Compliance & regulatory
DMCA
US Digital Millennium Copyright Act — takedown procedure for infringing content.
DMCA (17 USC § 512) is the US copyright-takedown procedure: a copyright owner sends a notice to a hosting provider, the provider removes the content, the alleged infringer can counter-notice. Relevant to affiliate marketing in two ways: (1) when affiliate content scrapes copyrighted material (publisher images, video clips); (2) when affiliate competitors send false DMCA notices to take down a competing review page. Takedown response time at most CDNs is 24–72h.
Example
Affiliate review site receives a DMCA takedown for using a manufacturer's product photo without license — counter-notices with documentation showing the photo was provided in the manufacturer's affiliate-press kit, content restored within 7 days.