Image copyright guide · checked 14 October 2026

Got a letter from Copytrack?

Don't panic, don't ignore it, and don't pay the first number. Here's who they are and how to answer.

Who they are

Copytrack is a Berlin company that scans the web for photographers' and agencies' images and asks site owners to buy a retroactive licence. Most of its claims are in the EU, but it sends them worldwide.

What they want

A licence fee for past use, paid through its online portal, usually with a deadline of about 14 days. Unpaid claims may be passed to a partner law firm.

What to do

1. Take the image down from the page and from your media library or server, then clear your caches.
2. Don't ignore the letter, and don't pay the first figure.
3. Reply in writing, not by phone. Ask who owns the copyright, how the sender got the right to claim, the exact URL and dates of use, and how the fee was worked out.
4. If you licensed or created the image, send your proof and ask them to close the claim.
5. If you didn't, offer a fair licence fee in return for a signed release from the sender and the owner. Pay only after you have it.

Worth knowing

Ask who the photographer or owner is and for the authority Copytrack has to act for them. In most countries damages are based on what a licence would have cost, so compare the demand with what the photographer or a stock library normally charges.

Check my risk and write my reply

Other senders: PicRights · Higbee & Associates · Getty Images · Image copyright demand letter kit

Sources: Heitner Legal on PicRights, Heitner Legal on Higbee & Associates, Sprintlaw UK, Sprintlaw Australia, 17 U.S.C. §§412, 507.