Penalties & Abuse

Filing a false DMCA claim is a serious legal matter. Under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), anyone who knowingly makes a material misrepresentation in a DMCA notification or counter-notification may be liable for damages, including costs and attorney's fees incurred by the alleged infringer or copyright owner who is injured by the misrepresentation.

All DMCA claims on FlareNetwork require a sworn declaration under penalty of perjury. This means that knowingly submitting false information in a claim can carry legal consequences beyond our platform.

FlareNetwork tracks claim activity and may take action against accounts that abuse the DMCA system:

For Rights Holders Who File False Claims

• Claims that are resolved in favor of the creator are recorded on your account
• Multiple lost or dismissed claims may trigger an abuse review
• Accounts found to be filing claims in bad faith may be restricted from filing future claims
• Severe or repeated abuse may result in account suspension or termination

For Creators Who Repeatedly Infringe

• Claims resolved against you are recorded on your account
• Multiple upheld claims may trigger content restrictions
• Continued infringement may result in reduced upload privileges
• Severe or repeated infringement may result in account suspension or termination

In accordance with the DMCA, FlareNetwork maintains a repeat infringer policy. Users who repeatedly infringe on the copyrights of others will face escalating consequences, up to and including permanent account termination. We consider:

• The number of upheld claims against an account
• The timeframe in which the infringements occurred
• Whether the user has shown a pattern of disregard for copyright
• Whether the user has cooperated with the claims process

Our system flags accounts for review when we observe patterns such as:

• Filing a high volume of claims in a short period
• Claims that are consistently resolved against the filer
• Claims targeting competitors or rivals rather than genuine infringement
• Using the DMCA process to harass or silence creators
• Filing claims for content that is clearly fair use

If you believe someone is abusing the DMCA claim system on FlareNetwork — whether by filing false claims, using claims as harassment, or engaging in other bad-faith behavior — you can report it through our support system. Please include:

• The claim ID(s) in question
• A description of why you believe the behavior is abusive
• Any supporting evidence

Our team will review reports of abuse and take appropriate action. All reports are handled confidentially.