Fair Use and Copyright Law

Copyright Basics is a very important topic faced today in the technological way. When dealing with people and their works we need to be careful and smart. So... What is it? 

Copyright is every expression which is original can be immediately copyrighted if used and not your own.  Authors have the right to make copies of own work and publish them to other sources. A number categories of copyrighted items were discusses they are: Literary works, Musical Works, Dramatic Works, Pantomimes and Choreographic works. Each of these play important roles in specifics of how works can be copyrighted. 

When not wanting to copyright another persons work we need to make sure we know when something becomes no longer copyrightable by another person.  It starts from when work is created and goes 70 years after that individuals death. A common Rule of Thumb when dealing with copyrighted material is to say when in doubt, assume a work is copyrighted and ask for permission to use it. There is a fair use law that we can look into in circumstances.  However we need to be very careful to look up what we are using to make sure we are not stealing another individuals work.  The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes.  Sound can even be copyrighted.  Make sure not to copy a performable unit of music.  Finances need to be going to the right source and not stolen from the individual.  Teacher need to make use of the public domain and of materials provided by the government and educational institutions.  Collaborate with other teachers to create and spread more material for the public domain. Ask permission from the individual to make sure and be certain.  We see that this is vital as our jobs can be on the line if we are not following the law.

As a Christian these rules do impact me as a Christian.  I never want to take what is rightfully somebody else's.  As a christian wanting to set an example I do not want to allow myself to be slack in this area of being a teacher.  I long to do my best in all things that I do and that means not only keeping the speed limit but also such laws as not copywriting other people's materials or pieces of property of which things stemmed from.