fair use Articles

Fair use is a limitation and exception to the exclusive right granted by copyright law to the author of a creative work. In United States copyright law, fair use is a doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without acquiring permission from the rights holders. Examples of fair use include commentary, search engines, criticism, news reporting, research, teaching, library archiving and scholarship. It provides for the legal, unlicensed citation or incorporation of copyrighted ...

How to Copyright Your Video Content Online & Protect Ownership [Creator's Tip #65]

Being that most of us are career marketers or video professionals, copyright protection, ownership, trademarks, fair-use and other legal matters that relate to the internet can be a bit confusing to understand.  How should one go about copyright protecting video content for the web?  How ...

Vimeo Fights SOPA, Supports OPEN Act To Curtail Online Video Piracy

I interviewed Senior Counsel for Vimeo, Michael Cheah, who shares his thoughts about why The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Vimeo is running messages on January 18th (today) highlighting the issue and will invite users to tell Congress to reject SOPA. 

SOPA And PIPA May Cripple The Web Video Ecosystem, Unless We Fight It

I interview entertainment and new media attorney Gordon Firemark for a guide on two controversial bills in Congress and the top online video crisis of 2012 – the Protect IP Act (PIPA) and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), which are threating to censor our ...

Parody Videos In Online Marketing – Fair Use Or Illegal?

In our continued "Is That Legal" video series, I have entertainment law attorney and friend-of-ReelSEO, Gordon Firemark, answer a fan's question about making parody videos of professional wrestling for their own marketing activities. 

The End of Fair Use on YouTube? - The Reel Web #11

I'm traveling out of town this weekend, so we're doing this week's look at the Reel Web a bit differently: we're doing it vlog style! I quickly look at a couple stories that stand out to me and share them with you guys in a ...

Girl Talk's Music Raises Interesting Questions, But Day in the Life Doesn't Explore Them

Girl Talk, aka Gregg Gillis, is a mashup artist.  His 2008 album, "Feed the Animals" pushed him into indie rock stardom, the indie part likely being permanent.  Since Girl Talk creates all of his music from unlicensed samples of popular music, he'll probably never be ...

A Pledge For Online Video Responsibility - A Video Code Of Ethics

The time is now to counter the troubling proliferation of socially irresponsible video online, and that starts with each of us. That's why I've put together what I believe is the first-ever, "Pledge for Online Video Responsibility," which I hope can help both online video ...

7 Important Online Video Legal Questions On Copyright And Fair Use

Intellectual Property Law Attorney Marcelo Halpern gives us a "legal video education" on why most online video professionals and enthusiasts today have big misconceptions about what they are and aren't allowed to use with what they find or put out on the Internet, and the ...

Electronic Frontier Foundation To Online Video Creators: Know Your Rights!

I interviewed Rebecca Jeschke, Media Relations Director for the digital civil liberties group, The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). Rebecca shared with me how they fight for people's rights with both creating videos and expression of freedom speech, and important information for all online video creators ...

Online Video Shows Why DCMA & Copyright Law Are Overdue For Reform

Should the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, which has been the basis for rulings around copyright infringement with online video and all other Internet content, have a 2011 makeover? I interviewed New York intellectual property attorney Robert W. Clarida about some of the problems ...

Is My Video Legal? Parody and Fair Use in Online Video: Q&A

When it comes to video marketing, there are two legal defenses in U.S. for using somebody else's copyrighted work in your video without first receiving expressed permission, those being parody and fair use. In my continued "Is My Video Legal?" video series, I feature a ...

Welcome to Show Business: Are You Sure Your Webcast Plays By the Rules?

Producing webcasts or online video series for marketing purposes can be a dream come true for creative types who love working with like-minded people. If you want to use professional talent or popular music within these webcasts, however, it can quickly turn into a nightmare ...

YouTube Is Finally Getting Better At Explaining Fair Use

Fair use is so complex and nuanced, that even most professional video creators would be hard pressed to explain it succinctly and clearly. Copyright law is just... complicated, like most laws. To their credit, YouTube has tried to offer resources on multiple occasions to help ...

Can I Make Up Stories About Celebrities in My Web Marketing Videos?

What if your idea for a marketing video involved creating a fictional character, telling fictitious stories, about real people? Could you be opening yourself up to a lawsuit, even if the purpose is to be entertaining and humorous? We had one of our own followers ...

Legal Guide to Online Video : What Web Video Publishers Need to Know

I interviewed David Michail, an attorney specializing in media, entertainment, and technology law. David talks with me about some of the important legal issues today for video marketers publishing on YouTube and online video in user-generated content, copyright, defamation, trademark, and otherwise objectionable material.