Copyright Law And Fair Use

What does "Copyright" mean?

Copyright is the exclusive right granted by Congress to the author or originator over his/her work for a certain period of time, generally, lifetime plus 70 years.

 

What is "Fair Use"?

Fair use is the judicial doctrine in the U.S. Copyright Law (Section 107) which allows limited copying or use of copyrighted works in teaching, scholarship, and research situations without the permission of the copyright holder.

 

How do I know if I'm not violating copyright and within the limitations of fair use?

Use these guidelines:

• the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or for nonprofit educational purposes;
• the nature of the copyrighted work;
• the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the whole; and
• the effect of the use or value of the copyrighted work.

 

For more frequently-asked-questions regarding copyright, fair use, and other issues surrounding intellectual property, Click Here.

 

 

 

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