Someone shared your video, your photos, or your course without asking. You found the link. Start here.
This is a practical guide, not legal advice. If a lot is at stake, talk to a lawyer who knows the rules where you live.
First, don't panic and don't engage
The link is already out. Messaging the uploader, posting about it, or arguing in a group chat doesn't take the file down and often makes things messier. The fastest route is the report.
Before you report, save what you'll need:
- The exact FileNext link. Copy it from the address bar or the message where you found it, not from memory.
- Where you found it, if that's relevant. A channel name or a message link helps a moderator understand the context, though the FileNext link alone is enough to act on.
- A link to your original, or a plain description of it if it isn't online. "A 12-minute video I posted on my channel on 3 September, titled X" is fine.
That's everything. You don't need to download the file.
Two ways to report
Every FileNext share page has a Report button. Tap it, pick a reason, add details, and submit. You'll get a ticket number.
If you'd rather stay in Telegram, send the link to the FileNext takedown bot. It asks the same questions, gives you the same ticket number, and you can check progress with /status followed by the ticket number.
Either route gets you a ticket. Use whichever is in front of you.
What a complete copyright notice needs
A report that says "this is mine, remove it" will get looked at, but a moderator can't act on it without knowing who you are and what the original is. A complete notice has five parts:
- The FileNext link. The specific link to the file or folder you're reporting. If several files are involved, list each one.
- The rights holder's name. Your name, or the name of the company or person you're acting for. If you're an agent, say so.
- The original work. A link to where the original is published, or a description detailed enough that a moderator can tell it's the same thing.
- A reply email. Where FileNext can reach you with questions or the outcome. Use one you actually check.
- A good-faith statement. A sentence saying that you believe, in good faith, that the use isn't authorized by the rights holder, their agent, or the law.
Write these out plainly. You don't need legal language. A moderator needs to match the report to a file, confirm the person reporting has a claim to it, and know how to reply. The five items cover that.
Leave out anything you can't back up. If you claim a whole folder and only one file in it is yours, say which one. Over-claiming slows things down and weakens the report.
The full policy and the formal process are on the copyright page.
What happens after you send it
Your report becomes a ticket. A moderator reviews it. Every report gets looked at by a person.
If the moderator agrees the file infringes, the file is removed. Its share links stop working for everyone at the same time. Anyone who already downloaded a copy keeps that copy, since FileNext can't reach into other people's devices, but the link itself is dead and new people can't get the file from it.
The uploader is told the file was removed and why. Repeat infringers are banned.
You can check where your ticket stands with /status <ticket> in the takedown bot. If you reported from the web, keep the ticket number from the confirmation.
If your report is missing one of the five items, or the original can't be matched to the file, expect questions at your reply email or a slower result. Send the missing piece and the ticket moves again.
How a counter-notice works
Sometimes a file is removed and the uploader believes it shouldn't have been. Maybe they're the actual author, or they have a license, or the report pointed at the wrong file.
In that case the uploader can send a counter-notice. In general terms, a counter-notice says: I'm the person whose file was removed, I believe the removal was a mistake, here's why, here's how to reach me, and I'm prepared to stand behind that. The uploader identifies the file, explains the basis for their claim, and gives contact details.
Both the US DMCA and India's IT Rules 2021 describe notice-and-takedown style processes. The specifics differ by country, and that's the part a lawyer can walk you through. FileNext's own counter-notice process is described on the copyright page.
If you're the one who sent the original notice, a counter-notice doesn't mean you lose. It means the other side has disputed the claim and the matter may move beyond what a moderator can settle.
Reporting things that aren't copyright
The Report button isn't only for copyright. Spam, harassment, something about a person shared without their consent, or anything illegal where it's being shared can go through the same button. Pick the reason that fits, add details, and you get a ticket the same way.
If you find child-safety material
This is the one case where the steps are different, and they matter.
Report the link immediately, through the Report button or the takedown bot. Then stop. Do not download the file. Do not take a screenshot. Do not forward it to anyone "as evidence," including to a friend or a group. Possessing or sharing that material is itself a crime in most countries, even if your intent is to report it.
FileNext removes child-safety material and reports it to the authorities. The link is all a moderator needs. Your report with the link is the right action, and it's the only action you should take.
Keep your own files from needing a report
A few habits make it less likely you'll be on the other side of this:
Files on FileNext are private until you make a link. If you share a folder, everything inside is exposed by that one link. Share a single file when you only mean to share a single file.
Turn off a link when you're done with it. It stops working for everyone at once. If you're on Premium, you can also put a password, an expiry date, or a download limit on a link, which limits how far it can travel in the first place.
And when you upload something you didn't make, check that you're allowed to share it. The same report form that protects your work protects everyone else's.
For how sharing and privacy work in general, see security and the help center.