PAIME Copyright Quiz

True or false: Copyright status is only granted to well-known composers and artists.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

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

True or False: Sam personally buys a new jazz CD but decides he doesn't like the band, so he resells the CD on eBay. That's legal.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

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

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

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Copyright was established to encourage the growth of science, education, and the arts.

True or False: A parent uses a peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing program to upload concert photos for you to download and include in promotional materials. That's copyright infringement.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

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

Also, the parent took the pictures, so they are the copyright holder, and has given you permission to download.

True or False: To explain the theme of your marching band show, you copy the entire first chapter from a science fiction novel to the band's website without any additional commentary. Since you only used part of the work, you would be protected by fair use.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Given the amount and significance of the portion you have taken, potential of connecting this webpage with monetary gain for the band, and the likely harm to the market for the science fiction book, a court would be unlikely to view his use as a fair use.

True or False: You download a few photos of musicians from Flickr.com's Creative Commons (CC) pool. You follow the rules of the photographer's specific CC license and use them in a digital video about the benefits of participation in the arts in your school. That's OK.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

You can legally use the photos as long as you follow the rules of the license.

You find a peer-to-peer (P2P) network that offers free music downloads. You find a particular choral recording on the network that you want to share with your students, so you download the MP3. You're not committing copyright infringement.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Unless you have permission from the copyright holders (band/publisher/songwriter etc.) it would be copyright infringement.

You read an interesting article about the making of the film Whiplash and want to use a short quote in a general music class handout on film composing. That's copyright infringement.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Since you're using a short quotation for the educational purposes, it would be fair use.

True or False: The Public Domain is a polar research station in Antarctica.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Public Domain refers to works that are not subject to copyright restrictions, so they are free to use. Public domain material can include works that are not copyrightable, are designated for free and unlimited public access by the creator, or are no longer protected by copyright law because the copyright status has expired or been forfeited by the owner.

True or False: To advocate for your program at a local school board meeting, you make 50 copies of the relevant section of the "Every Student Succeeds Act" that includes music and arts as a core academic subject. That's copyright infringement.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Works produced by the U.S. government, or any U.S. government agency, are in the public domain. The texts of legal cases and statutes produced by the federal government are also in the public domain.