8 - copyright and fair use
You are part of the Internet generation. It's an amazing world that you live in. Information you want about practically anything can be found 24/7, videos you watch can be seen by millions of others in just a few minutes, and you have access to tools that allow you to be creative and connect with others hundreds, sometimes thousands of times a day.
In short, there's an endless amount of "stuff" that you have at your fingertips. But who owns that stuff? When it is ok to download/modify/mash-up someone else's creative work?
In short, there's an endless amount of "stuff" that you have at your fingertips. But who owns that stuff? When it is ok to download/modify/mash-up someone else's creative work?
Copyright vs. Creative Commons
Here's the deal
Basically, everything that anyone creates is automatically copyrighted. Yes, even you! When something is copyrighted, you MUST ask permission from its author before using it or modifying it. It takes time - yes. It's often inconvenient - yes. But it is the right thing to do and it is the law - Period. *
When something is in Creative Commons, the author has already given you permission to use their work. Usually, the only tradeoff is that you must give credit to them.
Example: Fox vs. Hernandez
Example: freedigitalphotos.net
Example: creativecommons.org
FAIR USE: Are there exceptions to the copyright rules?
Yes. Under Canadian law, you can use copyrighted creative works for education (for ex: school work or assignments) without asking permission, as long as you give credit to the author. Aside from education, this also applies to other specific cases like parody or satire, research and news reporting.
Example: Starbucks vs. "Dumb Starbucks"
So how do I know the difference?
Basically, everything that anyone creates is automatically copyrighted. Yes, even you! When something is copyrighted, you MUST ask permission from its author before using it or modifying it. It takes time - yes. It's often inconvenient - yes. But it is the right thing to do and it is the law - Period. *
When something is in Creative Commons, the author has already given you permission to use their work. Usually, the only tradeoff is that you must give credit to them.
Example: Fox vs. Hernandez
Example: freedigitalphotos.net
Example: creativecommons.org
FAIR USE: Are there exceptions to the copyright rules?
Yes. Under Canadian law, you can use copyrighted creative works for education (for ex: school work or assignments) without asking permission, as long as you give credit to the author. Aside from education, this also applies to other specific cases like parody or satire, research and news reporting.
Example: Starbucks vs. "Dumb Starbucks"
So how do I know the difference?
- Most images, videos and music on the web
- Google Images, Youtube - "Free" photo or music sites (often you need to pay or give out information) |
- CreativeCommons.org
(Flickr, Jamendo, SoundCloud, Pixabay) - Wikimedia commons - FREESOUND.ORG (music) |
How do I give credit?
- The title of the creative work (*if given)
- What type of work it is (ex: picture, video, sound, song, artwork)
- The author's name (actual name or username, ex: John Smith)
- The name of the website that you got it from (ex: fotopedia, wikimedia commons, jamendo)
- The date that you accessed the website (ex: 8 April, 2014)
- A direct link to the website address of the work (Ex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQkPw)
TITLE. TYPE by AUTHOR. Taken from NAME OF WEBSITE, DATE. WEBSITE ADDRESS
Examples:
- What type of work it is (ex: picture, video, sound, song, artwork)
- The author's name (actual name or username, ex: John Smith)
- The name of the website that you got it from (ex: fotopedia, wikimedia commons, jamendo)
- The date that you accessed the website (ex: 8 April, 2014)
- A direct link to the website address of the work (Ex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQkPw)
TITLE. TYPE by AUTHOR. Taken from NAME OF WEBSITE, DATE. WEBSITE ADDRESS
Examples:
American Cream Draft Horse. Photo by boliyou. Taken from Wikimedia Commons, 8 April, 2014. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Draft_horse.jpg
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Ultimate Dog Tease. Video by Talking Animals. Taken from YouTube, 6 April, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQkPw
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