DMCA Copyright Policy

1. Overview

Chefra LLC ("Chefra") respects the intellectual property rights of others and complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. § 512) ("DMCA"). This page explains how to submit a copyright takedown notice, how to file a counter-notification, and Chefra's policy for handling repeat infringers.

Chefra qualifies for the DMCA safe harbor under 17 U.S.C. § 512 for user-generated content hosted on the platform. To maintain that protection, Chefra has adopted, communicated, and consistently implements the repeat-infringer policy described in Section 5 of this page.

2. Copyright on Chefra

Users post recipes, photos, comments, and other content on Chefra. Under U.S. copyright law:

Ingredient lists and purely functional cooking instructions are generally not copyrightable. Factual steps (e.g., "bake at 350°F for 30 minutes") do not receive copyright protection.
Creative expression is copyrightable. This includes original headnotes, narrative descriptions, creative writing surrounding a recipe, and photographs. If you wrote it or took the photo, it is protected by copyright the moment it is created.

If you believe content on Chefra infringes your copyright, please follow the takedown process below.

3. How to Submit a Copyright Takedown Notice

To submit a valid DMCA takedown notice, send a written communication to Chefra's designated DMCA agent that includes all of the following (required by 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3)):

Your signature (physical or electronic) as the copyright owner or authorized agent.
Identification of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed. If multiple works are covered by a single notice, a representative list is acceptable.
Identification of the infringing material on Chefra — include a specific URL or enough information to locate it on the platform.
Your contact information: name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address.
A statement of good faith belief: "I have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law."
A statement of accuracy and authority: "I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in this notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner."

Send takedown notices to:
Email: dmca@getchefra.com (fastest)
Mail: Chefra LLC — DMCA Agent, PO Box 76, Haven, Kansas 67543

Important: Submitting a false or bad-faith takedown notice may expose you to liability for damages under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), including attorney's fees.

4. What Happens After We Receive a Takedown Notice

When we receive a complete, valid takedown notice:

We act promptly to remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing content.
We notify the user who posted the content that it has been removed and provide them a copy of the notice.
We record a strike against the posting user's account under our repeat-infringer policy (Section 5).
We inform the user of their right to submit a counter-notification (Section 4.1) if they believe the removal was in error.

Incomplete notices that do not include all required elements may not be acted upon.

4.1 Counter-Notification Process

If content you posted was removed in response to a takedown notice and you believe the removal was a mistake or that you have the right to use the content, you may submit a counter-notification.

A valid counter-notification must include all of the following (17 U.S.C. § 512(g)(3)):

Your signature (physical or electronic).
Identification of the removed content and the URL where it appeared before removal.
A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief the content was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification.
Your name, address, and telephone number.
Consent to jurisdiction: "I consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the district in which my address is located (or, if outside the United States, any judicial district in which Chefra may be found), and I will accept service of process from the person who provided the original takedown notice or their agent."

Send counter-notifications to: dmca@getchefra.com

What happens next: We will forward your counter-notification to the original complainant. Unless the complainant notifies us within 10–14 business days that they have filed a court action, we may restore the removed content at our discretion. We are not required to restore content.

5. Repeat-Infringer Policy

This policy is adopted pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 512(i) and is communicated to all users through these terms.

Chefra will terminate the accounts of users who are determined to be repeat infringers in appropriate circumstances. This policy is applied consistently and in good faith.

5.1 What Counts as a Strike

A strike is recorded against a user's account when Chefra receives a complete, valid DMCA takedown notice identifying content posted by that user and removes or disables access to that content in response.

A strike is also recorded when Chefra independently identifies and removes content that clearly infringes third-party copyright, regardless of whether a formal takedown notice was received.

Counter-notifications that result in restoration of content do not automatically clear a strike. Chefra considers the totality of circumstances in applying this policy.

5.2 Enforcement

1st strike: Content removed. User notified with explanation and a copy of the takedown notice.
2nd strike: Content removed. User notified. Import and upload features may be temporarily restricted.
3rd strike: Content removed. Account permanently terminated. User notified.

Chefra reserves the right to skip steps and terminate immediately for willful infringement, commercial-scale copying, or infringement that also violates our Community Guidelines.

5.3 Evasion

If a terminated user creates a new account to evade a termination under this policy, the new account will also be terminated.

6. Recipe Importing and Copyright

Chefra's import features are for your personal use with content you own or have the right to use. When you import content from an external source:

You represent that you have the legal right to import, reproduce, and share that content on Chefra.
You acknowledge that creative expression in recipes — including headnotes, descriptions, and photos — is protected by copyright even when bare ingredient lists are not.
You agree to indemnify Chefra for any copyright claims arising from content you import.

Best practice: Import only factual elements (ingredient quantities and steps). Link to the original source rather than reproducing protected text or photos.

DMCA strikes apply to infringing imports. Users are responsible for content they import regardless of whether it was entered manually or fetched by an automated tool.

7. Designated DMCA Agent

Chefra LLC — Designated DMCA Agent
Email: dmca@getchefra.com
Mail: PO Box 76, Haven, Kansas 67543
DMCA Agent Registration No.: DMCA-1073800

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be posted at this URL with an updated effective date.

9. Contact

This policy is not legal advice. Copyright law is complex and fact-specific. If you are unsure whether content is protected or whether your use qualifies as fair use, consult a licensed attorney.

Chefra DMCA Copyright Policy