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How to File a DMCA Takedown on WordPress.com

Stolen blog posts, scraped articles, and copied photography have a way of ending up on WordPress blogs, the software powers a huge share of the web. When the blog is hosted on WordPress.com, takedowns go through Automattic, the company behind it, which runs a clear DMCA process with an online form. The critical first step is confirming Automattic actually hosts the site, because if it is a self-hosted WordPress site, your notice must go to the web host instead.

Before you start

  • Confirm the host. Automattic's process covers WordPress.com-hosted sites, not the millions of self-hosted sites that merely run WordPress software.
  • The full, exact permalink of every infringing post, page, or media file. Automattic specifically asks for permalinks, not the site's homepage.
  • Proof of ownership, your original content and a link to where it was first published.
  • Your contact details and a moment's thought about fair use, Automattic asks filers to consider whether the use qualifies before submitting.

Step 1: Check that the site is actually hosted by Automattic

If the blog's address ends in .wordpress.com, you are in the right place. If it uses a custom domain, check for a "Powered by WordPress.com" footer or run the domain through a hosting-lookup tool. If it turns out to be a self-hosted WordPress site on Bluehost, Hostinger, OVH, or any other provider, stop here, file your DMCA notice with that hosting company's abuse or DMCA contact instead, because Automattic cannot remove content it does not host.

Step 2: Collect the exact permalinks

Open each post, page, or image that uses your content and copy its full URL. This is the requirement Automattic emphasizes most: the notice must identify the exact permalink where the content appears. A homepage link forces them to guess, and guessing slows everything down.

Step 3: Consider a direct approach first

Automattic suggests contacting the site owner before filing, many blogs have a contact form, and some scrapers remove content when challenged. This step is optional and often skipped when the site is a pure content thief, but for a blogger who may not have realized the harm, a polite note can be the fastest fix of all.

Step 4: Fill out Automattic's DMCA form

Go to automattic.com/dmca/ and complete the form: your information, the identification of your copyrighted work, the infringing permalinks, and the standard statements of good faith, accuracy, and authority under penalty of perjury. You sign digitally by typing your full name. If you prefer paper, mail the complaint to the Designated Copyright Agent, Automattic Inc., 60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110.

Step 5: Submit and keep your records

Submit the form and save a copy of everything, the permalinks, your statements, and the date. Automattic processes valid notices and corresponds with you by email if anything needs clarification.

What happens after you file

If your notice is valid, Automattic removes or disables access to the infringing material and notifies the site owner, who can respond with a counter-notice. If they do, the content may be restored after the statutory waiting period unless you inform Automattic that you have filed a court action. Repeat infringers risk losing their sites.

Scraped content rarely appears on just one blog, scraper networks republish the same stolen posts across dozens of domains on different hosts. If tracing hosts and filing notice after notice is not how you want to spend your week, Rulta is a done-for-you takedown service that finds the copies, identifies the hosts, and files on your behalf.

This guide is educational information, not legal advice.

Need the notice text?Generate a complete DMCA notice for WordPress.com — free, one minute

Exhibit A — official takedown formhttps://automattic.com/dmca/

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between WordPress.com and self-hosted WordPress for takedowns?

Automattic's DMCA process only covers sites hosted on WordPress.com and other Automattic services. Millions of sites run the free WordPress software on other hosting companies, for those, Automattic cannot help, and you must send your notice to the site's actual web host.

How do I find out who hosts a WordPress site?

If the address ends in .wordpress.com it is Automattic-hosted. Otherwise use a hosting lookup or WHOIS tool on the domain to identify the hosting provider, then find that host's abuse or DMCA contact.

What URLs does Automattic want in my notice?

The full, exact permalink of each post, page, or media file where your content appears, not just the site's homepage. Notices that only point to a homepage get delayed or rejected.

Can I file with Automattic by mail instead of the form?

Yes. You can write to the Designated Copyright Agent, Automattic Inc., 60 29th Street

What happens if the blogger disputes my notice?

They can file a DMCA counter-notice. Automattic then follows the standard process, which can lead to the content being restored after the statutory period unless you notify them that you have filed a court action.