Copyright & Takedown Policy

1. Overview

GILDA respects the intellectual property rights of creators and third parties. We respond promptly to notices of copyright infringement and take appropriate action under applicable law.

This policy describes how to report copyright infringement on the GILDA platform and what happens when such a report is received. It applies to all content hosted on the Platform, including photos, videos, live streams, and profile content.

GILDA is committed to removing infringing content promptly while also protecting creators from false or fraudulent takedown requests.

2. Copyright Law in Tanzania

Copyright in Tanzania is governed by the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act (Cap. 218), administered by the Copyright Society of Tanzania (COSOTA). Tanzania is also a signatory to the following international intellectual property instruments:

• The WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT)
• The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
• The WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT)
• The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)

Copyright protection in Tanzania is automatic upon creation of an original work. There is no requirement to register the work to be protected. Copyright generally lasts for the life of the author plus 50 years.

Works protected by copyright include, but are not limited to: photographs, videos, music, audio recordings, written works, artistic works, and compilations.

3. Reporting Copyright Infringement

If you believe that content on GILDA infringes your copyright or the copyright of someone you represent, you may submit a takedown notice to us. We take all valid notices seriously and will act promptly.

Before submitting a notice, please ensure:

• You are the copyright owner or are authorised to act on the owner's behalf
• The content you are reporting is genuinely infringing your copyright — not simply similar, offensive, or competing with your work
• You understand that submitting a false or fraudulent notice may expose you to legal liability

Submit your notice to: copyright@gilda.app

You may also use the in-platform report feature and select "Copyright Infringement" as the reason.

4. Required Information for a Takedown Notice

To be valid, your takedown notice must include all of the following:

1. Your identity: Your full name and contact information (email address, phone number, and physical address).
2. Identification of the copyrighted work: A description of the work you claim is being infringed, including where it was originally published (URL, physical publication, etc.).
3. Location of the infringing content: The specific URL(s) or description of where the infringing content appears on GILDA.
4. Ownership statement: A statement that you are the copyright owner or are authorised to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
5. Good faith belief: A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use of the material in the manner described is not authorised by the copyright owner, its agent, or applicable law.
6. Accuracy declaration: A declaration that the information in your notice is accurate.
7. Signature: Your physical or electronic signature (typing your full name is acceptable as an electronic signature).

Incomplete notices may not be acted upon. We reserve the right to request additional information to verify your identity or the validity of the claim.

4.1 What Happens After You Submit

1. We acknowledge receipt of your notice within 2 business days.
2. We review the notice to confirm it is complete and valid.
3. If valid, we will remove or disable access to the infringing content, typically within 5 business days of receiving a complete notice.
4. We will notify the content uploader that their content has been removed and why.
5. The uploader may submit a counter-notification if they believe the removal was in error.

5. Counter-Notification Procedure

If you are a creator whose content was removed and you believe the takedown was incorrect (for example, because you own the copyright, have a licence, or the use is protected by fair dealing under Tanzanian law), you may submit a counter-notification.

5.1 What to Include in a Counter-Notification

1. Your full name and contact information
2. Identification of the content that was removed and where it appeared on GILDA
3. A statement that you have a good faith belief that the content was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification
4. Your basis for claiming the right to use the content (ownership, licence, fair dealing, etc.)
5. A declaration that the information in your counter-notification is accurate
6. Your signature (electronic or physical)
7. Consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of Tanzania for any legal proceedings

Submit counter-notifications to: copyright@gilda.app with the subject line "Counter-Notification."

5.2 Process After Counter-Notification

1. We will forward your counter-notification to the original complainant.
2. The complainant has 14 days to notify us that they have initiated legal proceedings to prevent the restoration of the content.
3. If no legal proceedings are initiated within 14 days, we may restore the content at our discretion.

6. Repeat Infringer Policy

GILDA has a strict policy against repeat copyright infringers. We will:

• First valid infringement: Remove the infringing content and issue a warning to the account holder.
• Second valid infringement: Remove content, issue a formal warning, and restrict the account's ability to upload for 30 days.
• Third valid infringement (or first for egregious cases): Permanently terminate the account. All content is removed and no further uploads are permitted. We will also withhold any pending creator earnings pending legal review.

Accounts that are terminated under this policy are not eligible for reinstatement. Attempting to create a new account after a copyright-related termination is itself a violation of our Terms of Service.

Counter-notifications that are accepted and result in content restoration do not count toward the repeat infringer record. However, if a counter-notification is found to be fraudulent, it will count as an additional infringement.

7. Copyright Contact Information

All copyright-related communications should be directed to:

For general content violations (not copyright), contact: safety@gilda.app

GILDA reserves the right to modify this policy at any time to comply with changes in Tanzanian copyright law or to reflect operational changes. Any material changes will be communicated to registered users.

For more information about copyright in Tanzania, visit the Copyright Society of Tanzania (COSOTA) website.