DMCA - Intellectual Property Policy

This Intellectual Property Policy (the “IPP”) outlines the responsibilities and rights of registered and non-registered users (each a “User,” and collectively, the “Users”) of our applications, software, products, and services (collectively, the “Service”) with regard to the intellectual property of Users and of BooksCloud and of splitShops Inc. (“BooksCloud”). This document is an important contract between BooksCloud and our Users, and as such, we have tried to make it as clear as possible. In addition to the full legal terms and text, we have provided short non-binding summaries with many clauses. These summaries do not aim to replace or misrepresent the full text. For the avoidance of doubt, “intellectual property” refers to copyrights, patents, patent disclosures and inventions (whether patentable or not), trademarks, service marks, trade secrets, know-how and other confidential information, trade dress, trade names, logos, corporate names, and all other such rights.

A. Definitions

Summary: These terms are used throughout this IPP and it’s important that you understand what we are referring to when we use them.

Terms not defined in this section shall have the meaning provided elsewhere in the Terms of Service.

  1. “Agreement” refers, collectively, to all the terms, conditions, notices contained or referenced in this document (the “IPP”) and all other operating rules, policies, including the BooksCloud Privacy Policy, the BooksCloud App Terms of Service and the Conditions of Use and procedures that we may publish from time to time on the Website including but not limited to Shipping, Payments, and Returns.
  2. “Content” refers to content featured or displayed through the Website, including without limitation text, product descriptions and tags, data, articles, images, photographs, graphics, software, applications, designs, features, and other materials that are available on the Website or otherwise available through the Service. “Content” also includes Services. “User-Generated Content” is Content, written or otherwise, created or uploaded by our Users. “Your Content” is Content that You create or own, otherwise, BooksCloud manages and retains rights to the Content.
  3. “Customers” refer to individuals or companies that purchase Your Products in Your Sales Channel.
  4. “Order” refers to Your Product once it has been purchased by You or Your Customers. “Fulfilled Orders” refers to Orders that have been completed and shipped.
  5. The “Products,” refers to the all products offered by the different Publishers on our Website, including, but not limited to books.
  6. “Publishers,” refers to the organizations and companies that BooksCloud partners with in the scope of its Service to offer Products to You.
  7. “Sales Channels,” or “Stores” refers to the other websites and platforms that You use to sell Products, including but not limited to Shopify or Woocommerce.
  8. “Us” and “We” refers to splitShops, Inc., as well as our affiliates, directors, subsidiaries, contractors, licensors, officers, agents, and employees
  9. “User,” “You,” “Your” refers to the individual person, company, or organization that has visited or is using the Website or Service; that accesses or uses any part of the account; or that directs the use of the account in the performance of its functions.
  10. “Website” refers to BooksCloud’ website located at splitshops.com, BooksCloud.io and all content, services and products provided by BooksCloud at or through the Website and the BooksCloud App. It also refers to any subdomains of splitshops.com and BooksCloud.io. These terms also govern the use of BooksCloud plugins such as those available in the Shopify App store , Woocommerce or those we will create in the future. Occasionally, BooksCloud plugin pages and websites owned by BooksCloud may provide additional or different terms of service. If those additional terms conflict with this IPP, the terms in the additional terms with regard to the matter in conflict shall apply.

B. General

When You use Our Services and Content, You are agreeing to:

  • This Intellectual Property Policy
  • Our Privacy Policy
  • Our Terms of Service
  • Our BooksCloud App Terms of Service
  • Any other terms or policies we reference in any of the above.

Except as they may be supplemented by additional terms and conditions, policies, guidelines or standards, this IPP constitutes the entire Agreement between BooksCloud and You pertaining to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes any and all prior oral or written understandings or agreements between BooksCloud and You in relation to the access to and use of the Service.

If any provision of this IPP is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be struck and will not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions.

Questions about this Intellectual Property Policy? Contact us.

C. When does this IPP apply?

Summary: By using BooksCloud, You are agreeing to all the terms below.

