Fair use of copyright

     While learning about copyright in my educational media class we discussed the term "fair use." I thought I had the copyright rules down to a simple "Do not copy anything without permission." Although this concept of fair use may require learning a few more rules, I think it is very beneficial. 

     We learned about the four tests to use when determining fair use and that all four tests must be used when determining if something was indeed "fair use." The first test is to determine the purpose and character of use. For example, if a teacher is using something to show to her class for educational purposes, this is okay. Burning illegal songs onto compact discs and selling them would not be okay. The second test is to determine the nature of the copyrighted work. Is the work being copied factual or creative? The third test is to determine the amount of the copyrighted material being used. It is usually left up to the owner of the copyright to determine how much of the work is substantial. The fourth and most significant factor is the effect upon the potential market value of the copyrighted work. It is important to remember that the court will consider all POTENTIAL use not just the ACTUAL use. When copying something it is also important to consider the damage done if not only you, but every other teacher in the world copies the work.