Assignment 3-Copyright
Introduction
Does copyright really matter? If you use someone's stuff without asking for permission, does it really hurt them? Besides, anything you can find on the Internet is fair game, right?
If this is what you think, think again. Look at the following links to find out that copyright is a big deal and it's important to be "fair" about "fair use."
Process
Part 1: The learning
Please view the video, A Fair(y) Use Tale. After finishing the video, work through the following steps to learn about copyright and fair use.
1. Use these articles from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) about copyright and fair use to get a basic understanding of these two ideas.
2. Still a little fuzzy about the meaning of copyright and fair use? Brad Templeton's article about Copyright Myths is also good.
3. The Four Factors of Fair Use (scroll down to find this section) is a "test" for you to apply toward the copyrighted material you want to use to make sure you are using it fairly. This site from Stanford gives a very good explanation of the four factors of fair use, as does this one from the University of Texas.
4. Read over this Copyright Quiz from the EFF. Make sure to read the whole article as it addresses ways you are likely to use copyrighted materials (especially number nine).
5. Watch this video from American University Center for Social Media and learn about what is fair use when it comes to making a video. FAQ from EFF
Part 2: The doing
Now that you have learned about copyright and fair use, it is time to put your knowledge to the test. You can use this checklist to see if information you want to use can be qualified as fair use. If you need to ask permission to use a copyrighted item, you can use this letter for the request (use email if possible).
1. Using all that you have learned, get into groups of two and answer the following questions in a form and submit it. Use the above checklist for help. Be prepared to defend your answers when you share your decisions with your classmates.
Evaluation
Create a prezi (prezi.com) with your partner that describes the 4 rules for testing for fair use. Also include other information as it pertains to copyrights. Make sure you do not violate copyright laws by using images that are copyrighted without getting permission from the source. You may get images from public domain sources.
After you have completed the prezi, email me your link and complete the evaluation form below:
Conclusion
By now, you should have a much clearer understanding and appreciation for copyright and fair use. You should also be better equipped to make good decisions about how you use information fairly.
If you think copyright and fair use still does not apply to you, perhaps looking at the following link will change your mind. The Copyright Website shows movie, music, and web scenarios that have been brought to trial. See if you can decide the verdict before you read the final result. The info tab gives more information about copyright and fair use.