Intellectual Property Policy

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Context

This version was released March 27, 2025 and took effect April 26, 2025

The policy states two dates: it was released on March 27, 2025 and became effective on April 26, 2025. These are the dates of the policy text as published here; the document does not describe any earlier or later version.

Supporting quotations

Released March 27, 2025

Effective April 26, 2025

Qualifications & exceptions

• Dates are those stated in the document header.

Not stated here

• The document does not say what changed from any earlier version.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

A misleading or fraudulent copyright report will be denied and may lead to liability

Before reporting, TikTok says a reporter should consider whether the content might be a permissible use of the reporter's copyright. It warns that intentionally submitting a misleading or fraudulent report will result in the report being denied and may lead to liability for damages under section 512(f) of the United States DMCA or similar laws in other countries. The liability statement describes what those laws may do; it is not a TikTok penalty.

Supporting quotations

Before submitting a report, you should consider whether the content you want to report may be a permissible use of your copyright.

intentionally submitting a misleading or fraudulent report will result in your report being denied and may lead to liability for damages under section 512(f) of the United States DMCA or similar laws in other countries

Qualifications & exceptions

• Denial applies to reports submitted "intentionally" in a misleading or fraudulent way.
• Liability for damages is stated as something that "may" follow under the DMCA or similar laws.

Not stated here

• The policy cites section 512(f) of the DMCA by name only; the cited law is not supplied here and its terms are not described.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

A misleading or fraudulent trademark report will be denied and may lead to liability for damages

TikTok warns that intentionally submitting a misleading or fraudulent trademark report will result in the report being denied and may lead to liability for damages under applicable laws.

Supporting quotations

intentionally submitting a misleading or fraudulent report will result in your report being denied and may lead to liability for damages under applicable laws

Qualifications & exceptions

• Denial applies to reports submitted "intentionally" in a misleading or fraudulent way.
• Liability for damages is stated as something that "may" follow under applicable laws; no specific law is named.

Not stated here

• The applicable laws are not identified in this passage.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Context

Users with questions about copyright or trademark law may want to contact an attorney

TikTok says users with questions about copyright law or trademark law, such as whether their content or their use of another person's name or brand infringes another person's rights, may want to contact an attorney. This is a suggestion, not a requirement.

Supporting quotations

If you have questions about copyright law or trademark law, such as questions about whether your content or your use of another person’s name or brand infringes or otherwise violates another person’s rights, you may want to contact an attorney.

Qualifications & exceptions

• The wording is "may want to", so it is a suggestion.

Not stated here

• TikTok does not offer legal advice in this passage and does not say whether it will answer such questions.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Context

Rightsholders unsure whether content infringes may wish to seek legal advice before reporting

TikTok says a holder of intellectual property rights who is unsure whether content they plan to report infringes their rights may wish to first seek legal advice before reporting it. This is a suggestion, not a requirement.

Supporting quotations

As a holder of intellectual property rights, if you are unsure whether the content you plan to report to us is infringing your intellectual property rights, you may wish to first seek legal advice before reporting such content to us.

Qualifications & exceptions

• The wording is "may wish to", so it is a suggestion; it applies to rightsholders who are unsure.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

TikTok does not adjudicate disputes between third parties and may not remove content or suspend a reported account

TikTok says it is not in a position to adjudicate disputes between third parties and may not be able to remove the content or suspend the account being reported. A report does not guarantee removal or suspension, which stands alongside the earlier statements that infringing content may be removed.

Supporting quotations

TikTok is not in a position to adjudicate disputes between third parties, and may not be able to remove the content or suspend the account being reported.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Removal or suspension is described as something TikTok "may not be able to" do.
• Applies to disputes between third parties.

Not stated here

• The passage does not say when TikTok decides it cannot remove content or suspend an account.

Cross-references

• contrast (model-proposed): Content that violates another's trademark rights may be taken down — Trademark-violating content "may be taken down" while the General Note says TikTok may not be able to remove reported content or suspend the account; a report does not guarantee removal.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Company commitment

TikTok provides a dispute resolution mechanism and users or rightholders may seek other routes

TikTok says that, in accordance with its legal obligations, it provides users and rightholders with an intellectual property rights infringement dispute resolution mechanism. It adds that users or rightholders may have other ways to seek resolution, such as out-of-court dispute settlement processes or in-court proceedings under laws in their countries.

Supporting quotations

In accordance with our legal obligations, we provide users and rightholders with an intellectual property rights infringement dispute resolution mechanism.

Users or rightholders may have other ways to seek resolution, such as out-of-court dispute settlement processes or in-court proceedings under laws in their countries.

Qualifications & exceptions

• The mechanism is provided "in accordance with our legal obligations".
• Other routes depend on the laws in the person's country and are described as "may have".

Not stated here

• The passage does not say which part of the policy is the dispute resolution mechanism, though the report and appeal procedures appear elsewhere in the policy.