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Copyright & Fair Use

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Key Points

Key Points to Know

Copyright Protection:

  • When a work is created, it's automatically protected by copyright
  • This protection lasts for the creator's lifetime plus an additional 70 years

Joint Ownership

  • If multiple people create a work, they may share joint ownership of it

Public Domain

  • When copyright expires, a work becomes part of the public domain, and anyone can use it freely

Copyrightable Elements

  • Copyright covers the tangible expression of ideas, not the ideas themselves

Fair Use

  • You can use copyrighted material under the Fair Use doctrine, following specific guidelines

Presume Copyrighted

  • If something appears copyrighted, it's safest to assume that it is

Adapted from: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/canadian-intellectual-property-office/en/guide-copyright

What is Copyright?

WHAT IS COPYRIGHT?

Copyright refers to the legal protection granted to the creator of content, affording them the authority to regulate its use and determine who can use it. 

Copyright law strives to strike a balance between the rights of content creators and the accessibility of materials under the fair use provision, as outlined in the Copy Right Law of the United States

Under Copyright Law in the United States, all materials employed in educational courses must conform to its regulation. 

Some content creators opt to license their work through Creative Commons (CC). A CC license is administered by a nonprofit organization, offering creators a range of licenses that enable them to specify how they wish to share their work and grant access to others. 

Furthermore, CC licenses encompass attribution requirements, such as citations, and permissions for use. 

Adapted from: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/ised/en/terms-and-conditions/about-copyright

Example:

From: https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/cclicenses/

Copyright Rules to Remember

From: https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/c.php?g=602712&p=4269329


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