This page explains how copyright and image rights work at Medienconnect, and what steps you can take if you believe your work has been used on our website without permission. If you need to report an infringement, the easiest route is to email copyright@medienconnect.de. Our team reviews every request promptly and in accordance with Swedish and international law.
What does this policy cover?
This policy covers all content published on medienconnect.de, including text, photographs, graphics, video, audio, and any other copyrighted material. It also covers user-uploaded content if we are made aware of a rights issue. The policy applies to both original content created by our journalists and contributed material from third parties, such as wire services, freelancers, or reader submissions.
Medienconnect respects the intellectual property of others. We expect our staff, contributors, and partners to do the same. If you believe any content on our site violates your copyright, we want to hear from you so we can fix the problem.
How can I report a copyright infringement?
If you are the rights holder of a work that appears on medienconnect.de without your authorisation, please send a written takedown notice to copyright@medienconnect.de. You may also use our general contact form at /about-us/contact/, but emailing the dedicated address ensures the fastest handling.
Your notice should include: (1) your full name and contact information; (2) a description of the copyrighted work you believe has been infringed; (3) the exact URL or location of the content on our site; (4) a statement that you have a good-faith belief that the use is not authorised by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and (5) a declaration, under penalty of perjury, that the information in your notice is accurate and that you are the rights holder or authorised to act on their behalf. We may ask for additional documentation to verify your claim.
How this works in practice
Imagine a freelance photographer finds one of their images used in an article on medienconnect.de without a licence. They send an email to copyright@medienconnect.de with a link to the article and proof of ownership. Our fact‑checking team, led by Julia Franke, reviews the claim within two business days. If the use is indeed unauthorised, we remove the image immediately and notify the editorial team. The photographer receives a confirmation email, and we update the article to replace or remove the image. If there is a dispute – for example, if the image was used under a valid licence – we explain our position in writing and offer to mediate.
What about image rights specifically?
Images – including photographs, illustrations, and screenshots – are treated with particular care at Medienconnect. Our Editorial Policy requires every image to be sourced from a legitimate provider, a licensed database, or a named rights holder. We do not use images from social media without explicit permission unless they are clearly in the public domain or covered by fair‑use exceptions under Swedish copyright law.
If you believe an image used on our site infringes your right of publicity or personality rights (for example, a photo of you used without consent), you may also contact us at copyright@medienconnect.de. We will treat such requests with the same urgency as copyright claims.
What happens after I submit a takedown request?
We acknowledge receipt within two working days. Our legal team, in consultation with the responsible editor, reviews the request. If the claim is valid, we remove or disable access to the material and notify you. We may also contact the original uploader or author to inform them of the removal. If the claim is unclear or appears invalid, we will ask for more information and may temporarily suspend the material pending resolution.
Repeat infringers – users or contributors who repeatedly post unauthorised content after warnings – may have their accounts suspended or their contributions rejected in future. This is part of our commitment to upholding copyright standards as set out in our Terms of Use.
Who is responsible for copyright at Medienconnect?
Medienconnect is owned and operated by Medienconnec Media Ltd., a private company registered in Gibraltar (company number C 92009, Malta Business Registry). Our registered office is at Office 9, Business Centre, Valletta, 0000. The editorial team, led by Chefredaktör Alexander Seidel, is responsible for publication decisions and corrections. Day‑to‑day handling of copyright matters is coordinated by Julia Franke, our fact‑checking and rights lead. All takedown notices are logged and reported to the editorial board.
In short
If you find your copyrighted work on medienconnect.de without permission, email copyright@medienconnect.de with details and we will act quickly to remove or resolve the issue. We take copyright and image rights seriously, and we aim to make the process straightforward for rights holders. For more information on our editorial standards, see our Editorial Policy and our Sources & Standards page.