If you have received a copyright infringement notice (NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT COMPLAINT) this page details Sonic policy for handling infringement claims
If you are a copyright owner and believe content hosted by Sonic infringes on your copyright, refer to this page detailing our policy for handling infringement claims. https://help.sonic.com/hc/en-us/articles/236029887-Digital-Millennium-Copyright-Act-DMCA-policy
Sonic is committed to upholding the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and protecting the rights of copyright holders. The following outlines our policy addressing copyright infringement claims and the actions we take in response to such claims. For detailed information on current DMCA law visit: https://www.copyright.gov/dmca/
Forwarding Complaints: We respect the privacy of our customers and do not engage in proactive monitoring of their online activities; however, copyright infringement claims are taken seriously, and Sonic is obligated to forward all DMCA complaints we receive to the respective customer whose account is associated with the alleged violation.
Customer Response: Upon request by phone, Sonic will provide relevant details of the complaint to verified account holders. Additionally, we will request that the customer responds to the complaint and takes appropriate action as required by law. This may include removing or disabling access to the allegedly infringing content or terminating any illegal downloading or sharing of protected content.
Repeat Violations: Sonic reserves the right to act, including service disconnection for repeated violations of this policy or our acceptable use policy.
Sonic is dedicated to complying with the DMCA and ensuring the protection of intellectual property rights. We take copyright infringement seriously and expect all customers to do the same. We will act promptly and diligently to address DMCA complaints while respecting the due process rights of our customers.
This policy is subject to change.
Frequently asked DMCA questions:
What is DMCA?
The DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) was passed in 1998 by the U.S. Congress to protect copyrighted works in the digital age while providing important protections for online service providers to ensure the free flow of information. Additional information about the DMCA is available at the U. S. Copyright Office website at https://www.copyright.gov/
How can I get more information about this notice?
For verified account holders the Sonic Support team can provide, by telephone only, details of an infringement notice including date, time, content, and copyright owner contact information. We are available every day at 855-394-0100
What actions do I need to take?
If you are not the owner of a copyrighted work, then all sharing activities must stop. In most cases, these files are being shared from a computer using a peer-to-peer file sharing program such as BitTorrent. Continued sharing of the work will result in further notices and enforcement action.
What enforcement actions does Sonic take?
As stated in our general policy the following enforcement actions may be taken at the Sole discretion of Sonic:
- Issuance of a warning
- Temporary suspension of service
- Billing to defray administrative costs incurred
- Termination of your services, account, or accounts
- Legal action
How does Sonic notify customers of alleged violations?
Sonic will inform customers by email of any copyright infringement notification we receive. If an account suspension or termination is imminent Sonic will also notify customers by telephone and / or U.S. mail. For this reason, it is important that Sonic have current contact information for subscribers.
What happens if I ignore DMCA notifications from Sonic?
Sonic will strictly adhere to this policy, and we expect the same from our customers. Enforcement actions are not contingent on recognition of notices sent, whether by email, phone, or physical mail.
What about customer privacy?
Sonic is committed to both customer privacy and compliance with U.S. copyright laws. Sonic does not actively monitor customer use of the Internet, email, or other communications in the course of its regular operations. In the event that we receive a legitimate, legally mandated request for customer information, Sonic.net, LLC will respond only within the narrow scope of that request. The full text of Sonic privacy policy is here: https://www.sonic.com/privacy-policy
How many notifications does it take before Sonic takes enforcement action?
Sonic reserves the right to take enforcement action upon receiving any number of DMCA notifications from content owners.
What happens if my Sonic internet service is suspended?
- An account administrator must call to have service reinstated.
- Sonic reserves the right to apply a suspension for a minimum period of time, regardless of when you call.
- Service charges continue to apply during suspension and will not be refunded or discounted.
What if my Sonic internet service is terminated under this policy?
- You will receive 30 days notice of our intent to cancel services.
- Termination will remain in effect for a minimum of 180 days and will not be restored for any reason.
- Unreturned equipment and any other relevant service fees will apply.
What can I do if I believe that the complaint is incorrect?
Sonic is not in a position to investigate Copyright infringement allegations. We are simply forwarding a copyright owner's allegation. If you believe that a copyright notice was sent in error, it is your responsibility to reach out to the copyright owner and resolve the issue. Sonic can provide copyright owner contact information related to specific allegations by calling our Support team at 855-394-0100.
What are the dangers of downloading illegal content?
Downloading or sharing is a DMCA copyright violation which may include civil or criminal liability.
Peer-to-peer/sharing file sites may include trojan horses that download unwanted files to computers such as:
- Viruses
- Malware
- Ransomware
- Unsuitable images
- Other potential dangers that can impact your:
- Network
- Passwords
Sensitive business or customer information