File Instagram's Copyright Report Form only if you own the work or are authorised to act. Give your contact details, a description, the post URL, and a declaration that the use is unauthorised. Instagram may share your name and email with the poster. Meta reviews the claim and decides whether to remove the content.
Summary
Instagram's copyright form only works when you are the copyright owner or someone legally authorised to act for them, not just the person who disagrees with a post.
Instagram needs your full contact details, a description of the infringing content, a direct link to it, and a sworn declaration that the use is unauthorised.
Instagram regularly shares your name, contact details and the contents of your report with the person who posted the content, so consider using a business email.
False or bad faith copyright claims can lead to your own account being restricted, so this route is for genuine rights owners, not content you simply dislike.
In Malaysia, copyright protection applies automatically once an original work is created and recorded, without needing registration, according to MyIPO.
Instagram decides whether to remove the content, and the person who posted it can dispute the report through a counter-notice process.
An account you have never heard of reposted your photos, your short video or your original caption, word for word, and it is getting more engagement than your own post ever did. Instagram will not remove this because it looks unfair. It removes it, or does not, based on a specific legal form, filled in by the right person, with the right declarations attached.
Instagram's copyright route only works for the rights owner or someone authorised to act for them, and it needs your contact details, a direct link to the infringing content, and a declaration made under penalty of perjury. This guide covers exactly what the form needs, what happens to your information once you submit it, and what a counter-notice means if the other side disputes your report.
To report copyright infringement on Instagram, use its Copyright Report Form, available only to the copyright owner or an authorised representative. The form needs your full contact information, a description of the copyrighted work, a direct URL to the infringing post, and a declaration made under penalty of perjury that the use is unauthorised and that you are the owner or authorised to act for them. Instagram regularly shares your name, contact details and the report itself with the person who posted the content. Instagram reviews the claim and decides whether to remove the post.
Only the copyright owner, or someone they have authorised to act on their behalf, can submit this report. Instagram's copyright reporting hub treats this as a legal process, separate from a standard content report, and warns that abusing the form can lead to the reporter's own account being restricted or terminated. If you did not create the photo, video or writing and have no authorisation from whoever did, this is the wrong route; our guide to reporting a fake account for impersonation or the general content removal guide may fit better.
Your complete contact information, including full name, mailing address and phone number.
A description of the content you claim infringes your copyright.
Information sufficient to locate the material, which in practice means the direct URL to the infringing post.
A declaration that you have a good faith belief the use is unauthorised, that the information you provide is accurate, and that under penalty of perjury you are the owner or authorised to act for them.
Your electronic or physical signature.
#What Happens to Your Information Once You Submit It?
Instagram's page states plainly that it regularly provides your name, contact information and the contents of your report to the person who posted the content, and that if you are an authorised representative, it provides the name of the organisation or client you represent. Instagram notes you may wish to provide a professional or business email address for this reason, because the poster can see it and may use it to try to resolve the matter directly with you.
On a mobile device, tap the three dots on the post and look for a "Copy Link" or "Link" option.
On the web, the browser's address bar shows the direct link once you open the specific post.
For a Reel or Story, navigate to that specific piece of content before copying its link, because the account's main profile link is not specific enough.
Report each separate copy of the content individually if it appears on more than one post or account.
The fastest route is Instagram's online Copyright Report Form, which asks you to describe your relationship to the rights owner, for example that you are the owner yourself, or reporting on behalf of your organisation or someone else. If you prefer to submit a formal Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice through other means, Instagram's page on contacting its designated agent gives a postal address and email, but still requires a complete copyright claim with the same elements listed above.
Subscribe to receive notifications of new posts
#What Happens After You Submit a Copyright Report?
Instagram reviews the claim and decides whether the content is removed. If it is, the person who posted it is notified and can submit a counter-notice disputing the claim, which can lead to the content being restored if the counter-notice meets the legal requirements and you do not pursue the matter further. There is no published fixed timeline, and repeated copyright reports against the same account can also affect that account's standing on the platform, separate from the individual removal.
A fake account using your name and face, but none of your actual photos or writing, is impersonation, not copyright. See our guide to reporting a fake account for impersonation.
A registered trademark used to sell goods, such as your logo on counterfeit products, is a trademark matter rather than a copyright one.
A photo someone else took of you usually belongs to the photographer, not to you, unless you have a written agreement that says otherwise.
Disagreeing with how someone describes you, or a negative but true comment, is not a copyright issue.
#Malaysian Context: How Copyright Protection Works Here
Malaysia's intellectual property office, MyIPO, explains in its frequently asked questions that copyright protection applies automatically once a qualifying original work is created and recorded in a material form, with no registration system required, unlike a trademark. That means you do not need a certificate to file a copyright report on Instagram, though keeping proof of when you created the work, such as original camera files, project files or publication dates, helps if the claim is ever disputed.
A single accurate copyright report, filed by the actual rights owner, resolves most individual cases. A case review can help when the same content keeps reappearing across new accounts, the infringement overlaps with impersonation or a business's branding, or the evidence and declarations need careful preparation before submission. SocialSafe by AwareXone reviews the case first and works only through Instagram's own official forms; we are not a law firm, and a dispute that needs a formal legal opinion should still go to a Malaysian lawyer. Read how we work, or start at the recovery and removal hub for wider account problems.
Can I report copyright infringement if the photo is of me but someone else took it?
Usually not through the copyright route, because the photographer generally owns the copyright unless you have a written agreement otherwise. If the post violates your privacy instead, Instagram's privacy report may be the right route.
Will the person I report know my name?
Yes. Unlike most content reports, a copyright claim is not anonymous, and Instagram regularly shares the reporter's name, contact details and report contents with the person who posted the content.
What if the person disputes my copyright report?
They can submit a counter-notice. If it meets the legal requirements and you do not take further action, the content can be restored, so be sure of your rights before you file.
Do I need a registered copyright to file a report in Malaysia?
No. MyIPO says copyright protection applies automatically to a qualifying original work once it is created and recorded, with no registration required, unlike a trademark.
Can AwareXone file a copyright claim on my behalf?
We can help an actual rights owner or authorised representative prepare and submit the claim through Instagram's own form. We are not a law firm, and a dispute needing legal advice should go to a Malaysian lawyer.
