To show someone copied your work, you usually need three things: your version, evidence it existed before theirs, and the copy itself. Start with your original files, drafts and earliest exports, plus where and when you first published them. Capture the copy with screenshots and archive links. Then make your evidence easy to check. TimeBinder® records a fingerprint of each file on the Bitcoin blockchain, so you, and anyone you share the files with, can later check each file existed no later than the recorded time and still matches its fingerprint. Timestamp your originals and your captures as soon as you can. A TimeBind doesn’t show who created a file, that someone copied you, or how a platform or court will treat it. For takedowns, follow the platform’s process or ask a lawyer.
Table of Contents
Evidence that helps prove someone copied your work
Disputes about copying come down to timelines and comparisons. Gather what you can on three fronts. This is a practical checklist, not a statement of what any law requires.
- Your version and its date. The original files, drafts, working files and earliest exports, and anything that dates them.
- The copy and when it appeared. Screenshots, URLs, archive links, the date you found it, and the copy itself if you can save it.
- How they could have seen yours. Where you posted or sent your work: a public post, a portfolio, a client email or a pitch.
The stronger your records on each front, the easier it is for a platform, a lawyer or the other side to follow your account.
Step 1: collect your originals
Find the earliest versions you still have:
- source files: layered PSDs, RAW photos, project files, manuscripts, session files
- drafts and work-in-progress exports
- where and when you first published: post links, upload dates, newsletter sends
- emails or messages where you shared the work
Keep the files exactly as they are. Re-saving or re-exporting makes a different file with a different fingerprint.
Step 2: capture the copy
Take screenshots of the copy, including the URL and the date if visible. Save the page or file where you can. Note when and how you found it.
Timestamping screenshots explains how to keep a dated record of your captures. Archive services can help too. See how the Wayback Machine compares with a timestamp.
Step 3: make it checkable
TimeBind your originals and your captures. Each file is fingerprinted on your own device and the file itself is never uploaded. You get a Proof of Time Certificate that can be checked later against the exact file.
Be clear about what this does. A TimeBind made today shows a file existed no later than today. It can’t backdate your originals to when you made them. Your earlier publication records, emails and file history carry that part of your timeline. For more, see showing a file existed before a date.
That’s why the best time to start is before anything goes wrong. Timestamp work as you make it, so if a copy turns up, or someone doubts that you made it, the dated record already exists.
Takedown routes
Most platforms have their own copyright reporting process. Start there.
- In the US, the Copyright Office explains that “The notice-and-takedown system allows rightsholders to send a notification to the online service provider regarding infringing material that appears on the service provider’s system.” Once a provider receives a compliant notice, “it must act expeditiously to remove or disable access to the infringing material.” The person who posted it may file a counter-notice. A notice includes a statement that its information is accurate and, “under penalty of perjury”, that the sender is authorized to act for the copyright owner, so be accurate (source). To sue for infringement of a US work, you “will have to register” first (source).
- In Australia, copyright is automatic. The Attorney-General’s Department says an owner’s “options include directly approaching the person infringing copyright to seek redress, or seeking to enforce your rights in court.” It adds that it does not enforce copyright or investigate allegations (source).
For anything beyond a platform report, talk to a lawyer. Read about showing copyright ownership without registration for more on records.
This is general information, not legal advice.
What a timestamp cannot do
- It doesn’t show who created a file, that it’s original, or whether AI was used.
- It doesn’t show that someone copied you. Comparing the works is a separate question.
- It records the time you made the TimeBind, not the day you made the work.
- It doesn’t show how a platform or court will treat it.
Guides by type of work
- Photos and video: proof of ownership of photos and videos
- Design: what to do when a client used your design without paying, and design file timestamping
- Music: music copyright records
- Writing: timestamping manuscripts
- Art and AI accusations: what to do if you’re falsely accused of using AI art
When TimeBinder isn’t the right tool
- You need the copy removed now. Use the platform’s reporting process. A timestamp doesn’t remove anything.
- You need to sue for infringement of a US work. That needs US copyright registration and a lawyer.
- You no longer have your originals. A TimeBind can only record files you have now.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What evidence do I need to show my work was copied?
Gather your original files and drafts, records of when and where you first published, captures of the copy, and anything showing how the other person could have seen your work. This is a practical checklist, not legal advice.
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Can I timestamp files after I find the copy?
Yes, and it’s worth doing for your captures. But a TimeBind made now shows a file existed no later than now. Your earlier records carry the earlier dates.
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Do screenshots of the copy help?
They record what you saw. Include the URL and date, save the page if you can, and timestamp the screenshots so you have a dated record of each capture.
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Is the Wayback Machine enough?
It depends on whether and when a page was captured, and it records web pages, not your original files. Compare the options in our Wayback Machine comparison linked above.
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How do I file a takedown notice?
Use the platform’s copyright reporting process. In the US, the Copyright Office explains the section 512 notice-and-takedown system on its website. For anything further, talk to a lawyer.
Start before the next copy
Start by timestamping your latest originals. See plans and pricing
