Copyright Quiz

Copyright status is only granted to well-known authors and filmmakers.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

False. Copyright is granted to anyone who records an original creative work in a fixed, tangible form.

The Motion Picture Association of America has anti-piracy sniffing dogs.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

True. According to the MPAA, they’ve trained two black Labradors named “Lucky” and “Flo” to sniff out DVD piracy.

Sam buys a new band’s CD but decides he doesn’t like the singer, so he resells the CD on eBay. That’s legal.

• True

• False

The sole purpose of copyright is to make authors money and protect them from getting their works stolen.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

True. Reselling a CD that you bought is legal according to the First Sale Doctrine.

Amy tells Daniel about her summer vacation, and he says he’d love to see her pictures. Amy uses a peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing program to upload the photographs she took at camp so he can download them. That’s copyright infringement.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

False. Sharing your own original work using peer-to-peer file-sharing technology is legal.

Amy tells Daniel that the files are available. Daniel uses the same peer-to-peer file-sharing program to download Amy’s camp pictures. That’s copyright infringement.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

False. Amy took the pictures, so she’s the copyright holder, and she’s given Daniel permission to download.

Jason copies the entire last chapter form the final Harry Potter book to his commercial blog without any additional commentary. Since he only used part of the work, Jason would be protected by fair use.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

False. Given the amount and significance of the portion Jason has taken, the commercial benefit he would receive, and the likely harm to the market for the Harry Potter book, a court would be unlikely to view his use as fair use.

1. Kathy downloaded a few photos of local organic farms from Flickr.com’s Creative Commons (CC) pool. She follows the rules of the photographer’s specific CC license and uses them in her digital video about sustainable agriculture. That’s OK.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

True. Kathy can legally use the photos as long as she follows the rules of the license.

Dwight finds a peer-to-peer (P2P) network that offers free music downloads. He owns all but one of his favorite band’s CDs, and he finds that particular CD on the network. He’s too cheap to buy it, so he downloads the songs. He’s not committing copyright infringement.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

False. Unless Dwight has permission from the copyright holders (band/publisher/songwriter etc.) it would be copyright infringement.

1. Paula read an interesting article about the making of the film Titanic and wants to use a short quote in her cinema review paper for her journalism class. That’s copyright infringement.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

False. Since she’s using a short quotation for the purpose of scholastic commentary, it would be fair use.