DMCA & Copyright Policy

The Talk Lounge respects intellectual property rights and expects users to do the same. We comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and similar international copyright laws. We will respond expeditiously to notices of alleged infringement.

If you believe your copyrighted work has been copied in a way that constitutes infringement, provide our designated Copyright Agent with:

1. A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or authorized agent
2. Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to be infringed (or a representative list if multiple works)
3. Identification of the infringing material and its location (URL or specific description)
4. Your contact information (name, address, telephone, email)
5. A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law
6. A statement, under penalty of perjury, that the information is accurate and you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

If you believe your content was removed by mistake or misidentification, you may submit a counter-notification containing:

1. Your physical or electronic signature
2. Identification of the removed material and its location before removal
3. A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief the material was removed by mistake or misidentification
4. Your name, address, telephone number
5. A statement consenting to jurisdiction of federal court in your district (or any judicial district if outside the US) and that you will accept service of process from the complainant

Upon receiving a valid counter-notification, we will forward it to the original complainant. If they do not file a court action within 10-14 business days, we may restore the content.

In accordance with the DMCA, we have adopted a policy of terminating, in appropriate circumstances, users who are deemed repeat infringers. We may also limit access or terminate accounts of users who infringe intellectual property rights, even on first offense for egregious violations.

The Talk Lounge respects fair use principles. Our editorial content may include limited use of copyrighted material for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research, as protected under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act and similar provisions in international law.

We consider fair use factors including: purpose and character of use, nature of the copyrighted work, amount used, and effect on the market.

We strive to properly attribute all images and media. Sources may include:

• Licensed stock photography
• Press releases and promotional materials
• Creative Commons licensed content
• User-submitted content
• Embedded social media posts

If you are a rights holder and believe attribution is missing or incorrect, contact us at dmca@thetalklounge.com.

Users are solely responsible for ensuring their uploaded content does not infringe third-party rights. By posting content, you represent that you own or have permission to use all materials. We are not liable for user-uploaded infringing content but will remove it upon proper notice.

We respect copyright laws worldwide, including the Berne Convention, WIPO Copyright Treaty, EU Copyright Directive, and applicable national laws. Rights holders from any jurisdiction may submit takedown requests following the procedures above.

WARNING: Under Section 512(f) of the DMCA, any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material is infringing, or that material was removed by mistake, may be subject to liability for damages, including costs and attorneys' fees. Please ensure your claim is valid before submitting.

If you believe your trademark is being infringed, contact us at legal@thetalklounge.com with details of the alleged infringement.