Copyright and takedown policy

What this service is, in copyright terms

This site is a search interface over a catalogue of torrent metadata: info hashes, names, file lists, and sizes that a bitmagnet instance observed being announced on the BitTorrent DHT. Records are added automatically, by software, without human review or selection.

We do not host, store, or transmit the files those records describe. No user uploads anything here. There is no tracker, no seeding, no file storage. For any given record, the only thing this site can act on is whether it shows that record.

That shapes what a takedown accomplishes. A takedown hides the record's info hash on this site, so it stops appearing in search results, file lists, RSS feeds, and Torznab responses here. It does not remove the file from the internet, stop the swarm, or affect any other index, none of which is within our reach.

This is our own policy

This site has no designated agent registered with the US Copyright Office, and it does not claim the safe harbours in 17 U.S.C. §512. We still handle copyright notices, voluntarily, through the email process described on this page.

Sending a notice

Email dmca@torrents.observer with the subject line "Copyright notice".

Your notice should include all of the following, so we can check who is asking, what for, and which records it concerns:

1. A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
2. Identification of the copyrighted work you say is infringed. Where several works are covered by one notice, a representative list is fine.
3. Identification of the specific record or records you want taken down, by info hash. Each record has a 40-character hexadecimal info hash shown on its detail view; include that, and the result page URL if you have it.
4. Contact details we can reach you at: name, email address, and ideally a postal address and phone number.
5. A statement that you 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.
6. A statement that the information in the notice is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the exclusive right allegedly infringed.

Please identify records by info hash

The info hash is the only identifier that names one record exactly. Torrent names are not unique and are frequently wrong. A single title can match hundreds of unrelated records, and a name-based request would either miss the ones you meant or hide ones you didn't. A notice that names only a title, a search term, or a pattern ("all records mentioning X") is not something we can act on precisely, and we will ask you for hashes rather than guess.

What happens next

We read every notice. If one is complete and identifies records by info hash, we promptly hide those info hashes on this site. From the next request on, they no longer appear in search results, file lists, RSS feeds, or Torznab responses. We will confirm by email when it's done.

If a notice is incomplete (most often, no info hash), we'll reply explaining what we need. We don't hide records on the strength of a request we can't tie to specific entries.

What hiding does and doesn't do

Hiding is a list this site keeps of info hashes it will not show. Nothing is deleted. The record stays in the database of the bitmagnet instance behind this site, and the torrent itself stays on the DHT. Neither is ours to change.

Because the list works by info hash, a hidden record stays hidden even if the crawler hears it announced again. It stays hidden until the operator reverses it, for example after a successful dispute (see below). You don't need to send the same notice twice.

Hiding can't reach copies that have already left this site. An RSS reader or Torznab client that fetched the record before it was hidden may still have it. A different torrent of the same work has a different info hash and needs its own notice.

If you think a record was hidden in error

Nobody submits records to this site, so there is no uploader for us to notify when a record is hidden.

Anyone can dispute a takedown. Write to dmca@torrents.observer explaining which record was hidden, by info hash, and why you believe the notice was mistaken or that the use is authorized or lawful. If we agree, we unhide it, and it can appear on this site again straight away. If we don't agree, it stays hidden.

Notices sent in bad faith

A notice that knowingly misrepresents who owns a work, or that material is infringing, can have legal consequences for the person who sends it. We keep the notices we receive. Please make sure you hold the rights you claim, and that you've considered whether the use might be lawful, before sending one.

Accounts and repeat infringement

Accounts on this site exist only to save searches and hold an API key. An account cannot add, edit, or contribute a record. Everything in the catalogue comes from the crawler. So there is no such thing here as a user who repeatedly posts infringing material.

We do terminate accounts that abuse the service, which includes any attempt to use its feeds or API to facilitate infringement, and we will act on a substantiated complaint about a specific account.

Other unlawful content

If a record refers to material that is unlawful for reasons other than copyright, report it to dmca@torrents.observer with:

• a clear explanation of why you believe the material is illegal,
• the exact location: the info hash, and the URL where you saw it,
• your name and email address (you may leave these out if the report concerns child sexual abuse material or another serious criminal offence).

We handle these reports in a timely, diligent, non-arbitrary and objective manner, and will tell you what we decided.

Contact

Copyright and content complaints: dmca@torrents.observer

About this document

This is practical boilerplate written to match how this service actually works. It has not been reviewed by a licensed attorney and it is not legal advice. Publishing this page does not by itself establish any statutory safe harbour. If you have received a notice, a legal demand, or contact from law enforcement, or if you need this policy to satisfy the requirements of a particular jurisdiction, consult a lawyer there.