gem.coop copyright policy
Last Updated Jun 4, 2026
This policy describes how we respond to claims of copyright infringement by materials in our Ruby programming language package repository and website. In short, we follow the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, or DMCA.
What's the DMCA?
The DMCA is a United States federal law that sets up a formal process for reports of copyright infringement by our users, called takedown notices. It also sets up a process for disputing takedown notices by sending counter notices. The law protects us from liability for infringement by users when we follow this process. It also imposes liability on those who abuse takedown and dispute processes.
You can read more about the DMCA on the United States Copyright Office’s website at https://www.copyright.gov/dmca/.
Should you send a takedown notice?
If you aren’t absolutely sure both that you own copyright and that material on our site infringes, speak to an attorney before sending a DMCA takedown notice. Knowing, material misrepresentations about infringement in a takedown notice can make you liable to us, the person that you wrongly allege is infringing, copyright owners, and licensees, all for significant damages, including costs and attorneys’ fees. A lawyer can help you decide if you should submit a takedown notice, and if so, help you prepare it correctly. We can’t.
How do you send a takedown notice?
Send takedown notices to our agent registered with the United States Copyright Office. Per United States Code, title 17, section 512(c)(3), your takedown notice must have:
a physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner
identification of the copyrighted work you claim is been infringed
identification of the infringing material to be removed
contact information, preferably an email address, that we can use to reach you
your statement of good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law
your statement that the information in your notice is accurate
your statement, under penalty of perjury, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright allegedly infringed
How do we respond to takedown notices?
When we receive a valid takedown notice, we remove or restrict access to allegedly infringing material. We then try to contact the user that submitted the material to notify them that the material has been removed or restricted, to provide them a copy of the takedown notice, and to direct them to this policy.
What about repeat offenders?
When appropriate, we limit, suspend, or terminate the accounts of users who repeatedly infringe copyright.
Should you dispute a takedown?
If you aren’t absolutely sure that your material doesn’t infringe copyright, speak to an attorney before sending a DMCA counter notice. Knowing, material misrepresentations about mistaken removal or access restriction can make you liable to the us, the one who submitted the takedown notice, copyright owners, and licensees, all for significant damages, including costs and attorneys’ fees. A lawyer can help you decide if you should submit a counter notice, and if so, help you prepare it correctly. We can’t.
How do you dispute a takedown?
Do not resubmit packages or other material that we removed or restricted in response to a takedown notice. If you do this, we will limit, suspend, or terminate your account. Instead, send a counter notice to our agent. Per United States Code, title 17, section 512(g)(3), your counter notice must have:
your physical or electronic signature
identification of the material removed access-restricted, and where it was available via our service before we removed or restricted access to it
your statement, under penalty of perjury, that you have a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of a mistake or misidentification of the material
your name, address, and telephone number
your statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located, or if outside the United States, for any any judicial district in which we may be found
your statement that you will accept service of process from the person who provided the takedown notice, or their agent
How will we respond to counter notices?
When we receive a valid counter notice, we forward a copy to the person who submitted the takedown notice. If they don’t notify us in ten business days that they are seeking a court order to prevent further infringement, we may replace or restore access to to the material we removed.