Copyright

It's only right at this point to mention how we can responsibly use images, video, and sounds. These issues are governed by copyright, which is the legal right to use media. Copyright is a huge area of the law, so we will just touch on some of the main points.

Common Copyright Questions

How do you get one?

Copyrights happen automatically!

How long does it last?

For works created now, copyright lasts:

70 years after the author dies
If there's no author, either 120 years after creation or 95 years from publication

What is copyrightable?

Works that are original, creative, and fixed in general are copyrightable. This includes things like literary works, music, video, lyrics, software, and architecture.

What is NOT copyrightable?

unfixed, unrecorded works
Ideas or processes
Facts
Familiar symbols
titles, names, short phrases
Clothing & fashion
Governmental works, works already in the public domain

What is the Public Domain?

Public domain means works allowed to be used by anybody. This could be because they are not copyrightable, their copyright term has expired, or the creator explicitly decided not to copyright them.

How can you use copyrighted material?

Licencing - get the permission of the creator, often involves paying for the work
Fair Use - a limited set of circumstances allowing limited use of a work, discussed further below
Creative commons - a newer type of copyright which allows certain kinds of use without explicit permission

Fair Use

Fair Use is a set of conditions under which use of copyrighted works may still be allowed. This includes using work for things like reporting or education.

Fair use is generally allowed for