Group+1++Copyright+and+Fair+use

Copyright and Fair Use =WIKI WIKI=

Fair use is a copyright principle based on the belief that the public is entitled to freely use portions of copyrighted materials for purposes of commentary and criticism. In its most general sense, a fair use is any copying of copyrighted material done for a limited and “transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work. Such uses can be done without permission from the copyright owner. In other words, fair use is a defense against a claim of copyright infringement. If your use qualifies as a fair use, then it would not be considered an illegal infringement. []

Copyright provides the creators of original works of authorship with a set of limited exclusive rights, including the right to copy, distribute, and perform their works. The law balances the private interests of copyright owners with the public interest and is intended, in the words of the Constitution, “to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for a limited Time to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.” Copyright law gives copyright owners the exclusive rights to: []
 * reproduce a work;
 * prepare derivative works based on the original;
 * distribute copies to the public;
 * perform the work publicly; and
 * display the work publicly;

Copyright is granted from the U.S. Copyright Office101 Independence Avenue SEWashington, DC 20559-6000(202) 707-3000 []

The four factors judges consider are: []
 * the purpose and character of your use
 * the nature of the copyrighted work
 * the amount and substantiality of the portion taken, and
 * the effect of the use upon the potential market

The US Constitution grants copyright to US citizens. []

[] Section 107 also sets out four factors to be considered in determining whether or not a particular use is fair: []
 * 1) The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
 * 2) The nature of the copyrighted work
 * 3) The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
 * 4) The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work

**How much of someone else's work can I use without getting permission?**Under the //fair use// doctrine of the U.S. copyright statute, it is permissible to use limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports. There are no legal rules permitting the use of a specific number of words, a certain number of musical notes, or percentage of a work. Whether a particular use qualifies as fair use depends on all the circumstances. See [|FL 102], Fair Use, and [|Circular 21], //Reproductions of Copyrighted Works by Educators and Librarians//. []