Copyright issues with presenting paper

2015-01-13

azim58 - Copyright issues with presenting paper

To find out about the copyright issues associated with making a youtube
video explaining a paper, I asked a lawyer on justanswer. It sounds like
this could be okay and could be considered "Fair Use". The original
conversation is below.

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I want to make a youtube video in which I explain and show a paper (like
an academic scientific research paper) written by someone else. I would
clearly show who actually wrote the paper, and not try to claim that I
wrote the paper at all. However, I would show text and figures from the
paper. Would there be any laws or problems with me showing and providing
my own comments on a paper like this?

Optional Information:
State/Country relating to question: Arizona

Already Tried:
nothing

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Hello JACUSTOMER,

I would careful about copying actual text and figures. This could
potentially raise copyright infringement claims. It would be better if
you could express the ideas and information in the paper in your own
words. There would be no problem with this as copyright law really only
prohibits actual copying, and does not prevent the dissemination of
ideas, facts etc. contained in a copyrighted work. Copyright really only
protects the particular manner in which ideas are expressed.

However, limited copying of material is permissible under the "Fair Use"
doctrine. This doctrine is set forth in 17 U.S. Code § 107. I invite you
to take a look at this section, but basically you are allowed to copy
limited amounts from a copyrighted work for the purposes of criticism,
comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research.
Unfortunately there is no set amount you can copy under the "Fair Use"
doctrine as the four factors mentioned in § 107 must be taken into
consideration.

So if you are going to be copying portions of the paper see if you can
fall within the "Fair Use" doctrine; you would probably fall within the
purposes of scholarship or research.

Thomas

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I would like to show and explain the pictures and graphs as well. Do you
think this could fall under the "Fair Use" doctrine?

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Yes, it could if you are doing it for one of the purposes listed under §
107: criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or
research.

Thomas

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