Copyright & DMCA Policy

1. Introduction

This Copyright & DMCA Policy describes how Celestiq Insights OPC Pvt Ltd ("the Company", "we", "us"), the operator of VoteMyThought ("the Platform", accessible at votemythought.com), handles copyright infringement claims related to content hosted on the Platform.

This policy is published in accordance with the Copyright Act, 1957 (India) and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) (United States, 17 U.S.C. § 512), which we honour for international copyright claims.

2. Copyright on the Platform

As an intermediary under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, VoteMyThought does not own or claim copyright over user-generated content. Users retain copyright over the content they create and publish on the Platform, subject to the license granted to us under our Terms of Service.

The Platform's own content — including its design, logo, software code, and original published content — is the intellectual property of Celestiq Insights OPC Pvt Ltd and is protected under the Copyright Act, 1957.

3. Designated Agent

In accordance with 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(2), we have designated an agent to receive notifications of claimed copyright infringement:

4. Filing a Copyright Takedown Notice

To file a copyright infringement notification with us, you must provide a written communication that includes the following six statutory elements as required under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3):

1. Physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or a person authorised to act on their behalf;
2. Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple copyrighted works are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works;
3. Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity, including the specific URL(s) on the Platform where the infringing material is located, and information reasonably sufficient to permit us to locate the material;
4. Your contact information, including your full name, address, telephone number, and email address;
5. A statement that you have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorised by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law;
6. A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate, and that you are authorised to act on behalf of the copyright owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

Send your takedown notice to support@votemythought.com with the subject line: "DMCA Takedown Notice".

5. Our Response Timeline

Upon receipt of a valid takedown notice that includes all six statutory elements, we will:

• Acknowledge receipt of the notice within 24 hours;
• Review the notice for completeness and validity;
• Remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing material within 48 hours of receiving a valid and complete notice;
• Notify the user who posted the material that it has been removed or access has been disabled, along with a copy of the takedown notice (with personal contact information redacted where appropriate).

If the notice is incomplete or does not meet the statutory requirements, we will request the additional information needed before taking action.

6. Counter-Notification

If you believe that your content was removed or access was disabled in error or misidentification, you may file a counter-notification with us. Your counter-notification must include the following:

1. Your physical or electronic signature;
2. Identification of the material that has been removed or access disabled, including the specific URL where it previously appeared;
3. A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification of the material;
4. Your name, address, telephone number, and email address;
5. A statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the appropriate court — for users in India, the courts of Bangalore, Karnataka, India; for users in the United States, the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located (or if your address is outside the United States, any judicial district in which the Platform may be found); and
6. A statement that you will accept service of process from the person who filed the original takedown notice or their agent.

Send your counter-notification to support@votemythought.com with the subject line: "DMCA Counter-Notification".

Upon receipt of a valid counter-notification, we will:

• Forward a copy to the original complaining party;
• Restore the removed material and cease disabling access to it within 10 to 14 business days after receipt of the counter-notification, unless we first receive notice from the original complaining party that they have filed an action seeking a court order to restrain the alleged infringer;
• Notify both parties of the outcome.

7. Repeat Infringer Policy

In accordance with 17 U.S.C. § 512(i), we maintain a policy of terminating, in appropriate circumstances, the accounts of users who are determined to be repeat copyright infringers. A user is considered a repeat infringer if:

• Three (3) or more valid takedown notices have been filed against the user within a 12-month period; or
• The user has been found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have infringed copyright.

Upon meeting the repeat infringer threshold, the user's account will be terminated and they will be prohibited from creating new accounts on the Platform.

8. False Claims

Under Section 512(f) of the DMCA, any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material is infringing, or that material was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification, may be subject to liability. Filing a false takedown notice or counter-notification may result in account termination and legal action.

9. Indian Copyright Law

For claims under Indian law, this policy operates in conjunction with the Copyright Act, 1957. Section 51 of the Copyright Act defines infringement, and Section 52 enumerates fair dealing exceptions. We will respond to claims under Indian law with the same diligence and within the same timelines as DMCA claims.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Copyright & DMCA Policy from time to time. We shall inform users of changes at least once every year, in accordance with Rule 3(1)(f) of the IT Rules, 2021.

11. Contact

For any questions regarding this policy, please contact: