What's Fair Use?

MediaShift Idea Lab has posted an overview of what constitutes "Fair Use." The fuller version of what they're overviewing can be found at the Citizen Media Law Project blog.

To boil it down further, here's what appears to be the nut graphs:

While there is no definitive test for determining whether your use of another's copyrighted work is a fair use, there are several things you can do to minimize your risk of copyright liability:

1. Use only as much of the copyrighted work as is necessary to accomplish your purpose or convey your message;

2. Use the work in such a way that it is clear that your purpose is commentary, news reporting, or criticism;

3. Add something new or beneficial (don't just copy it -- improve it!);

4. If your source is nonfiction, limit your copying to the facts and data; and

5. Seek out Creative Commons or other freely licensed works when such substitutions can be made and respect the attribution requests in those works.

It's good to keep these things in mind.

• MediaShift Idea Lab
• Citizen Media Law Project