FAQ

FAQ

Questions photographers ask before submitting an image case

These answers explain how Atlantic Image Defense LLC handles image monitoring, evidence, rights review, case resolution and international legal handoff. When a matter requires jurisdiction-specific legal action, it is coordinated with qualified counsel.

Send the image reference, suspected URL, date of discovery, original publication record and any available licence information. We review the factual context first, before recommending a next step.

Atlantic reviews the visual match alongside protected-work records, authority, licensing context, publication history and available evidence. The matter is classified only after that review has been completed and documented.

Useful material includes original files, RAW files where available, creation and publication dates, stock-platform records, invoices, licence records, screenshots, the complete suspected URL and any communication with the user or platform.

Atlantic manages rights, evidence and case administration under documented authority. If jurisdiction-specific legal advice, court filings or formal representation are required, the case record is prepared and handed to qualified counsel in the competent jurisdiction.

Yes. The workflow is designed for photographers and stock contributors who sell or license content through stock-image platforms and need better visibility over reuse, stronger records and a responsible process for reviewing suspected misuse.

Depending on the evidence available, the next step may be continued monitoring, preservation of evidence, a platform notice, a licensing discussion, no further action or preparation of a legal handoff file for qualified counsel.

Photographers, videographers, visual artists, stock contributors, agencies, publishers, studios, brands and authorized representatives of rights holders may submit a matter when they have a good-faith basis for believing that an image or visual asset is being used without proper authorization.

Yes, provided you are authorized to act for the rights holder, for example as an agency, assignee, licensee with enforcement authority, company representative, estate representative or appointed agent. We may ask for proof of that authority before reviewing or preparing material connected with an action.

Yes. A stock image may still require review if the use appears to fall outside a licence, if no proof of authorization is available, if attribution or licence scope is disputed, or if the image appears to have been copied from a photographer’s portfolio, publication or production context. A match on a stock platform does not, by itself, prove that the use is lawful.

We review that claim carefully. A valid licence may resolve the matter, limit any next steps or show that no claim should be pursued. Before making a practical recommendation, we may request licence details, transaction information, the image ID, account records, dates and the licensed scope of use.

Atlantic can prepare and administer platform, host or service-provider procedures supported by evidence and document the resulting case record. Any removal or disabling is carried out by the relevant provider, recipient or competent authority under the applicable rules and law.

Atlantic uses an evidence-led, documented review of rights, authority, licensing context, responsible parties, jurisdiction and factual accuracy before consequential rights communication. Where the record remains unresolved and supports escalation, the matter may progress through the appropriate platform, counsel or legal channel.

Where the documented rights, use, valuation basis and applicable law support it, Atlantic can administer an amicable compensation or retroactive-licence proposal and, if unresolved, prepare the matter for qualified legal escalation. Any judicial recovery is pursued through the competent legal process.

Registration is treated as a jurisdiction-specific rights record. Where relevant, Atlantic can organize supporting information for the rights holder or counsel. Formal filing and registration are completed through the competent authority by the rights holder or an appropriately qualified professional.

Requirements vary by country and by type of action. In the United States, registration can be important before filing certain copyright claims in court and may affect available remedies. For formal legal decisions, photographers should consult qualified counsel.

A copyright evidence file is an organized collection that may include protected-work records, screenshots, URLs, dates, publication history, licensing records, platform records, correspondence, integrity identifiers and a chronology of events. Its purpose is to make the factual and rights record easy to trace and review.

A screenshot on its own may be incomplete. The full URL, capture date, visible page context, surrounding text, indicators of commercial use and archived evidence help establish where and how the image appeared. Because online content can change quickly, early preservation matters.

You may, but it is often safer to preserve the evidence first. If the user removes or changes the page before documentation is complete, important context can be lost. If you have already made contact, provide the correspondence so it can be included in the timeline and reviewed.

A removed image may still be reviewable if you have screenshots, archived pages, server records, third-party captures, correspondence, invoices, platform notifications or other reliable documentation. The strength of the file will depend on the quality and credibility of the evidence that remains.

Yes. Monitoring can be organized around selected images, portfolios, stock content, campaign visuals or high-value assets. It can identify suspected reuse, but every match still requires review before any conclusion is reached.

