AI Copyright Tools & Templates
Practical resources to protect your creative work from unauthorized AI use — search tools, opt-out options, protection software, and ready-to-use templates.
Check If Your Work Was Used
Search databases and use reverse-lookup tools to find out if your creative work was scraped, copied, or used to train AI models
Have I Been Trained
Search 5.85 billion images from the LAION-5B dataset to see if your visual work was used to train AI models like Stable Diffusion and Google's Imagen. Upload an image or search by text to find matches.
Google Images Reverse Search
Use Google's reverse image search to check if AI-generated content resembles your original work. Upload your image or paste a URL to find visually similar results across the web, including AI-generated outputs that may have been derived from your work.
TinEye
A dedicated reverse image search engine that indexes over 70 billion images. TinEye is especially useful for finding exact or modified copies of your visual work across the internet, helping you track unauthorized usage.
Copyscape
Check if your written content has been copied or used without permission. Copyscape scans the web for duplicate or near-duplicate text, making it useful for writers, journalists, and bloggers who suspect their content was scraped for AI training data.
Opt-Out Tools
Request that AI companies stop using your content for training and prevent future scraping
OpenAI Opt-Out
Request that OpenAI stop using your content for training their AI models, including ChatGPT and DALL-E. OpenAI provides a formal opt-out process where you can submit your content URLs and request removal from future training datasets.
"NoAI" Meta Tags
Add robots meta tags to your website to instruct AI scrapers and crawlers not to index or use your content for AI training. While not legally binding, many major AI companies have committed to honoring these tags.
Add this to your website's <head> section:
<meta name="robots" content="noai, noimageai">
You can also add noai and noimageai directives to your robots.txt file for site-wide protection.
LinkedIn AI Training Opt-Out
LinkedIn uses member content to train AI models by default. You can disable this in your privacy settings to prevent your posts, articles, and profile content from being used for AI training.
How to opt out: Go to Settings > Data Privacy > Data for Generative AI Improvement and toggle it off.
Meta (EU/UK) Opt-Out
If you're in the EU or UK, Meta is required to provide an opt-out mechanism for AI training under GDPR. You can object to Meta using your Facebook and Instagram content to train their AI models.
How to opt out: Visit the Meta Privacy Center, navigate to the AI section, and submit an objection form. Meta must process your request under European data protection law.
Protection Tools
Software and registrations that actively protect your work from being used in AI training
Nightshade
A free tool developed by researchers at the University of Chicago that adds invisible perturbations to your images before you post them online. These changes are imperceptible to the human eye but disrupt AI training — causing models that train on "shaded" images to produce corrupted outputs.
Cost: Free and open source
Glaze
A companion tool to Nightshade, also from the University of Chicago. Glaze protects your artistic style from being mimicked by AI. It applies subtle modifications to your images that prevent AI models from accurately learning and replicating your unique style.
Cost: Free and open source
Copyright Registration
Register your creative works with the U.S. Copyright Office. Registration is required before you can file a copyright infringement lawsuit, per the Supreme Court's Fourth Estate Public Benefit Corp. v. Wall-Street.com ruling (2019). Registration also enables you to seek statutory damages and attorney's fees.
Cost: Starting at $45 for a single work online registration
Ready-to-Use Templates
Copy and customize these templates for your own use — no attorney required for the first step
DMCA Takedown Notice Template
Use this template to send a formal DMCA takedown notice to an AI company or platform that is hosting or distributing content that infringes your copyright. Under 17 U.S.C. § 512, service providers must respond to valid takedown notices.
DMCA Takedown Notice Date: [Date] To: [AI Company/Platform Name] DMCA Agent: [Agent Name, if known] Address: [Company Address] Email: [DMCA Agent Email] Dear DMCA Agent, I am writing to notify you of copyright infringement pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. § 512). COPYRIGHTED WORK: - Title: [Title of Your Work] - Author: [Your Name] - Description: [Brief Description of Your Copyrighted Work] - Copyright Registration Number (if applicable): [Registration Number] - Original Publication/Creation Date: [Date] - URL of Original Work (if applicable): [URL] INFRINGING MATERIAL: - Description of Infringing Use: [Describe how your work is being used without permission, e.g., "My work was included in training data for [AI Model Name] without my authorization"] - URL(s) of Infringing Material (if applicable): [URLs] I have a good faith belief that the use of the copyrighted material described above is not authorized by the copyright owner (myself), its agent, or the law. I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in this notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner. I request that you immediately remove or disable access to the infringing material and confirm that it has been removed from any training datasets. Sincerely, [Your Full Legal Name] [Your Address] [Your Email Address] [Your Phone Number] [Your Physical or Electronic Signature]
AI Training Opt-Out Letter
Send this letter to AI companies to formally request that your work be removed from their training data and excluded from future training. While there is no single law requiring companies to comply, a formal written request creates a paper trail and many companies have committed to honoring opt-out requests.
