Facebook Removed Your Post for Trademark or Copyright? Next Steps, Reporting and Rules

Meta says that when it removes content because of an intellectual property report, you get a notification that may include the rights owner’s name and email and details of the report.

1. Open the notification about the removal in your Facebook account.
2. Appeal: Meta says that if your content was removed because of a trademark report, you can submit an appeal, and the instructions are in the notification.
3. Or contact the rights owner: if you think it shouldn’t have been removed, Meta says you can follow up with the rights owner directly to try to resolve it.
4. If the rights owner withdraws the report, Meta says it restores the content where it can.

Page admins: Meta says that if content another admin posted was removed because of an IP report, you get a notification with information about the content and the name of the admin who posted it. Removed for a Community Standards reason instead? See Facebook removed your post.

Meta says that if you repeatedly post content that violates intellectual property rights (such as copyrights or trademarks), it can take action against your account, Pages and groups.

1. Meta says repeated violations can limit your ability to post photos or videos and limit access to certain features.
2. It can also lead to your Page or group being removed, or your account being disabled.
3. Meta says the action may depend on the nature of the reported content and where it was posted.
4. If a post is restored after an appeal, or because the rights owner withdrew the report, Meta says it takes that into account under its repeat infringer policy.
5. Before posting, Meta suggests asking: have I used someone else’s trademark to sell or promote goods or services in a way that may confuse people?

Account disabled? See Facebook account disabled or suspended.

Meta says only the trademark owner or their authorized representative can report trademark infringement, and that you can do it by filling out its online form.

1. Consider messaging the person who posted it first: Meta says you may be able to resolve it without contacting Meta.
2. Have this ready, which Meta says it needs: your full name, mailing address and phone number; the word or symbol you claim rights in; the basis for your rights (such as a national or community registration, with its number if applicable); the country; the category of goods or services; URLs of the content; how it infringes; your relationship to the owner if you aren’t the owner; a declaration that you believe in good faith the use isn’t authorized, that your information is accurate, and, under penalty of perjury, that you’re the owner or authorized to act for them; and your signature.
3. Submit Meta’s trademark (or counterfeit) report form. You get an automated message with a report number: save it.
4. If Meta asks for more information, reply directly to that message.

Meta says it regularly shares the rights owner’s name, your email and the report details with the person you report, so it suggests using a generic business or professional email. Meta also says it can’t adjudicate disputes between third parties, such as cases needing in-depth trademark analysis, or real-world disputes like the same restaurant name in two countries. In those cases, Meta says you may want to contact the other party directly or seek a resolution through the courts. Registered trademark? You may be eligible for Brand Rights Protection (external site, opens in a new tab). Ads: Meta says to include a direct link to the ad in your IP report, or a screenshot if you don’t have one. (To report an ad in general: Options next to the ad > Report ad.)

Meta says usernames are generally claimed first-come, first-served, and that not every use of your trademark in a username is infringement: a word used in a different context may not violate it.

1. Meta suggests contacting the person responsible and trying to resolve it directly.
2. If you’re sure you want to report it, you can report the username to Meta as trademark infringement (Fix 3).

Meta says that if you reached an agreement with the person, or reported content by mistake, you can withdraw your intellectual property report.

1. Use the Retraction Form in the email you received when you filed your report (Meta says this is the best way), or Meta’s withdrawal form.
2. Meta says it then restores the content if it was removed and emails you a confirmation.

Meta says it may be unable to restore content in some cases, such as technical limitations or if it was removed for other reasons.