Public Domain Compliance Policy

Public Domain Compliance Policy

Introduction

Welcome to Redvilla’s Public Domain Compliance Policy. This document outlines our commitment to respecting intellectual property rights while providing access to content that is legally available for public use and commercial exploitation. We have established this policy to ensure transparency in our content acquisition and distribution practices.

Our Content Philosophy

At Redvilla, we believe in the democratization of digital content that has legally entered the public domain or has been released under open licenses that permit commercial use. Our subscription-based streaming and downloading service provides access to images, videos, music, applications, games, and other digital content that meets one or more of the following criteria:

  1. The content has entered the public domain due to copyright expiration
  2. The content has been explicitly released into the public domain by its creator
  3. The content is available under open licenses that explicitly permit commercial use and redistribution (see examples in Educational Resources).

Content Verification Process

We employ a rigorous multi-step verification process before adding any content to our platform:

Step 1: Source Identification

We obtain content exclusively from reputable sources that specialize in public domain or openly licensed materials, including but not limited to:

  • Archive.org
  • Wikimedia Commons
  • Public domain repositories
  • Creative Commons search platforms
  • Government sources that publish works in the public domain

Step 2: Copyright Status Verification

For each piece of content, we verify its copyright status using multiple methods:

  • Utilizing tools such as the Digital Copyright Slider (https://librarycopyright.net/resources/digitalslider/)
  • Consulting Creative Commons search (https://search.creativecommons.org)
  • Verifying publication dates and copyright terms based on applicable laws
  • Examining license terms for open-source and Creative Commons licensed works
  • Reviewing declarations of public domain status from content creators

For example, films are verified using publication date and country of origin, while software licenses are cross-checked against SPDX (a standardized license identifier system) or repository-specific terms.

Step 3: Documentation

We maintain detailed records for each content item, including:

  • Source information
  • Copyright status determination
  • Applicable license (if any)
  • Date of verification
  • Legal basis for public domain or commercial use determination

For more details about our verification standards and procedures, please refer to our Content Distribution policy.

Excluded Content

We explicitly exclude the following from our platform:

  1. Content under active copyright protection without appropriate licenses for commercial distribution
  2. Content available under licenses that prohibit commercial use
  3. Content with unclear or disputed copyright status
  4. Modified versions of copyrighted works that do not constitute fair use or have not been sufficiently transformed
  5. Content that violates any other intellectual property rights, including trademarks and patents

We acknowledge that copyright laws vary by jurisdiction, and we adhere to the most restrictive applicable laws when determining content eligibility. We recognize and follow:

  • The Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA)
  • The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)
  • International copyright treaties and conventions
  • Country-specific copyright durations and regulations

Our comprehensive approach to copyright compliance is further detailed in our Licensing and Copyright Policy.

Removal Procedures

Despite our best efforts to ensure compliance, we recognize that mistakes or disputes may arise. We maintain the following procedures for addressing potential compliance issues:

Content Removal Requests

If you believe that content on our platform infringes on copyright or other intellectual property rights, please submit a detailed notice to [your designated email address] including:

  1. Identification of the allegedly infringing content
  2. Information establishing the copyrighted status of the work
  3. Your contact information
  4. A statement of good faith belief that the use is not authorized
  5. A statement, under penalty of perjury, that the information provided is accurate and that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

Response Timeline

We commit to:

  • Acknowledging receipt of removal requests within 14 business days
  • Investigating claims promptly
  • Removing content determined to be infringing within 14 business days of verification
  • Notifying the requestor of our determination and actions taken

For complete information about our content removal procedures and legal compliance framework, please review our Legal Notice.

Users may report concerns about mislabeled content via info@redvilla.tech for non-legal review, which we will investigate within 14 business days.

While we strive for accuracy, we rely on third-party repositories and tools. We cannot guarantee absolute certainty and welcome feedback to correct inadvertent errors.

Subscription Model Clarification

Our subscription fees provide users with convenient access to curated public domain and openly licensed content. These fees cover:

  1. Content curation and verification services
  2. Platform maintenance and development
  3. Storage and bandwidth costs
  4. User experience enhancements
  5. Discovery tools to help users find relevant content

Importantly, our subscription fees do not constitute payment for the content itself, as the content we host is already free for commercial use under applicable laws and licenses.

Commitment to Transparency

We are committed to maintaining transparent operations. To that end:

  1. We clearly indicate the public domain or license status of each content item
  2. We provide attribution where required by applicable licenses
  3. We maintain and regularly update this compliance policy
  4. We promptly address any inquiries about our content acquisition and verification processes

Educational Resources

We believe in promoting understanding of public domain concepts and intellectual property rights. We provide educational resources to help our users understand:

  • The concept of public domain
  • Different types of open licenses (Examples include Creative Commons licenses (CC0, CC BY, CC BY-SA), MIT License, Apache License, and Public Domain Mark.)
  • How to determine the copyright status of content
  • Best practices for using public domain materials

Contact Information

For any questions regarding our Public Domain Compliance Policy or to report potential intellectual property infringement, please contact:

Legal Department

Redvilla Inc
info@redvilla.tech
1001 S. Main St.
STE 500
Kalispell, MT – 59901 USA

Policy Updates

This policy was last updated on March 11, 2024. We reserve the right to modify this policy to reflect changes in our practices or relevant laws. Any modifications will be posted on this page with a revised effective date.

By maintaining this Public Domain Compliance Policy, Redvilla demonstrates our ongoing commitment to respecting intellectual property rights while making legally available content accessible to our subscribers.