Copyright

In the Jason Hardin presentation I learned a lot about fair use. Fair use is part of TITLE 17; it is a set of statues that allows for a positive defense against charges of infringement if the infringed article is to be used for educational purposes. However, it is not a guaranteed right. There are four factors used to determine whether or not reproduction is fair use: the nature of the work, the purpose of the reproduction, the amount reproduced, and how the reproduction affects rights holder’s ability to profit. Therefore, the fair use defense usually applies to criticisms, analysis, and reviews. The defense does not apply in the case of copying an entire work, but usually is effective if only a chapter or excerpt is replicated. It also does not cover profiting off someone else’s work or making it impossible for the right holder to profit off the good—for example by giving a copy of a “ripped” movie to a friend.