Digital Fluencies Series: What's Fair (and What's Not) in Digital Fair Use?-Terry Simpkins & Hannah Ross

The “fair use” section of the U.S. Code (17 U.S. Code §107) contains barely 170 words, and yet these few words have enormous consequences for many crucial spheres of activity in our society. Fair use allows journalists to quote sources in their reporting, reviewers and commenters to reproduce portions of works under discussion, and provides researchers with the freedom to build upon ideas and discoveries that have preceded them. In other words, it is a key component in the promotion of the “sciences and useful arts” as laid out in Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. This session will review what fair use is and provide some guidance on how to apply it in good faith, with a focus on the concept of “transformative” use and its particular application in determining whether or not use of copyright material is “fair.” Terry and Hannah will offer a brief presentation followed by an opportunity to field questions from attendees focused on specific developing digital liberal arts projects at Middlebury.

Please sign up. Lunch will be served.