Got a strike and not sure what to do? Work through these steps before you delete anything — and paste the notice above for an instant validity read.
Confirm the strike appears in the platform's own dashboard (not just an email or DM). Phishing and fake 'strike' emails are common; a real action shows up in your account's copyright/strikes section.
Compare it against the §512(c)(3) elements — specific work, verifiable sender, perjury statement, etc. Paste it into the checker above to see what's missing and how risky it looks.
If the claim is legitimate, comply or seek a license. If it's mistaken or abusive, file a counter-notification (or the platform's appeal). Don't counter-notify content that genuinely infringes.
Save the notice, screenshots, timestamps, and any proof you own or licensed the content. You'll need it for an appeal and, in egregious abuse cases, a §512(f) claim.
Verify it's genuine in the platform's dashboard, then check the notice's validity against §512 before deleting anything or filing a counter-notice.
Not necessarily — deleting can forfeit your appeal rights and rewards abusive strikers. If the notice is invalid, a counter-notification is usually the better path.