What are some examples of uses that could be considered fair use?

Asked by: Nona Langworth  |  Last update: June 12, 2026
Score: 4.8/5 (44 votes)

Fair use allows using copyrighted material without permission for purposes like criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research, especially if it's transformative or non-profit, like using a short clip in a movie review, excerpts for a school lesson, or creating a parody. Key examples include using song lyrics to critique a song, sharing news photos in a commentary, or citing a book in a research paper, but it's judged case-by-case using four factors: purpose, nature of the work, amount used, and market effect.

What are examples of fair use?

Fair use permits a party to use a copyrighted work without the copyright owner's permission for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. These purposes only illustrate what might be considered as fair use and are not examples of what will always be considered as fair use.

What is considered fair usage?

Fair Use is a legally permissible use of copyrighted material for specific purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, research, teaching or scholarship.

Which of the following would be examples of fair use?

Section 107 of the Copyright Act gives examples of purposes that are favored by fair use: “criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, [and] research.” Use for one of these purposes is not automatically fair, and uses for other purposes can be fair.

What is an example of a fair use statement?

Sample Fair Use Statement

For example: This document contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I have determined this to be "fair use" of the copyrighted material as referenced and provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

BEST-Kept SECRETS to FAIR USE on YouTube | Media Lawyer Explains

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What are the 4 conditions of fair use?

The four factors for determining fair use in copyright law are: (1) the purpose and character of the use (e.g., transformative, educational, commercial); (2) the nature of the copyrighted work (e.g., factual vs. creative); (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used relative to the whole; and (4) the effect of the use on the potential market for the original work. These factors are weighed on a case-by-case basis, with no single factor being decisive, to see if using copyrighted material without permission is justified. 

Can I use 2 seconds of a copyrighted song?

No, there's no magic number of seconds (like two) that lets you use a copyrighted song without permission; it's still infringement, though shorter clips are less likely to be detected by automated systems like YouTube's Content ID system, but the copyright holder can still claim it. Legal protection depends on "fair use," a complex defense argued in court, not a simple rule, and using even a few notes or seconds can lead to copyright strikes if the owner files a claim, especially for commercial use. 

What is not allowed under fair use?

Reproduction of copyrighted materials, trademarks, or other protected materials without express written permission from the material's owner. Usage of materials that enjoy protected status under current intellectual property laws in their own publications.

How do I prove fair use in court?

Fair Use Defense to Copyright Infringement Lawsuits

  1. The purpose and character of the use;
  2. The nature of the work being used;
  3. The amount and substantiality of the part that is used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and.
  4. The effect of the use on the potential market for the original work of authorship.

Can I monetize content under fair use?

The claim will keep you from monetizing the video, even if you only use a few seconds, such as short uses of popular songs. Automated systems like Content ID can't decide fair use because it's a subjective, case-by-case decision that only courts can make.

What is not fair use?

Thus, using a more creative or imaginative work (such as a novel, movie, or song) is less likely to support a claim of a fair use than using a factual work (such as a technical article or news item). In addition, use of an unpublished work is less likely to be considered fair.

What happens if I exceed my fair usage?

Once a user exceeds that threshold—say 300GB or 500GB in a month—the provider may throttle the connection. That means reducing your internet speed or deprioritizing your traffic, especially during network congestion. FUP isn't about cutting service. It's a bandwidth-sharing tactic.

What amount of text is considered fair use?

The law does not offer any percentage or word count here that we can go by. That's because if the portion quoted is considered the most valuable part of the work, you may be violating fair use.

How do you determine fair use?

Fair Use and The Four Factors

  1. the purpose and character of the use. ...
  2. the nature of the copyrighted work.
  3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole. ...
  4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

What is fair usage?

Fair use is a legal doctrine allowing limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes like criticism, news reporting, teaching, and research, balancing creator rights with public benefit by evaluating four factors: purpose/character of use, nature of the work, amount used, and market effect. It's a defense against infringement, not an absolute right, determined case-by-case by courts. 

How do you write a copyright disclaimer for fair use?

You can write a fair use disclaimer on your own — just follow these three steps:

  1. Clearly state that your site may contain copyrighted content not authorized for use by the owner.
  2. Explain that your use of copyrighted content falls under fair use guidelines.
  3. Cite or link to Section 107 of the Copyright Act.

What are the 4 pillars of fair use?

The four factors for determining fair use in copyright law are: (1) the purpose and character of the use (e.g., transformative, educational, commercial); (2) the nature of the copyrighted work (e.g., factual vs. creative); (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used relative to the whole; and (4) the effect of the use on the potential market for the original work. These factors are weighed on a case-by-case basis, with no single factor being decisive, to see if using copyrighted material without permission is justified. 

What is not a valid reason for fair use?

The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit, educational purposes. If a particular usage is intended to help you or your organization to derive financial or other business-related benefits from the copyright material, then that is probably not fair use.

Is 10 seconds fair use?

A: It depends. Educational or scholarly use weighs in favor of fair use. The brevity of the clip is another factor in favor of fair use, but if those 10 seconds are the heart of the video, it could weigh against Fair Use.

Can you use a song after 20 years?

Yes, you can use a song after 20 years, but it depends on whether its copyright has expired; most modern songs remain protected for life of the author plus 70 years, but older songs (pre-1978) might be entering the public domain, allowing free use, though you still need a license for specific recordings or new performances. After 20 years, you'll likely still need permission (a license) to use popular songs, but some older, obscure works might become free to use (public domain). 

What are the five general terms of the fair use rule?

Under the law, it is fair use to reproduce copyrighted materials for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research.

When can you claim fair use?

Fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as criticism, parody, news reporting, research and scholarship, and teaching. However, just because a use is educational does not mean that it automatically qualifies as fair use.

What is the 3 minute rule in music?

The "3-minute rule" in music refers to the traditional length of popular hit songs, rooted in the physical limitations of early 78 rpm records (fitting about 3 minutes per side) and reinforced by radio's need for ad space and commercial viability, making shorter songs easier to market and play, though this convention has evolved with digital streaming and varied tastes. It became a standard for radio-friendly singles, balancing musicality with commercial demands, a habit that persists even with modern technology.
 

How many seconds of clips can I use to avoid a copyright claim?

Some creators assume they can use a few seconds of copyrighted videos or songs without an issue, but this isn't true. YouTube's Content ID system is designed to detect even short clips of copyrighted material, and using 5 seconds of copyrighted content can still result in a copyright claim or even a copyright strike.

What is the 8 minute rule on YouTube?

The "YouTube 8-Minute Rule" primarily refers to the fact that videos longer than 8 minutes can have mid-roll ads (ads in the middle of the video) inserted by the creator or YouTube, unlike shorter videos limited to pre-roll/post-roll ads, which boosts creator revenue. There's also a separate "8-Minute Friendship Rule," a concept where just 8 minutes of focused connection helps someone feel supported during stress, used as a code word for needing help.