Yes. We may review still images, video frames, thumbnails, promotional visuals, composite graphics and related visual assets. Depending on the case, the analysis may also require source files, project history, details of edits, typography, layout and proof of authorship or rights.

Yes. Removal of a watermark, credit, metadata or rights-management information may be relevant to a rights review. It should be documented carefully with before-and-after evidence, original files, publication records and screenshots of the suspected use.

A modified use may still be relevant. Cropping, colour changes, filters, overlays, compositing, AI-assisted edits or integration into a layout do not automatically remove rights concerns. The matter should be reviewed through image comparison, source history and the surrounding context of use.

Atlantic reviews lawful public sources relating to businesses, domains and platforms, and records both the source and the level of confidence attached to professional contact information used for case administration.

We can organize evidence and review material involving websites or users in different jurisdictions. Laws, procedures, limitation periods, platform rules and enforcement options vary by country, however, and formal legal action may require qualified local counsel.

Timing depends on the number of images and suspected URLs, the availability of source records, the complexity of the licensing context and whether additional documentation is needed. A straightforward initial review will generally require less work than a multi-image evidence file.

Avoid public accusations before the evidence has been preserved, aggressive messages sent without review, altered screenshots, incomplete or misleading information, or claims of ownership you cannot support. A defensible process depends on accuracy and proportionality.

Contact with a recipient or platform must remain within the documented service scope and be supported by verified authority, preserved evidence and the human authorization recorded for the matter.

We treat submitted case materials as business-sensitive information intended for review. However, ordinary website forms and email are not perfect security channels. Do not submit unnecessary sensitive personal data, passwords, payment information, or privileged legal materials unless a suitable process has been confirmed.

Submitted matters are assessed against protected-work provenance, authority, observed use, licence context, evidence quality, jurisdiction and the action requested. That assessment determines whether the record proceeds, requires clarification, is corrected or is closed.

A stronger file usually contains original source material, a clear publication history, reliable dates, complete URLs, screenshots in context, licensing records, proof of authorship or assignment and a factual chronology that can be reviewed by a platform, counterparty or counsel.

Atlantic gives priority to clear protected-work provenance, documented authority, complete source and occurrence references, preserved observations, licensing history, publication chronology and corroborating records that allow recipients, platforms, counsel or competent authorities to trace the case.

Yes. We can organize a legal handoff file containing the facts, evidence, chronology, URLs, screenshots, ownership material, licensing context and unresolved questions. The attorney remains responsible for legal advice, strategy and formal representation.

Atlantic applies documented security controls, preserves evidence, requires human review and manages cases with regard to jurisdiction. A case is resolved by verified proof of authorisation or by amicable terms. While it remains unresolved, provider procedures may be used or the matter referred to qualified legal counsel; judicial outcomes are determined through the competent legal process.

Use the Submit a Case form. Provide the suspected URL, image reference, basis for your ownership or authority, date of discovery and any available licence or publication records. E-mail remains available for general questions, but evidence files should be sent through the form.

Atlantic may request the written assignment, contract, recordation information or other document showing what rights were transferred and who is authorized to act. Under U.S. copyright law, copyright ownership can be transferred in whole or in part, and a transfer generally must be documented in a writing signed by the owner of the rights conveyed or that owner’s duly authorized agent. Atlantic verifies the scope relevant to the submitted case rather than assuming that possession of an image file proves ownership.

Atlantic reviews the available employment, commissioning, assignment and ownership records before treating a company as the party entitled to act. In the United States, a qualifying work made for hire can place authorship and copyright ownership with the employer or other qualifying party, but the result depends on the applicable facts and documentation. The case record therefore identifies the authority basis instead of applying that status automatically.

No. A notice-and-takedown procedure is a defined process for requesting action from an eligible service provider; it is not itself a court judgment that finally determines infringement. A recipient may have relevant licence evidence, factual corrections or, where the applicable procedure permits it, a counter-notice based on mistake or misidentification. Atlantic therefore keeps notice preparation separate from the final legal determination of a disputed claim.

Online content can change or disappear after a review begins. Preserving the URL, capture date, screenshots and related technical context helps maintain a traceable record of what was observed at the relevant time. Removal does not automatically make the earlier factual record unnecessary, particularly when the chronology, licence history or later response still needs to be reviewed.

