What is a copyright?

Copyright is a legal right that protects original works and stops others from using it without the owner’s permission. Graphics, paintings, photos, videos, text, and songs are examples of works that may be protected by copyright.

What is copyright infringement?

Copyright infringement may include:

• Using copyrighted material in the description of products without the consent of the copyright owner.
• Listing products that include copyrighted material without the consent of the copyright owner.
• Listing products that reproduce copyrighted material without authorisation (or legally valid reason) from the copyright owner.

How can I reduce the risk of Copyright Infringement?

The following tips may help to reduce the risk of copyright infringement. TikTok Shop can not provide you with legal advice, so if you have questions or concerns regarding your rights or obligations, you may wish to seek independent legal advice.
You may want to consider undertaking the following:

• Respect intellectual property rights: Be mindful of and respect third party intellectual property rights. It is important to note that a lack of knowledge does not serve as a valid defense against copyright (or other IP) infringement. Accordingly, before using any graphics, paintings, photos, videos, text, songs, or other potentially protected materials in your product or content, research whether they are protected by a copyright.
• Obtain permission: If you intend to use copyrighted material, consider seeking legal advice to understand how best to seek permission from the rights owner.
• Be original: Focus on creating original content and products.

What happens if I breach these guidelines?

If you are found to violate these guidelines, you may have enforcement actions taken against your account. You should note that repeated offenses will result in more significant penalties.
Please see our Violation Reasons, Points & Enforcement Actions for Sellers article and Seller Terms of Service for more information. If you think an enforcement action has been taken against you in error, appeal via the Seller Center. Please read our Seller Appeal Guidelines article for more information.
Please click here to read TikTok Shop Intellectual Property Policy.