[indeyets]

No one is supposed to. It goes like this: 1. DMCA request (take them down, they use our copyrighted stuff!), 2. opposition (no, we do not agree! Do not take us down), 3. the process with lawyers and judges starts

An expectation is that “wrongdoers” just do not bother to oppose and everything works faster.

Then there are corporate policies which make this weirder (like YouTube who says: “if people send too many dmca request towards you, we chose not to see you as a customer”. But this has nothing to do with law)

[nicce]

Are the any penalties if the DMCA request was invalid? Just pay the legal fees?

[bongobingo1]

There are supposed to be yes.

(f) Misrepresentations.—Any person who knowingly materially misrepresents under this section—

(1) that material or activity is infringing, or

(2) that material or activity was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification,

shall be liable for any damages, including costs and attorneys’ fees, incurred by the alleged infringer, by any copyright owner or copyright owner’s authorized licensee, or by a service provider, who is injured by such misrepresentation, as the result of the service provider relying upon such misrepresentation in removing or disabling access to the material or activity claimed to be infringing, or in replacing the removed material or ceasing to disable access to it.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/512#f (scroll up slightly as the anchor-link places the top under the navbar)

Of course its on the proverbial me to prove that they're at fault and I dont have the money or time ...

I imagine one day they will kick the wrong horse though and someone will sue the company for it & GH/GL/whoever for not giving fair recourse or something.

[0xedd]

Sure, and one day the aliens will stop treating us like zoo animals. This is like EULAs. Only corporations have the time and money to utilize them in their favor. In other words, we are not equal in the eyes of the law.