By using the Service, You are agreeing, on behalf of Yourself and those You represent, to comply with and be legally bound by this Agreement and all applicable laws. If You do not agree with any provision of this IPP, You must discontinue the registration process, discontinue Your use of the Service, and, if You are already registered, delete Your account.

D. Can this IPP be modified?

Summary: We can change these terms, and if the changes are big, we’ll let You know.

BooksCloud reserves the right to revise this IPP from time to time and the most current version will always be posted on our Website. If a revision, in our sole discretion, is material we will notify You. The “Updated” date at the top of this IPP reflects the date of the last modification. Your use of the Service following the effective date of any modifications to this IPP will constitute your acceptance of such revised IPP. If You do not agree to the new terms, You should stop using the Service and delete Your account.

E. How does BooksCloud handle intellectual property right claims?

BooksCloud respects the intellectual property rights of others and we expect people using our Service to do the same and to respect our intellectual property rights. It is our practice, in appropriate circumstances and at our discretion, to either disable or terminate the accounts of Users who infringe or are repeatedly charged with infringing our copyrights or other intellectual property rights of others.

If you believe in good faith that content used or displayed on BooksCloud infringes your copyright, you (or your agent) may send BooksCloud a notice requesting that the material be removed. You may access the form on the product's page at our store or by clicking on this link: "Report copyright infringement" form and filling out the form. The notice must include the following information: (a) a physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed; (b) identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed (or if multiple copyrighted works are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works); (c) identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or the subject of infringing activity, and information reasonably sufficient to allow us to locate the material on the Site; (d) the name, address, telephone number and email address of the complaining party; (e) a statement that the complaining party has a 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; and (f) a statement that the information in the notification is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, that the complaining party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

F. How does BooksCloud expect BooksCloud app users to handle intellectual property right claims?

By using our service, You agree to always comply with the intellectual property rights of others, always comply with DMCA Takedown Notices. Never file a Counter-Notice. Always inform Bookscloud that You have received a DMCA Takedown Notice and identify the books that are the subject of the DMCA Takedown Notice. In the event that You are sued or face any legal action due to a DMCA violation where You did not remove the content immediately or You filed a Counter-Notice for any alleged copyright infringement related to content or You sold content that was infringing intellectual property rights, You acknowledge and agree that You are solely responsible for all damages, legal fees, and consequences arising from such action. BooksCloud assumes no liability and disclaims all responsibility for any claims, damages, or losses resulting from alleged or actual copyright infringement for failure to comply with a DMCA Takedown Notice or the filing of a Counter-Notice. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless BooksCloud, its affiliates, and its employees from and against any claims arising.

Summary: We’re passionate about helping people run their own businesses and as such we feel strongly about other people getting in the way of that by stealing intellectual property.

BooksCloud allows Users to upload Content to our platform to create BooksCloud Pop-up Shops to sell Products. Subject to the terms outlined in the Conditions of Use, Users alone are solely responsible for such User’s Content. However, We retain the right, at our sole discretion, to reject the Content that we have reason to believe may be infringing copyrights or other intellectual property rights of others.

Summary: Although You alone are responsible for the content You upload, we can refuse to allow you to use our Services if we believe you are using content we believe might be infringing on others’ rights.

If You believe that the Content in question does not infringe on intellectual property rights of others, You should contact BooksCloud Merchant Support with proof clearly outlining Your rights to use the Content.

If You notice infringement of Your copyrights or other intellectual property rights on BooksCloud, You can notify Us as follows. Please note that BooksCloud cannot provide You with legal advice or representation, and We recommend that You speak with a licensed attorney in Your jurisdiction if You are seeking legal advice. If You are a copyright holder or are authorized to act on behalf of one, You may send BooksCloud a notice requesting that the material be removed. You may access the form on the product's page at our store by clicking on the link "Report copyright infringement" and filling out the form. In accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which You can find on the US Copyright Office website, We will respond as quickly as we can to claims of suspected copyright infringement that are reported via our Report copyright infringement form.

