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I just got an copyright infringement notice that says my app infringes on the usage policies of the services my app uses.

However, this mail does not come directly from the company that runs the website I pull information from. The mail comes from a company that has some paid apps in the same category on the app store (mine is free), so they obviously want me gone.

My question is, can I just ignore this mail until I hear directly from the company that runs the website? Judging from their (the company that contacted me) website, they have no connection what so ever to the company that I fetch information from.

Smiden
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4 Answers4

60

Be proactive and contact the company who runs the service you are using, and ask them if they are ok with your app being available on the app store, and with the way it uses their services. This approach has benefits: If you ignore the email from this competing company, they might inform the service owners of your app, which might lead them to ask you to take it down. If you approach them directly they might take a more lenient view as it shows you are willing to comply with their terms and not sneak something by them (even if that's what you've been doing so far).

Snorbuckle
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11

You must get the opinion of a lawyer. They could be just trying to stomp you out without any real legal case.

DeadMG
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8

Do you agree with the assessment in the letter? Are you infringing on the usage policy? If so, you should stop. This isn't a matter of "keep going until you get caught by the right person". If you're infringing, stop.

Bryan Oakley
  • 25,479
0

I would let your span filter eat the email and see what happens next, in the meanwhile see if you can conformation from the data provider that what you are doing is OK.

It is very possible that you will never get troubled by them again, even if the email is from someone that can take legal action against you, they will consider the cost before getting their lawyer to right to you most likely by smail.

(Given that over 50% of this type of email is span, it is reasonable for your span filter to hide the email from you)

Ian
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