No indefinite-retention promise is made. Retention is controlled according to the type of record, case status, documented business or legal need, security requirements and the applicable retention policy. Records that no longer need to remain active may be archived, restricted or disposed of through controlled processes rather than being left indefinitely in the operational workspace.

Yes. Closing a case ends the active case workflow; it does not necessarily erase the supporting record. Preserved evidence, correspondence, decision history and verification records may remain necessary for auditability, later factual review, a permitted reopening, financial reconciliation or another documented retention purpose.

A deletion request is reviewed against the type of information involved and any applicable legal, contractual, security, audit or case-preservation requirement. Where a record must still be retained for a documented purpose, access can be restricted and the reason for continued retention recorded instead of silently deleting material that remains necessary to the integrity of the case file.

No. Operational records are used in the live case workflow, while protected backup copies exist primarily for continuity and recovery. Backup access is controlled separately and restoration should be verified before a recovered copy is returned to active use. Backup retention can therefore follow a different controlled lifecycle from the live case workspace.

A licence, invoice or authorization record submitted by a recipient can be preserved with the case response and its verification history so reviewers can understand what was supplied, when it was supplied and how it affected the case assessment. Retention of the record does not by itself mean the licence has been accepted as valid; validity and scope remain subject to review.

Yes. Where a factual or administrative correction is required, the preferred approach is to preserve the history of the material change and record the corrected information rather than silently overwriting a material case event. This supports traceability by showing what changed, when it changed and, where required, who validated the correction.

Open Case access with the case reference and private access code shown in the letter or e-mail. There you can provide a licence or proof of authorization, correct facts or raise an objection. Without a licence, you can choose the amicable resolution and pay it there directly, without waiting for anything from Atlantic. Removing the image does not close the case. Opening the secure space is not an admission.

Through Case access: upload the licence, invoice or order, with the image ID and the licensed scope. A valid licence may resolve the matter.

Yes. Your lawyer can write through the lawyers’ area, with professional standing, mandate and the case reference.
Advanced questions and limits

How Atlantic evaluates authority, evidence and international case progression

This expanded guide explains Atlantic’s approach to authority, monitoring, evidence, licensing, recipient responses, notices, payments, retention and international case progression, including referral to qualified counsel where a matter requires jurisdiction-specific legal action.

  1. 01Authority
  2. 02Evidence
  3. 03Licences
  4. 04Notices
  5. 05Responses
  6. 06Retention
  7. 07Jurisdiction
  8. 08CCB
01

How does Atlantic verify rights-holder authority?

Atlantic reviews the protected-work record together with the available authorship, ownership, assignment, agency and mandate documentation relevant to the case. The resulting authority record is used to determine whether Atlantic has a documented basis to administer the matter and which rights and territories are within scope.

A source file is important but may need corroboration through publication history, contracts, witnesses, contributor records or registrations.

02

Does a high similarity score prove infringement?

Similarity is an evidentiary starting point for documented review. Case qualification considers access and copying indicators, ownership and authority, licence scope, applicable exceptions, jurisdiction, damages context and responsibility for publication together with the preserved record.

A reviewer must inspect the image, page and available rights records.

03

How does Atlantic review licences and authorization records?

A recipient may provide a licence, invoice, stock-platform record, assignment, agency record or other authorization material. Atlantic compares the supplied record with the protected work, relevant dates, scope, territory, permitted uses and the documented occurrence before the case position is maintained or corrected.

A licence document is evidence to be reviewed; it is not accepted or rejected automatically without checking its relevance to the observed use.

04

How are external notices authorized?

Consequential external notices require documented human authorization and a sufficiently complete case record. The selected notice route is matched to the relevant platform, statutory framework, jurisdiction and available evidence, including any applicable counter-notice process.

An incomplete or inaccurate notice can harm the requester, recipient and platform.

05

What happens when the recipient disputes the claim?

The dispute is recorded and the matter returns to review. The recipient may provide a licence, identify the correct entity, explain an exception, correct facts or ask for communication through counsel. A challenge to the recorded authority is submitted by counsel, with supporting documents, through the lawyers’ area.

A dispute triggers documented review of both positions and their supporting records before the case assessment is maintained, corrected or escalated.

06

Can data be deleted immediately?

Account access can be suspended, but evidence, audit, legal, financial and security records may need to be retained. Permanent deletion requires dependency checks, retention review and authorized approval.

