for everyone

The Fair Use Doctrine says:

“The reproduction of a particular work may be considered “fair,” such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. 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. amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and

4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

The distinction between “fair use” and infringement may be unclear and not easily defined. There is no specific number of words, lines, or notes that may safely be taken without permission.

Why is this so vague and complicated, and why do copyright holders ignore ‘fair use’ unless it’s claimed as a defense? My goal is to explore these topics and reach a better definition and generally accepted understanding of what ‘fair use’ is for electronic content.

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About The Authors

CD – I founded this site and can be reached at CD [at] fair electronic use [dot] org.