10: Introduction to Copyright

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Copyright and Fair Use Laws.

Copyright laws are among one of the more complex and contentious issues of discussion within arts, music, entertainment, and academic freedom. For instance, although a movie like Groundhog Day may be copyrighted, you will see pictures from the film used in textbooks and academic journals when discussing certain aspects of the film. Likewise, you may come across a video clip from the Beatles' 1964 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, and no one gets penalized! This is because although these may be copyrighted, they also fall under the Fair Use doctrine, which allows for dissemination of copyrighted materials under certain circumstances, most of which are educational purposes.

Visit these two webpages from the US Government's Copyright Office to familiarize yourself with both Copyright and Fair Use. In your class discussion, you'll have different scenarios to talk about regarding practical and ethical applications of these laws.

"What is Copyright"

"What is Fair Use?"