If you find texts, photos, graphic elements, or code on your website published by someone else, first document what was taken and who owns the rights. Not every similarity or idea copy automatically means copyright infringement: the law protects original works in their concrete form of expression, and ideas, methods, and simple actions are not protected as such.

What can be protected on a website

Depending on the originality and the rights holder, the protection may cover texts and photographs, illustrations and graphic elements, computer programs or a database created through an original selection or organization. „The design of the website” or its structure is not automatically protected in its entirety. Check separately each material, the license and the contracts with the authors, employees or agencies that created it.

1. Keep the evidence before asking for its deletion

  • Save the exact page address and screenshots showing the content, date, and identity of the site.
  • Keep the source files, older versions, publication dates, and correspondence with the author or provider.
  • Note down the elements you have taken and compare them with your materials; for dynamic pages, keep a copy of the content and the URL.
  • Save the terms of the license or contract that shows who can use the material.

A capture or an online archive can help with documentation, but it does not in itself prove who is the holder of the rights or all the circumstances of the use.

2. Check if the use is authorized

Before submitting a notification, check whether you have granted a license, whether the material comes from an image bank, whether there is a legal exception applicable, or whether the acquisition concerns only ideas, factual information, or unprotected elements. For content created by employees or contractors, check the documentation regarding property rights. The author and the holder of the rights of use are not always the same person.

3. Request the cessation of use or contact the platform

If you have identified the material and your rights, you can send a clear notification to the author, the site administrator, the hosting service, or the platform where the content appears. Indicate the URLs, the original material, the right you invoke, and the requested measure, such as removal or cessation of use. Provide only information that you can substantiate and keep a record of the submission. The platform’s procedure does not guarantee removal, and the notification does not replace court action when necessary.

4. Analyze legal remedies

Depending on the evidence and the right holder, the law allows for the request to cease the infringement and, if the conditions are met, for the damage to be repaired. In cases of current or imminent infringement and a risk of serious damage that cannot be repaired, the right holder may request the court for interim measures; the court verifies the evidence and legal conditions. Such a measure is not granted automatically and may involve procedural obligations, including the deposit of a bond in certain situations.

Is it automatic and unfair competition?

No. Copying material can raise an issue of copyright if the legal requirements are met. Classifying it as unfair competition requires a distinct analysis of commercial conduct, good faith, and actual or potential harm. The fact that another site attracts visitors or customers is not, by itself, sufficient to reach this conclusion.

Checklist before notification

  • Identify the rights holder and the concrete materials taken over.
  • It keeps the the evidence and documents regarding the creation, publication and licensing.
  • Check if there is authorization, legal exceptions or unprotected elements.
  • Make a specific and proportionate request; seek legal advice if you intend to seek compensation or urgent measures.

The consequences depend on the material, the rights holder, the licenses, and the manner of use. Criminal liability may exist only if the acts meet the elements of a crime provided by law; mere suspicion of copying does not establish this.

The information is general and does not replace the analysis of contracts and evidence. For assistance in intellectual property matters, see the page intellectual property.

Official sources: Law no. 8/1996 on copyright and Law no. 11/1991 on combating unfair competition.