[…] Whatsapp’s […] sent a large number of spurious takedowns against projects on Github. In a DMCA notice served by Whatsapp’s General Counsel to Github, a number of projects are targeted for removal on the basis that they are « content that infringes on WhatsApp Inc.’s copyrights and trademarks. »
This is grossly improper. DMCA takedown notices never apply to alleged trademark violations (it’s called the « Digital Millennium Copyright Act » and not the « Digital Millennium Trademark Act »). Using DMCA notices to pursue trademark infringements isn’t protecting your interests — it’s using barratry-like tactics to scare and bully third parties into participating in illegitimate censorship.
Whatsapp abused the DMCA to censor related projects from Github