DMCA Notice for CTRL Lounge

At CTRL Lounge, we are firmly committed to protecting intellectual property rights and maintaining a lawful and respectful digital environment for all our members, content creators, and partners. As a modern computer club offering access to online games, digital content, competitive events, and community-based experiences, we understand the importance of safeguarding original works while providing our users with a rich and engaging digital space. To uphold this commitment, we have established this DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) Notice Policy to explain how to report alleged copyright violations and how affected users can respond.

This policy applies to all services offered by CTRL Lounge, including but not limited to gaming hubs, multimedia experiences, software hosting, live events, user-uploaded content, discussion forums, and any other areas where digital material is shared or displayed. We expect all participants to respect copyright laws and we act promptly on credible notices of copyright infringement submitted in accordance with the DMCA.

1. Understanding the DMCA and Its Purpose

The DMCA is a United States copyright law that establishes procedures for notifying online service providers, such as CTRL Lounge, of alleged copyright infringement. It also provides a counter-notification process to protect users whose material may have been removed in error. We follow these procedures carefully to ensure a fair and balanced approach to handling claims, while also maintaining the integrity of our platform.

If you believe that your original content has been posted, distributed, or otherwise made available through our computer club without authorization, we invite you to submit a formal DMCA takedown notice. It’s important to include all required details so that we can review and act upon your claim quickly and appropriately.

2. Submitting a Valid DMCA Takedown Notice

If you are a copyright owner or authorized to act on behalf of a copyright owner, and you believe that content hosted or distributed through CTRL Lounge infringes upon your rights, your notice must contain the following information to be legally valid:

• Your full name and signature (physical or electronic), confirming that you are the copyright owner or authorized representative acting on their behalf.
• Identification of the copyrighted work that has allegedly been infringed. This could include the name of a game, artwork, video, sound recording, design element, user interface, software application, or written content that you have created and own the rights to. Please provide a detailed description to help us verify the original work.
• Identification of the infringing material that is the subject of your claim. Provide information that allows us to locate the material on our platform. This could include filenames, usernames, activity descriptions, event titles, or any relevant internal identifiers. Be as specific as possible to ensure prompt processing.
• Your contact information, including your legal name, mailing address, telephone number, and a valid email address so that we may respond to your notice and provide follow-up information as needed.
• A good faith statement, indicating that you believe the use of the content in question is unauthorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law. This statement ensures that the claim is made with sincerity and not for any malicious or improper purpose.
• A statement under penalty of perjury that the information you’ve provided in the notice is accurate and that you are the rightful copyright owner or acting with authorization.

Once we receive your properly formatted and complete DMCA notice, we will acknowledge receipt, investigate your claim, and take appropriate action. This may include removing or disabling access to the allegedly infringing material. In accordance with the DMCA, we may also share your notice with the individual who submitted or uploaded the material in question.

3. What Happens After a DMCA Notice Is Received

After receiving a DMCA takedown notice, CTRL Lounge will:

• Review the claim and assess its completeness and validity.
• Remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing material, if appropriate.
• Notify the user or member who submitted the material, and provide a copy of the DMCA notice.
• Inform the user of their right to file a counter-notification if they believe the takedown was mistaken or unjustified.

We strive to handle all DMCA-related matters fairly and promptly, protecting both the rights of content creators and the ability of our members to use our platform without fear of unwarranted censorship.

4. Submitting a Counter-Notification

If your content has been removed or access to it has been disabled due to a DMCA notice and you believe this action was a mistake or that you have legal rights to the content, you may submit a counter-notification. This is a formal process that allows us to potentially reinstate your material if no legal action is taken by the original complainant. Your counter-notification must include:

• Your name, physical address, phone number, and email address.
• Identification of the material that was removed and the location where it appeared prior to removal.
• A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief the removal or disabling of the content was due to error or misidentification.
• A statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the federal court in your district, or if outside the U.S., to a relevant district in which CTRL Lounge operates.
• A statement that you agree to accept service of process from the person who submitted the original DMCA claim.
• Your physical or electronic signature.

Once we receive a complete and valid counter-notification, we will forward it to the original claimant. If they do not notify us within a specified legal period that they have filed legal action, we may restore the removed content.

5. Misuse of the DMCA Process

It is illegal to knowingly misrepresent that material is infringing when it is not. Any person who knowingly makes false claims under the DMCA may be liable for damages, including attorney fees and court costs. Similarly, false counter-notifications are subject to legal penalties. We encourage all parties to submit claims or responses only when they are certain of the facts and their legal rights.

CTRL Lounge reserves the right to terminate the accounts of users who are repeat infringers, in accordance with applicable law. We may also take additional disciplinary or legal action where appropriate.

6. Privacy and Data Protection

When you submit a DMCA notice or counter-notification, you provide personal data that may be shared with the other party to the claim and, if necessary, with law enforcement or legal representatives. By submitting this information, you consent to its processing and storage in accordance with our internal privacy policies and data protection laws. We handle your information with the utmost care and only for purposes directly related to resolving the dispute.

7. Final Note

This DMCA policy serves as a guide for resolving copyright disputes on our platform. It does not replace or constitute legal advice. If you are unsure whether your rights have been infringed or whether you are permitted to use content that has been flagged, we recommend consulting an intellectual property attorney to better understand your situation and the legal remedies available.