Copyright & Content Protection
What is copyright and content protection?
Copyright and content protection is the legal practice of securing exclusive rights to original works of authorship fixed in tangible form. In the United States, the Copyright Act of 1976 provides protection for the life of the author plus 70 years, with registration available through the U.S. Copyright Office. In Canada, the Copyright Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-42) grants automatic protection on creation; Canada matched the US life-plus-70 standard on December 30, 2022. International protection runs through the Berne Convention of 1886, administered by WIPO across 182 member states.
StarGuard Law, admitted in California, Ontario, and Quebec, runs the full copyright lifecycle for creators, artists, agencies, and software companies. That lifecycle covers registration with the U.S. Copyright Office and CIPO, DMCA takedowns and counter-notices, licensing across territories and formats, and authorship analysis for AI-assisted creations. For AI work specifically, the firm handles training-data opt-outs, output-ownership in generative-AI contracts, and registration for human-machine creations. The services below run that lifecycle from registration through enforcement.
Copyright
RegistrationRegister your works with the US Copyright Office to establish priority and unlock statutory damages.
DMCA Takedowns & Content Enforcement
Send targeted takedown notices to platforms and escalate enforcement against those using your content without permission.
DMCA Counter-Notices
& Demand Letter ResponseRespond to wrongful DMCA claims with properly structured counter-notices, and push back against bad-faith demand letters targeting your content rights.
AI Copyright & Authorship
Determine what's protectable when AI is involved in the creative process and structure authorship to maximize copyright coverage.
Creator Content Licensing & Monetization
Structure licensing deals and sync agreements that protect your creative content across formats, preserve your rights, and keep revenue flowing.
Common Questions
Is my content automatically protected by copyright?
Yes — copyright attaches the moment you create an original work in a fixed, tangible form. No registration is required in Canada. In the US, registration is optional but strongly recommended: it’s required to sue for infringement and enables you to claim statutory damages and attorney’s fees.
Book a free discovery callWhat can I do if someone is using my content without permission?
Your options depend on jurisdiction and platform. We start with a cease-and-desist letter, file DMCA takedowns on US platforms, and escalate to litigation when the infringement is commercial and the damages are meaningful. We assess which approach gets you the fastest, most cost-effective result.
Book a free discovery callHow is copyright different from trademark?
Copyright protects original creative works — music, writing, video, art, code — automatically from the moment of creation. Trademark protects brand identifiers — names, logos, slogans — and requires registration for full protection. Most creative businesses need both.
Book a free discovery callShould I register my copyright if it's automatic?
Yes, for important works. Copyright exists automatically when a work is created, but registration unlocks key rights you don't have otherwise: statutory damages (up to $150,000 per work in the US), attorney's fees in litigation, and prima facie evidence of ownership. Registration is inexpensive compared to the downstream value.
Book a free discovery callHow do you handle YouTube and social media platform takedowns?
We issue DMCA takedown notices to YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and X when your content is being used without permission, and we defend against takedown notices issued against you. Most platform disputes resolve within 7 to 14 days when handled by counsel. We also handle counter-notifications and platform appeals.
Book a free discovery callCan you draft licensing agreements for my content?
Yes. License agreements are how you turn copyright into revenue. We draft exclusive and non-exclusive licenses, sync licenses for music, derivative-work licenses for adaptations, and royalty-bearing licenses for ongoing use. Each license is tailored to the medium and the deal terms; we don't use templates.
Book a free discovery callDo you work with photographers and illustrators?
Yes. Visual creators have unique copyright concerns: usage rights in commercial work, model and property releases, AI training opt-outs, and platform-specific reuse terms. We draft commission agreements, releases, and licensing terms that protect your portfolio while giving clients clear usage rights.
Book a free discovery callNeed to protect your content?
Book a free 10-minute discovery call. We'll assess what your work needs — registration, a DMCA campaign, or a licensing strategy — and tell you exactly how to proceed.
Not Sure What You Need?
Tell me what's going on. I'll tell you exactly where you stand.
Book a free discovery call