AI Training Data Opt-Out Request Date: [Date] To: [AI Company Name] Attn: Legal Department / Data Privacy Team Address: [Company Address] Email: [Company Email] Dear Legal/Privacy Team, I am the copyright owner of creative works that I believe have been or may be included in training datasets used by [AI Company Name] to develop artificial intelligence models. I am writing to formally request: 1. REMOVAL: That all of my copyrighted works be removed from your current and future training datasets. 2. EXCLUSION: That my works be permanently excluded from any future data collection, scraping, or training activities. 3. CONFIRMATION: That you confirm in writing that these actions have been taken. MY COPYRIGHTED WORKS: - Name/Pen Name: [Your Name] - Website(s): [Your Website URLs] - Description of Works: [e.g., "All visual artwork published on my website," "All written articles published under my byline," "All photographs in my portfolio"] - Specific Works (if applicable): 1. [Title/Description of Work 1] 2. [Title/Description of Work 2] 3. [Title/Description of Work 3] I do not consent to any use of my copyrighted works for AI training, model development, or any derivative purpose. Any past use was without my knowledge or authorization. I reserve all rights under applicable copyright law, including but not limited to rights under the Copyright Act (17 U.S.C.), the DMCA, and any applicable international copyright treaties. Please respond within 30 days to confirm receipt of this request and the actions taken. Sincerely, [Your Full Legal Name] [Your Address] [Your Email Address] [Your Phone Number]
Copyright Registration Checklist
Follow this step-by-step checklist to register your creative works with the U.S. Copyright Office. Registration is a prerequisite for filing an infringement lawsuit and enables you to recover statutory damages and attorney's fees.
U.S. Copyright Registration Checklist
BEFORE YOU BEGIN:
[ ] Determine the type of work you are registering
(literary, visual arts, performing arts, sound recording, etc.)
[ ] Confirm you are the author or rights holder
[ ] Gather your work in the required deposit format
STEP 1: CREATE AN ACCOUNT
[ ] Go to https://www.copyright.gov/registration/
[ ] Create an account on the Electronic Copyright Office (eCO) system
[ ] Verify your email address
STEP 2: START YOUR APPLICATION
[ ] Log in to eCO and select "Register a Work"
[ ] Choose the correct application type:
- Standard Application (single work, one author)
- Group Registration (multiple related works)
[ ] Select the work type category
STEP 3: COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FORM
[ ] Title of Work: Enter the title as it appears on the work
[ ] Author Information: Your legal name, date of birth, nationality
[ ] Claimant Information: Usually the same as the author
[ ] Year of Completion: When the work was finished
[ ] Date of First Publication: If the work has been published
[ ] Rights and Permissions: Your contact information
STEP 4: UPLOAD YOUR DEPOSIT COPY
[ ] Prepare your work in an accepted digital format:
- Written works: PDF, DOCX, or TXT
- Visual works: JPEG, PNG, TIFF, or GIF
- Audio: MP3 or WAV
- Video: MP4, AVI, or MOV
[ ] Upload through the eCO system
[ ] Verify the upload completed successfully
STEP 5: PAY THE FEE
[ ] Standard online filing fee: $45 (single work, single author)
[ ] Group registration fees vary by type
[ ] Payment accepted: credit card, debit card, ACH, or
Copyright Office deposit account
STEP 6: SUBMIT AND TRACK
[ ] Review all information for accuracy
[ ] Submit your application
[ ] Save your confirmation number
[ ] Processing time: approximately 2-8 months
[ ] Track your application status in eCO
AFTER REGISTRATION:
[ ] Save your Certificate of Registration in a safe place
[ ] Record the registration number for future reference
[ ] You can now file infringement lawsuits if needed
[ ] Registered works are eligible for statutory damages
($750 - $30,000 per work; up to $150,000 for willful
infringement) and attorney's fees
These Templates Are Starting Points
The templates and checklists on this page are provided for informational purposes and are not a substitute for legal advice. While they can help you take the first step, every situation is different. If you're dealing with significant infringement or complex legal questions, consult with an attorney who specializes in AI copyright law.
Always keep copies of any notices or letters you send, along with proof of delivery (certified mail receipts, email read receipts, etc.).
Need Help Using These Tools?
If you've found evidence that your work was used without permission, or you need guidance on next steps, we can help you figure out your options.