Upon receipt of Your DMCA Notice, We will notify the User or Publisher responsible for uploading the corresponding Content and will provide the User or Publisher with an opportunity to respond. We will take whatever additional action we deem appropriate, which may include permanently removing the reported Content from BooksCloud. Please note that it may take up to 10 business days to process, review, and act on Your request, but we will endeavor to act as quickly as possible.

Summary: BooksCloud respects intellectual property rights. If We receive a DMCA Notice, We may disable access and/or remove the allegedly infringing Content from BooksCloud Stores. If Your Content is removed and You think the claim is invalid, You can respond and let us know why. If You believe one of our Users or Publishers is infringing on Your intellectual property rights, please send BooksCloud a Notice. We may remove the Content and will notify the Merchant or Publisher.

BooksCloud respects the trademark rights of others. Accounts with content that may mislead or violate another’s trademark will need be updated or may be permanently suspended.

If You are concerned that someone may be using Your trademark in an infringing way on our Website, let Us know by contacting us. We will review Your complaint and take whatever action We deem appropriate, which may include temporary or permanent removal of the Content in question.

Summary: BooksCloud also takes issues of trademark violations seriously and if We receive a complaint of a purported trademark violation, We will investigate and may remove potentially infringing content.

G. What can you do if your content was removed from BooksCloud?

Summary: If You believe the complaint raised regarding Your Content is improper, follow the proper instructions below and We will help You sort things out.

If You received a notification that Your Content has been removed as a result of a copyright complaint, it means another User reported that they own the rights to the Content, and requested that We remove Your Content. If You want us to forward the information from the copyright complaint notification, contact us. Please note that We may remove some personal contact information from the original complaint.

If Your Content is the subject of repeated copyright complaints, We may disable Your account altogether.

If You think We made a mistake by removing Your Content, You can file a counter-notice with Us, by following the directions and requirements below. When We get a counter-notice that includes all of the information required, We will remove the complaint from Your account’s record.

Note: There are legal and financial consequences for fraudulent or bad faith counter-notices. Before submitting a counter-notice, make sure You have a good faith belief that We removed Your Content in error, and that You understand the repercussions of submitting a false claim. If BooksCloud is the subject of a legal cause of action on account of your false claim, You will be added to the claim and BooksCloud will not be liable for such false claim, you will. In addition, BooksCloud may at its sole discretion delete Your account and refuse future service, which includes cancelling any orders that are active at the time, with no refund to you.

To submit Your counter-notice, contact us and include all of the following information:

  • Your name, address and phone number.
  • The DMCA ID found at the bottom of the notification email You received from us.
  • The web address of the Content We removed (copy and paste the link from the notification email).
  • A statement under penalty of perjury that You have a good faith belief that Your Content was removed in error.
  • A statement that You consent to the jurisdiction of Federal District Court of the Central District of California, and that You agree to accept service of process from the entity who provided the original complaint.
  • A physical or electronic signature (for example, by typing Your full name).
  • Any additional information you have showing that You own or are otherwise entitled to use the Content at issue.

If You received a trademark complaint notification from Us, You can contest it by contacting us and letting Us know why You think the complaint is invalid. Please include the trademark complaint reference number from the notification. If You want Us to forward the info from the trademark complaint notification, let Us know and We’ll be glad to send it along although We may remove personal information.

H. What are you agreeing to under this IPP?

By uploading Your Content on the Service, You represent and warrant that: (i) You either own the Content posted by You on or through the Service or that You otherwise have the legal right and authority to use Your Content; (ii) the posting and use of Your Content on or through the Service does not violate, misappropriate or infringe on the rights of any third party, including, without limitation, privacy rights, publicity rights, copyrights, trademark and/or other intellectual property rights; (iii) You agree to pay for all royalties, fees, and any other monies owed through use of Your Content on the Service; and (iv) You have the legal right and capacity to enter into this Agreement.

If You are unsure about your rights regarding the usage of Your Content, You agree to perform all due diligence on Your part to ensure that Your Content is free for You to use on the Service.

More information can be found at the U.S. Copyright Office and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.