Study Market sellers must upload only their own work. We take copyright seriously. This policy explains how to report a listing and what we do.
It applies the Copyright Act 98 of 1978 and section 77 of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (ECT Act). Study Market is an "information system service provider". We host material that users upload. We do not check every upload before it goes live.
1. Who can report
Anyone who owns, or is allowed to act for the owner of, a copyright can report. This includes:
- teachers and schools
- publishers and authors
- examination bodies, such as the IEB and education departments
- other students whose notes were copied
2. How to report
Use the form at /copyright-complaint, or email copyright@studymarket.co.za.
You can also write to us at 145 Wilton Avenue.
3. What your notice must include
Under section 77 of the ECT Act, a notice must be in writing and must include:
- your full name and address
- your written or electronic signature
- identification of the right you say has been infringed (for example, the book, paper or work, and that you own the copyright or act for the owner)
- identification of the listing or material you complain about (the link to the listing is best)
- what action you want us to take
- your telephone number and email address
- a statement that you are acting in good faith
- a statement that the information in your notice is true and correct, to the best of your knowledge
An incomplete notice may delay action. We may ask for more information.
4. What we do
When we receive a proper notice:
- We pause the listing promptly while we look into it.
- We tell the seller by email that the listing is paused and why. If they reply with a counter-notice, we may share the details of your complaint with them, without your telephone number or address.
- We review the notice and any response, and decide whether the complaint is upheld.
- If upheld, we remove the listing. We may refund buyers and reverse the seller's earnings for those sales. If it is not upheld, we may restore the listing.
If a seller is under 18, the same email also goes to their parent or guardian.
5. Counter-notice
If you are a seller and you think your listing was paused by mistake, you can send a counter-notice to copyright@studymarket.co.za. Explain why the notes are your own work, and give any evidence you have. We will review it fairly and tell both sides what we decide.
We decide only whether a listing should stay on Study Market. We cannot decide who owns the copyright. If you want damages or other remedies, you must take them up directly with the seller or through the courts.
6. Repeat infringers
If three complaints against a seller are upheld, we suspend their account. (We may change this number. It is currently three.) We may suspend sooner for serious infringement. We may also refuse to let a suspended person open a new account.
7. False or abusive notices
Do not send a notice you know is false. Under section 77(2) of the ECT Act, a person who makes a wrongful notification can be liable for damages. We may also stop acting on notices from someone who repeatedly sends false ones.
8. Other legal requests
If you have a court order or another legal claim, send it to hello@studymarket.co.za.