DMCA Ignored Countries
Most countries have laws and policies that forbid the distribution of copyrighted content. The US-based Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) will issue takedown notices that can subsequently shut down your website for copyright infringement. However, some of the takedown notices are frivolous and it can take you a long time to prove their illegitimacy in order to restore your website. Since DMCA laws are not universal, you can circumvent them by hosting your website in DMCA ignored countries. These countries are outside the US jurisdiction and they have a more relaxed approach that would protect you from unfounded takedown notices. We have listed the tolerant countries as well as their respective policies so you can choose the most convenient one to host your website.
DMCA Overview
DMCA refers to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act which is a US law that was enacted in 1998 to protect copyright owners against copyright infringement in the digital world. The law only applies within the United States. DMCA issues takedown notices against websites that illegally upload copyrighted content and it can suspend or block copyrighted content and impose penalties or file lawsuits against offenders.
Does DMCA apply outside US?
Although the law is only applicable in the United States, DMCA does issue takedown notices against websites with copyrighted content even if the website is hosted in servers located in another country. This law is often misused and it is not uncommon to receive an infringement notification email on frivolous claims. Fortunately, most countries outside the US jurisdiction are not obliged to respond to DMCA claims since each country has its own version of copyright laws that it enforces. Our DMCA ignored countries list includes content-friendly regions in Asia and Europe. These countries have measures in place to protect against copyright infringement and you will find countries with strict policies on protecting personal privacy and freedom of speech. Some hosting providers who ignore DMCA claims will also offer complete anonymity that makes it harder for DMCA lawyers to identify and track offenders.
On the other hand, you will find hosting companies that would prefer to comply with DMCA notices than to take the long legal route, and World Intellectual Property Organizations (WIPO) countries that will act in accordance with DMCA.
European DMCA Ignored Countries
The European Union and every European country have takedown processes that differ from DMCA and their approach to DMCA notices varies in every region. Most DMCA ignored countries VPNs only need to abide by the local copyright laws of the country they are hosted, and the host providers who entertain DMCA notices have a more liberal approach and will only act against copyright claims that are legitimate. These countries also have local policies that safeguard privacy and freedom of speech and they take precedence over DMCA which means they will not be quick to remove content or take down sites on illegitimate DMCA notices.
Although EU countries may ignore DMCA because they are out of the US jurisdiction, the EU directive which is applicable in member states sets copyright protection standards. Among other requirements, the directive requires host providers to upload filters to prevent uploading of copyrighted content.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria is often featured in DMCA ignored countries list because of its defiance of copyright laws. You can host DMCA content without worrying about your website being taken down since the country openly rejects US laws despite the dissolution of the Soviet Union. However, you should be aware of the high rate of corruption in Bulgaria which might make some host providers hand you over to the authorities if they are offered generous financial incentives. For political content, we recommend hosting in the western countries because they have a more liberal outlook than the eastern countries.
Lithuania
Lithuania has local laws such as the Law on Copyright and Related Rights (LCRR) that provide protection against use of unauthorized content. It is one of the great options for DMCA ignored countries VPNs because, like most EU countries, it can ignore DMCA takedown notices. Besides that, Lithuania has a lenient approach to freedom of speech and also the privacy of its citizens. This makes it a suitable country to find offshore host providers for your content as long as you adhere to the local copyright laws.
Luxembourg
Although Luxembourg strictly implements the local copyright laws, it is dedicated to protect the freedom of speech as evidenced by the country’s reluctance to enact EU copyright rules. The country is among the DMCA ignored countries that are a favorite for hosting sites because their progressive view on copyright laws will ensure your content remains online regardless of DMCA notices. The small size of the country and the high cost of living also means that there is little chance of being indicted in Luxembourg since most DMCA lawyers would rather target larger countries.
Netherlands
Does DMCA apply outside US? The law only applies within the United States, but some hosting providers outside the US can still comply with DMCA takedown notices. This is why we have compiled a list of the countries that are less likely to shut down your website after receiving DCMA notices.
Netherlands is one of the best locations to host your content because the country abides to its own copyright laws and it also has local laws that strictly protect freedom of speech and privacy of its citizens. The liberal country is also known to adapt quickly to things like gay rights and adult content that the rest of the world is hesitant about. Additionally, hosting service providers have more freedom to choose the content to accept and the country is refreshingly lenient to political websites. The web hosting companies are not obligated to offer information about their clients or to decline to provide their service on the basis of actual or perceived infractions.
Netherlands is a safe haven for content creators, but having said that, it is important to exercise due diligence when choosing your host provider because they could differ in their operating policies. For instance, some host providers might find it easier to comply with a DMCA notice than to deal with any legal issues. The bright side is that these claims are mostly standard notices that are not specific to one country and if you pick reliable host providers, they will ignore such DMCA notices.
