Our friends at the Music Library were quick to remind us about the upcoming Digital Futures Forum to be hosted by the library next Thursday. This time around, the topic is the fair use of copyrighted material.
Fair use is often used as a blanket disclaimer for using copyrighted material, with some leeway provided for educational purposes, parody, and other creative uses. But fair use law has changed recently, especially in relation to changes in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the rise of streaming video services. Knowing the difference between arguable fair use and copyright infringement could save you great legal troubles. Copyright prosecution has actually happened at the university level; it’s not a nebulous, unenforceable threat.
If you’re planning on using video or other copyrighted content in projects this semester, be sure to learn the limits and privileges of fair use at the Digital Futures Forum next Thursday. For more information and to RSVP, email LibEvents@american.edu.