Copyright and Takedown Policy

Draft — not yet reviewed by counsel. This policy describes how Quire works during the invite-only beta. It is not final and will be revised before general availability. Items marked [TODO] must be completed before launch.

Bring your own copy

Quire is a place to read a book together, not a place to get one.

Every reader owns the book. A room is tied to a book. One member uploads a copy they own or have the right to use. Other members either upload their own edition or confirm that they own the book, which lets them read the room's copy without a second upload.
A copy stays inside its room. Only members who confirmed they own the book can open the room's copy. Nobody outside the room can, and Quire never publishes or sells it.
Rooms share discussion, not books. Members see each other's highlights (with the short quote highlighted), threads, chat, and any Quill answers someone chooses to share. Members who have not confirmed they own the book can follow the discussion but cannot read it in Quire.
Quire does not sell, lend, or distribute books.

By uploading a file, you confirm that you own it or have the right to use it this way. By reading a room's copy, you confirm that you own the book.

Reporting infringement

If you believe material on Quire infringes your copyright, send a written notice to our designated agent:

[TODO: legal@quire.example — replace with the real address] [TODO: designated agent name and postal address; register the agent with the U.S. Copyright Office if relying on the DMCA safe harbor]

Your notice must include:

Your physical or electronic signature, or that of someone authorized to act for the copyright owner.
Identification of the copyrighted work you believe is infringed.
Identification of the material you believe is infringing, with enough information for us to find it (for example, the room invite link, the uploader's display name, or a screenshot of a highlight or message).
Your contact information: name, postal address, telephone number, and email address.
A statement that you have a good-faith belief that the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
A statement that the information in the notice is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on its behalf.

Because copies are private, you may not be able to see the material you are reporting. Give us as much detail as you can, and we will investigate.

What we do when we receive a notice

When we receive a complete notice, we will:

Disable access to the reported material, such as an uploaded copy, a highlight, or a message.
Tell the uploader that the material was disabled and send them a copy of the notice (with your contact details if the law requires it).
Keep a record of the notice and our response.

Incomplete notices may delay our response. We may ask you for more information.

Counter-notice

If your material was disabled and you believe it was a mistake or that you have the right to use it, you can send a counter-notice to the same address. It must include:

Your physical or electronic signature.
Identification of the material that was disabled and where it appeared before it was disabled.
A statement, under penalty of perjury, that you have a good-faith belief the material was disabled as a result of a mistake or misidentification.
Your name, postal address, and telephone number, and a statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of [TODO: court, to be confirmed by counsel] and will accept service of process from the person who sent the original notice.

We will forward the counter-notice to the person who sent the original notice. Unless they tell us within 10 to 14 business days that they have filed a court action, we may restore the material.

Repeat infringers

We will suspend or terminate the accounts of users who are repeat infringers in appropriate circumstances. We may also remove material or suspend accounts without a notice when infringement is clear.

Misrepresentation

Knowingly sending a false notice or counter-notice can make you liable for damages, including costs and attorneys' fees. If you are not sure whether material infringes your rights, consider getting legal advice first.

Other rights

To report content that breaks our rules for reasons other than copyright, see the Acceptable Use Policy.