Romania
Romania, like other member states of the European Union, implements European copyright law and other local laws that are strictly implemented to protect legitimate content. Since the EU country is outside the jurisdiction of US laws, we have included it in our DMCA ignored countries list. Romania will not rush to shut down your website after receiving an email of DMCA notice so you would have plenty of time to resolve the issue while keeping your website online. Apart from that, the country also has the advantage of solid internet infrastructure that is convenient for hosting content.
Russia
Russia makes it to our DMCA ignored countries list because it almost fully disregards American copyright laws and the local enforcement authorities consider such policies irrelevant. Many pirate hosting providers are banned in Russia but they are mostly about Russian intellectual property. Otherwise, the country is quite tolerant towards piracy and DMCA-restricted content is commonplace here.
Although you will hardly find yourself in legal trouble because DMCA is ignored, you should refrain from hosting political content in Russia because they are frowned upon and closely monitored. The Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) actively monitors and censors mass media and it can restrict content hosted in their jurisdiction. The government does not tolerate radical views and it is known to automatically shut down political websites of this nature. So as long as you keep your DMCA violating content clear of such topics – you’re good to go and host any other websites in this country.
Ukraine
Earlier in our recommendation of DMCA ignored countries, we mentioned that copyright laws vary from one region to another and it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the local policies of the country you intend to host in. Among the countries that have the safest servers against takedown notices is Ukraine. The local laws are lax towards online content, including political websites, and the country is under no obligation to comply with e-mail based notices such as DMCA takedown notices. Hosting companies in this country are only obliged to address official paper claims which are then followed by court cases, and you will find that this is still a rare occurrence. The reliable hosting providers and the lenient approach against frivolous copyright claims make Ukraine one of the best countries for hosting any type of content without fear of legal ramifications.
Ukraine’s laws are somewhat similar to Russia ones with the exception of the latter’s strict laws against radical political content.
Asian DMCA Ignored Countries
Asia has several DMCA ignored countries where the host providers are highly likely to ignore DMCA notices. The local regulations are also lenient towards DMCA claims and some of the countries in the region can grant users almost complete anonymity by allowing host providers to accept untraceable payments. While you have more allowance in the type of content you can post, there are restrictions on political material in some regions. We have listed the countries where political content might get you in trouble so you can make an informed choice.
Hong Kong
To host content in China, you need a unique identification number issued by the government. This is not required in Hong Kong which has retained some independence despite being a part of China. There are restrictions on the kind of content you can host in Hong Kong but these are mostly geared towards political content that could escalate the ongoing tensions with China. As long as the host providers steer clear of political content, they are free to choose any content, therefore making Hong Kong one of the top DMCA ignored countries in the world. Most hosts will ignore DMCA notices and you will find widespread distribution of DMCA-restricted material and bootleg copies of copyrighted and illegal content on the market, including online. The content-friendly country is lenient towards host providers although it is advisable to also keep an eye on mainland China and any significant copyright laws they might introduce since they could have an impact, albeit minimal, on Hong Kong.
Malaysia
If your host provider is in Malaysia, you don’t have to worry about DMCA applying outside US because the Asian country is among the ones that safeguard personal data. It achieves this by giving citizens certain rights over how their data is collected, stored and used. The host providers offer nearly full anonymity and accept a wide range of payment options which include untraceable accounts that accept payment in cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin. These attractive incentives, especially in terms of privacy, qualify Malaysia to be in the DMCA ignored countries list. Since your identity will not be compromised by giving your personal details, there is little chance of indictment for ignoring any takedown notices.
The country has its own copyright laws which are the only ones enforced, and the laws are pretty lenient to promote privacy and access to content, including DMCA-restricted content. The legislation that safeguards digital privacy and data protection is the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Few countries can provide this level of protection to anyone seeking the best DMCA ignored countries VPNs.
Singapore
One of the most recommended ways to avoid takedown notices and keep your website online is by using DMCA ignored countries VPN that does not use payment systems or servers located in the United States. Such VPNs are not under the jurisdiction of US laws and they are harder to track and serve DMCA notices. Singapore provides an ideal location for host providers and other offshore services seeking to expand their business in East Asia.
The country has its own copyright laws and infringement of these laws can get you in legal trouble. Otherwise, Singapore has lenient policies towards DMCA-protected content and host providers have more freedom to choose the legitimate content they allow, giving rise to an increase in data centers by hosting companies based in the country.
Final Thoughts
DMCA can apply outside US if the host provider uses payment systems and servers located in United States to distribute copyrighted content. While the law protects against online copyright infringement and prevents illegal distribution of unauthorized materials, there are plenty of cases where DMCA has issued illegitimate notices. Addressing the claims can be a tedious process that would also affect your business if your site has been suspended or shut down. To avoid these inconveniences, you should consider host providers in DMCA ignored countries. These hosting companies have local lenient laws that are the ones in main use or strict policies on user privacy and freedom of speech or they have a dismissive approach to DMCA claims. Better still, we have included locations where you have the option to remain anonymous. With these recommendations, you should be able to choose the best country to access and share any type of your preferred content.