How to File a DMCA Takedown on Medium
Writers find their work on Medium in two frustrating flavors: entire articles copy-pasted under someone else's byline, and lightly spun rewrites, sometimes sitting behind Medium's paywall, earning the plagiarist money. Medium responds to copyright complaints under the DMCA and accepts notices by email, by a Help Center form, and by mail. This guide covers the process end to end.
Before you start
- Your original article, the URL where it was first published, with a publication date that predates the copy. An archived snapshot helps if you've since edited it.
- The URL of every infringing Medium post. If one account has lifted several of your pieces, list each story individually.
- Your contact information, name, address, telephone number, and email; Medium's policy requires all of them in a notice.
- Whether you're the author or an authorized representative of the copyright owner.
Step 1: Read Medium's copyright and DMCA policy
Medium publishes its policy at policy.medium.com (search "Medium's Copyright and DMCA Policy" or find it linked from Medium's legal pages). It lists exactly what a complete notice needs and links to a report form in the Medium Help Center if you prefer filing through a form.
Step 2: Draft your notice with the required elements
Per Medium's policy, your notice must include: identification of your copyrighted work; the link to the infringing post and enough information to locate it; your contact details; a statement of good-faith belief that the use is unauthorized; a statement that the notice is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, that you're authorized to act for the copyright owner; and your physical or electronic signature, typing your full name suffices.
Step 3: Point to your original, not just the copy
Reviewers move fastest when the comparison is easy. Include the URL of your original with its publication date, and a line like "the Medium post reproduces my article in full / paraphrases sections X and Y". If the plagiarist changed the title or swapped the images, mention it.
Step 4: Send the notice to [email protected]
Email everything to [email protected], or submit it through the report form linked from the policy. Medium also accepts mailed notices addressed to its Designated Copyright Agent at A Medium Corporation, 3500 South DuPont Highway, Suite IQ-101, Dover, DE 19901, but email is by far the fastest route.
Step 5: Save your records and watch your inbox
Keep the sent notice, the URLs, and the date. Medium may reply with questions, and you'll want the paper trail if the poster files a counter-notice.
What happens after you file
If the notice is complete and valid, Medium removes or disables access to the story and notifies the poster, who can respond with a counter-notice; the post may be restored after the statutory window unless you show you've filed a court action. Accounts that repeatedly plagiarize risk losing access under repeat-infringer rules. Plagiarists tend to be serial, though, the same operator often runs several accounts, so keep searching distinctive sentences from your work. If chasing copies across Medium and the wider web isn't a good use of your time, Rulta is a done-for-you DMCA takedown service that finds, files, and follows up for writers and creators.
This guide is educational information, not legal advice.
Need the notice text?Generate a complete DMCA notice for Medium — free, one minute
Exhibit A — official takedown formhttps://policy.medium.com/mediums-copyright-and-dmca-policy-d126f73695
Frequently asked questions
What email does Medium use for DMCA notices?
[email protected]. Medium's copyright policy also offers a report form in its Help Center and a mailing address for its Designated Copyright Agent.
Someone republished my blog post word-for-word on Medium, does that qualify?
Yes. Copying your article without permission is exactly what the DMCA process covers, whether it was pasted in full or lightly reworded. Link your original with its earlier publication date.
Do I need a Medium account to file?
No. Emailing a complete notice to [email protected] requires no account at all.
What if the copied article is behind Medium's paywall?
That doesn't matter, send the URL as usual. Medium's team can review member-only stories, and a paywalled copy means someone else is earning money from your writing.
Can the person who copied my article dispute the removal?
Yes. Medium follows the standard DMCA process, so the poster can file a counter-notice, and the story may be restored unless you show you've taken court action.