Privacy rights are handled according to applicable law and may be limited by legal claims, contracts, security and recordkeeping obligations.

07

How does jurisdiction affect an international image-rights matter?

Applicable rights, exceptions, limitation periods, procedures and remedies can differ by territory. Atlantic records the known territorial and party context and avoids treating one country’s procedure as universally applicable.

Where a matter requires jurisdiction-specific legal advice, compulsory measures or court action, the documented case file is reviewed with qualified counsel in the competent jurisdiction.

08

What is the Copyright Claims Board (CCB), and when can it become relevant?

The Copyright Claims Board is a small-claims tribunal within the U.S. Copyright Office for certain copyright disputes. It operates under its own eligibility, procedural and jurisdictional rules, and participation and available remedies depend on the applicable CCB framework.

Atlantic Image Defense LLC is not a law firm and does not represent parties before the CCB. Where the documented record may justify considering that route, Atlantic may organize evidence, chronology and authority records for review by the rights holder or qualified counsel before any formal filing decision.

Legal and institutional references

These links point to official or institutional sources. Their inclusion does not mean that every text applies to every matter.

17 U.S.C. § 107 — Fair use Fair use is a fact-specific limitation assessed through statutory factors; a technical match does not resolve that analysis. Open official source ↗ 17 U.S.C. § 512 — Online service-provider notices Notice-and-takedown procedures contain formal elements, counter-notice mechanisms and service-provider-specific conditions. Open official source ↗ EU Regulation 2016/679 — GDPR Where applicable, personal-data processing requires a lawful basis, transparency, minimization and rights handling. Open official source ↗ Berne Convention — WIPO official text International copyright protection is implemented through national laws; the applicable rules and remedies vary by country. Open official source ↗

Atlantic administers rights, evidence and case-resolution workflows under documented authority. Judicial remedies and compulsory measures are pursued through competent authorities and qualified counsel where applicable.

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Atlantic Image Defense LLC

Atlantic supports photographers and rights holders with image monitoring, evidence organization, licensing review and responsible case preparation.

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Contact

ATLANTIC IMAGE DEFENSE LLC
54 State Street, Ste 804
PMB 17418
Albany, NY 12207
United States

+1 (347) 853-8625 contact@atlantic-image-defense.com privacy@atlantic-image-defense.com copyright@atlantic-image-defense.com
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© 2026 ATLANTIC IMAGE DEFENSE LLC. All rights reserved. Active company registered in New York under DOS ID 7924876, Filing Number 260526002009.

Made in United States of America CCB.gov - Copyright Claims Board

COPYRIGHT CLAIMS BOARD
P.O. Box 70400
Washington, D.C. 20024-0400
(202) 707-3000 or
1 (877) 476-0778 (toll-free)

Are you a photographer, an authors’ representative or an image distribution platform? Copyright in a photograph arises when it is created and belongs to its author from the outset, with no formalities. Registration is not a condition of protection: in the United States (17 U.S.C. §§ 102(a), 201(a) and 408(a)); in the more than 180 states party to the Berne Convention, across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania (Art. 5(2)); in the member countries of the World Trade Organization, which must apply these rules under the TRIPS Agreement (Art. 9(1)), or in those that have joined the WIPO Copyright Treaty (Art. 3).

Registration with the U.S. Copyright Office becomes useful, or even necessary, in specific cases: for a U.S. work, it is required before any action in federal court (§ 411(a)); a registration application is required to bring a claim before the Copyright Claims Board (§ 1505); made before the infringement or within three months of publication, it makes statutory damages and attorney’s fees available (§ 412); made within five years of publication, it creates a presumption that the copyright is valid (§ 410(c)).

ATLANTIC IMAGE DEFENSE can be mandated for either service, each handled separately: defending your photographs, which always begins with an amicable approach to the user; registering your works, carried out directly with the U.S. Copyright Office under a mandate signed beforehand, within that office’s own timeframes. ATLANTIC IMAGE DEFENSE is not affiliated with the Copyright Office or the CCB. Register a work with the U.S. Copyright Office

In the United States, copyright in a photograph generally lasts for the author’s life plus 70 years (17 U.S.C. § 302(a)); the Berne Convention sets a minimum of life plus 50 years (Art. 7(1)), which the WIPO Copyright Treaty extends to photographs (Art. 9).