. We do not require that a physical or electronic signature be attached if you submit your notice electronically.”
Amazon expressed a preference that DMCA notices be submitted to Pinterest on the grounds that it would be more efficient. We are of the view that as the infringing material is actually hosted by Amazon that it is Amazon that should be responsible for dealing with it. Amazon stated that “We do monitor our customers with respect to DMCA compliance and will take whatever action we feel is appropriate if we believe a customer is not in compliance with the DMCA.”
We believe submitting notices directly to Amazon will enhance their capability of monitoring DMCA compliance by Pinterest. This issue of infringement by Pinterest members is becoming ever more important due to other services being launched to profit from the infringed material on Pinterest.
Further Information about Pinterest
We are publishing a series of guides regarding Pinterest which will be helpful to anyone considering becoming a Pinterest member or to anyone seeking to understand the issues raised by this business model.
Pinterest versus Ethics and the Law – Part 1
Pinterest versus Ethics and the Law – Part 2
Further parts in this series are scheduled to be published soon
Music Technology Policy 