Copyright and Fair Use

When copyright expires it becomes _____

• free

• extinct

• vintage

• public domain

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

• False

• True

Answer explanation

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

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

Answer explanation

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

Jason copies the entire last chapter from 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 probably not call this fair use and Jason could get into legal trouble.

Adam doesn’t need too ask permission before he uses a few  photos and video clips he found on the NASA website last week for a YouTube video about the Total Solar Eclipse. 

• True

• False

Answer explanation

True. Creative works produced by the U.S. government are in the Public Domain. You don’t need permission to use them. 

Sam created a video documentary about his life for a school project. He used 30 seconds of a copyrighted pop song for the introduction to his video. This is legal under:

• public domain
• fair use
• school policy
• copyright law

Which of the following is considered fair use of copyrighted material?

• Using 100% of the lyrics of a copyrighted song in your video
• Commenting about a music video on a social networking site.
• Reworking small parts of an original song to use it for a school project.
• Downloading a song from the Internet and making copies for your family.

Copyrighted material can be used if you:

• include a reference to the author.
• obtain permission or follow Fair Use guidelines.
• are using the material for a school assignment.
• do not see a copyright symbol.

Which of the following protects the original work a person has created and requires others to obtain permission if they want to use it?

• Copyright
• Password
• Fair use
• Plagiarism

Which Works Are Not Protected by Copyright?

• slogans, motion pictures

• musical, pictorial, dramatic works

• sound recordings

• ideas, slogans, names, short phrases