What a copyright disclaimer can and can't do
A short statement about the ownership or use of content. Copyright law gives it no special force: a use is lawful only with a licence or a legal exception like fair use, whatever you write underneath.
A disclaimer can't
- Turn an unlicensed copy into fair use
- Stop a DMCA takedown, a Content ID claim or a copyright strike
- Excuse infringement because you didn't intend it
- Replace permission, even if you credit the owner
A disclaimer can
- State who owns your content and what others may do with it
- Explain the commentary or teaching purpose behind a use
- Name the licence and credit that a licence requires
- Give owners a contact, so they email you before your host or Google
Does "no copyright infringement intended" work?
No. Infringement doesn't depend on intent, so the phrase has no legal effect. YouTube's help centre says it "won't automatically protect you from a claim of copyright infringement", and that "I do not own" or "all rights go to the author" don't make a use fair either.
It also shows you knew the material was someone else's. Use one of the honest versions below instead.
Disclaimer vs copyright notice
- A copyright notice is the owner's short ownership line, such as
© 2026 Example Media Ltd. - A disclaimer is longer, usually about how content may be used, or why you are using someone else's.
Only need the footer line? See how to write a copyright notice.
Copy-paste copyright disclaimers
Replace everything in [square brackets]. Delete any line that isn't true for you.
1. Website copyright disclaimer (for your own content)
© [Year] [Owner name]. All rights reserved.
All content on this website, including text, images, graphics, video and code, is owned by [Owner name] or used under licence, unless stated otherwise. You may not copy, republish or distribute it without written permission, except as allowed by law.
To request permission, or to report content you believe infringes your copyright, contact [email address].The contact line does the most work: owners who can reach you are less likely to go straight to Google or your host. Sites that host user uploads also need a proper DMCA policy and a registered agent (see what the DMCA requires).
2. Fair use disclaimer (commentary, review and education sites)
This [website / video] contains copyrighted material that has not always been licensed by its owner. We use it for [criticism / commentary / news reporting / teaching / research], and we believe this is fair use under Section 107 of the US Copyright Act.
If you own material used here and want to discuss it, contact [email address].It says what you are doing and why, without claiming the law has already decided. Whether the use is fair depends on the four factors in how fair use works.
3. "Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107": the widely used text
Pasted under many YouTube videos and on a number of university websites:
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Before you paste it:
- It is a paraphrase, not the statute. Section 107 doesn't say "allowance is made". It says fair use for those purposes "is not an infringement of copyright", then lists four factors.
- The last sentence overstates the law. Non-profit and educational use count in your favour under the first factor, but don't settle the result. "Personal use" isn't in the statute.
- It names purposes without saying what yours is. Add a line saying what you are commenting on.
To quote the law accurately instead, use the statute's own opening words:
Under 17 U.S.C. § 107, "the fair use of a copyrighted work ... for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright." This [video / page] uses [what you used] for [your purpose].4. YouTube copyright disclaimer (video description)
This video includes clips from [title] (© [owner]), used for [review / commentary / criticism]. Each clip is shown to support a specific point.
Music: "[Track title]" by [Artist], licensed via [library or licence].
Images: [Source], licensed under [licence].
Questions about content in this video: [email address].Listing what you used, and under which licence, helps if you ever dispute a claim; a generic Section 107 paragraph doesn't. Neither stops YouTube's Content ID matching your upload. See copyright strikes explained.
5. Third-party trademark disclaimer (affiliate, review and comparison sites)
All product names, logos and brands mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners. They are used for identification only. Their use does not imply endorsement by, or affiliation with, those owners.Naming brands to identify products is a trademark question, not copyright (see copyright vs trademark). If you earn commission from links, say so separately and clearly: that disclosure is an advertising requirement this disclaimer doesn't replace.
6. Image credit line (when a licence requires attribution)
Photo: [Creator name] / [Source], licensed under [CC BY 4.0], [link to licence]. [Cropped from original.]Creative Commons licences generally require attribution, and some stock licences do too. Credit only counts if you have a licence. Without one, a credit line is just a record of whose work you used.
What actually protects you
Tick off what you have. Each does what a disclaimer can't.
Already received a complaint? A disclaimer won't answer a takedown. See what a copyright infringement notice means before you reply.
FAQs
Does a copyright disclaimer protect me?
Not legally. A disclaimer can't make an unlicensed use lawful or stop a takedown. What protects you is a licence, a use that genuinely qualifies as fair use, or using your own work.
Is “no copyright infringement intended” legally valid?
No. Infringement doesn't depend on intent, and YouTube's own help centre says the phrase won't automatically protect you from a claim.
Can I copy and paste the “Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107”?
Yes, but it is a loose paraphrase of 17 U.S.C. § 107 and has no legal effect on its own. It is better to say specifically what you used and why.
What is the difference between a copyright notice and a copyright disclaimer?
A notice is the short ownership line, such as “© 2026 Owner”. A disclaimer is a longer statement about how content may be used or why you are using someone else's. Copyright notice format.
Do I need a copyright disclaimer on my website?
No. Your own content is protected automatically. A short notice with a contact address is useful; a disclaimer is optional and mainly helps explain any third-party material you use.
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