Plagiarism, Fair Use and Copyright Laws Demonstrate ethical and legal actions with regards to plagiarism, fair use, and copyright laws.

What is copyright? Copyright is a protection given to creators of intellectual works, such as books, music, and art. Copyright gives the creators of the works the right to make decisions about how their work can be used, including whether copies can be made and distributed, public performances of their work staged, and “derivative works” (works adapting or altering the original work) produced.

It is often illegal for anyone to use another person’s work in any of these ways. Copyright shows respect for the creators of these works. Ignoring copyright restrictions is copyright infringement. Two exceptions to copyright are fair use and works in the public domain.

What is fair use? Not all use of another person’s work is considered to be copyright infringement. There are some exceptions to copyright restrictions. Fair use doctrine allows people to use copyrighted works under certain conditions. For example, using works for teaching, research, or criticism would typically fall under fair use and therefore be allowed under copyright laws. When determining if it is fair to use something, one must consider: the nature of the use (if it is for nonprofit purposes, it is more likely to be fair use than if it is to make money),

the nature of the work itself (factual information is more likely to fall under fair use than creative works), the amount and the significance of the work to be used (using a small portion as opposed to a large portion of the work is more likely fair use), the effect of using the work on the market (if the copyright owners will lose money by another person using their work, that would not be fair use). If the use is fair, people may then use another person’s creative work—but they should remember to cite the work properly.

What is the public domain? Copyrights do not last forever. When copyrights expire, the works are considered part of the public domain. Right now, most works published prior to 1923 are in the public domain while more recent works are covered by copyright. Currently, copyright laws are in effect for 70 years after the death of the creator of the work. So, if an author died in 2080, her books would not enter the public domain until 2150.

Public domain – Material that is not copyrighted, whose copyright has expired, or is uncopyrightable. The last includes government publications, jokes, titles, and ideas

Important Terms Copyright - The legal right granted to an author, composer, playwright, publisher, or distributor to exclusive publication, production, sale, or distribution of a literary, musical, dramatic, or artistic work. Plagiarism, which is the uncredited use (both intentional and unintentional) of somebody else's words or ideas. In other words, the act of using someone else's work as your own is considered plagiarism .

Operator - Any person who operates a website or online service located on the Internet and who collects or maintains personal information from or about the users/visitors of that website. Disclosure - The release of personal information collected from an individual and making that information publicly available in identifiable form. Author/Artist -Creator of a work.

Copyright Notice - A one or two line statement that should be included in every article that includes the copyright symbol, date and owner. Copyright Infringement - The unauthorized use of copyrighted material in a manner that violates one of the copyright owner's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works that build upon it.

Public Domain – material that is not restricted by copyright and do not require a license or fee to use. Works can enter the public domain automatically because they are not copyrightable, be designated in the public domain by the creator, or become part of the public domain because the copyright term has expired. Internet - Collectively, the myriad of computer and telecommunications facilities, including equipment and operating software, which comprise the interconnected world-wide network of networks.

Personal Information - Information that is collected online that makes a person individually identifiable. Fair Use - A concept in copyright law that allows limited use of copyright material without requiring permission from the rights holders. Open License – In terms of copyright, using the works of others, but crediting the original source.

Topic 2: Copyright Basics and Plagiarism As a multimedia user, you need to know about images and documents created by other individuals.  Can you use them at will?  What, if any, are your limitations? What are your obligations to the creator?

Topic 3: More about Copyright and Plagiarism When using information from the internet, it is important to be careful especially when using information that someone else has created. Individuals who create original works are protected by law. Plagiarism, which is the uncredited use (both intentional and unintentional) of somebody else's words or ideas.

Avoiding Plagiarism. While some rhetorical traditions may not insist so heavily on documenting sources of words, ideas, images, sounds, etc., American academic rhetorical tradition does. A charge of plagiarism can have severe consequences, including expulsion from a university or loss of a job, not to mention a writer's loss of credibility and professional standing. This resource, which does not reflect any official university policy, is designed to help you develop strategies for knowing how to avoid accidental plagiarism. Resource: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/

Topic 4: Citing Sources You will need to properly cite sources to avoid breaking copyright laws if the information obtained for research belongs to someone else. Visit the Provo City Library to learn more about citing sources and copyright.

Consequences  Copyright violations are equivalent to theft, both illegal and immoral. Proving there is no infringement can take time and effort. Why risk the penalties? If your work is for educational purposes, then use of copyrighted material falls under the "Fair Use" provision, which allows reasonable use of copyrighted work, without permission, for research, criticism, or education. A notice at the beginning or end of your production giving credit to copyright owners for their work is usually sufficient. 

Be aware, however, that not citing sources, or attempting to pass off copyrighted material as your own work, is not considered "fair use." It is plagiarism and can result in harsh penalties. Works with expired copyrights are considered to be in the "public domain" and can be used without fear of liability of infringement. 

References http://www.provolibrary.com/copyright-citing https://www.videomaker.com/article/c2/14261-whats-legal-youtube- fair-use-vs-copyright-laws https://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/copyright/copyright_myths