Castle DMCA & Intellectual Property Compliance Policy

Castle respects the intellectual property of film studios, broadcasters, sports bodies, regional production houses, and independent creators, in India and worldwide. This policy sets out how copyright complaints are handled, under the Copyright Act, 1957 of India and the principles of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

An automated index, not a host

Castle operates as an automated indexing tool and technical directory. It runs no content distribution network, no digital locker, and no media repository, and it does not host, broadcast, archive, or store any media files on its own infrastructure. The system gathers and organises publicly reachable third-party links so that viewers can find content already available on the open web. As a neutral intermediary with no editorial control over, or knowledge of, the material behind those links, Castle operates within the statutory safe-harbour standards for technical intermediaries.

Filing a takedown notice

A rights holder, or an agent authorised to act for one, who identifies a link in the Castle index that points to infringing material may submit a takedown notice through our online compliance portal. To be actionable, the notice must include all six of the following:

  1. The physical or electronic signature of the person authorised to act for the copyright owner.
  2. Identification of the copyrighted work, by exact title with a release year, studio, or a reference link to the authentic work.
  3. The precise link or in-app location that resolves to the disputed material; broad search terms, category names, or screenshots cannot be traced.
  4. The complainant's contact details: full legal name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address.
  5. A good-faith statement that the use is not authorised by the owner, its agent, or the law.
  6. A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the notice is accurate and that the filer is authorised to act for the rights holder.

Once a complete notice is verified, the identified link is de-indexed from our search results, language feeds, and trending tables without undue delay.

What de-indexing does and does not do

Removing a link from Castle takes it out of our directory so that the app no longer leads anyone to it. It does not delete the underlying file, which resides on a third-party server outside our ownership or control. To have the material itself removed from the wider internet, a rights holder must contact the host or website storing the file directly. Castle's remedy is de-indexing, and within that scope it is applied reliably.

Counter-notification

Section 52 of the Copyright Act, 1957 preserves fair dealing, including criticism, review, news reporting, and similar lawful uses. A party who believes a link was removed by mistake or misidentification may file a counter-notification through the same portal, setting out the exemption relied on, identifying the removed material and its former location, providing signature and contact details, and consenting to the jurisdiction of the courts of New Delhi or Mumbai. Where it holds and no legal proceedings begin within the statutory period, the link may be reinstated.

Repeat infringers

Castle applies a graduated three-strike policy to any party that repeatedly misuses the platform or tries to inject unauthorised links into the directory. The first instance brings a formal warning with the offending links removed; the second, a temporary suspension from the relevant tools; the third, permanent exclusion from the service. Conduct that is severe or plainly in bad faith may reach the final stage directly. A notice filed in knowing bad faith exposes its sender to liability rather than any advantage.