We reproduce here section 107 of the USA copyright law. To read the complete text of
this law, please consult the Legal
Information Institute website.
United States Code
Title 17 - Copyrights
Chapter 1 - Subject matter and scope of copyright
Section 107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use
Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted
work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means
specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting,
teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not
an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any
particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include:
- the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial
nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
- the nature of the copyrighted work;
- the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as
a whole; and
- the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such
finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.
Content
of the law