Copyright Law and "Fair Use" provisions

Posted By: John Morris (71.191.30.192)
Date: Sunday, 22 January 2012 1226 hrs. EDT

You will sometimes see reference to "Fair Use" or "Fair Use for Educational Purposes" mentioned on the forum, when photos or text are copied from somewhere else and posted here. The linked website explains the concept. Tabs on the left are links to portions of the site explaining the concept of copyright and the history of copyright laws.

As a nonprofit organization which is heavily involved in research and education, The Company, in its normal course of publication would very likely enjoy a presumption of legitimate Fair Use should a question arise, particularly if the material reproduced in one of its sites or publications was taken from an educational and/or nonprofit source.

However, I recommend all authors and forum posters review the linked site and bookmark or print out applicable pages so the information is available if needed. In addition, we all need to pay attention to the ongoing debate regarding laws proposed to end "internet piracy" and re-visit this issue if either proposal is passed into law.

Copyright Website (NOT an official gov't site)