Wordpress Certified Editor Practice Exam

What does fair use allow individuals to do?

1. Use copyrighted material without any restriction

2. Use copyrighted material for educational or journalistic purposes

3. Copy any material freely

4. Sell copyrighted material without permission

The correct answer is: Use copyrighted material for educational or journalistic purposes

Fair use is a legal doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without requiring permission from the rights holders. This concept is particularly relevant for activities such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. When individuals use copyrighted material for educational or journalistic purposes, they often fall under the protections offered by fair use, as these activities enrich discourse and public knowledge while respecting the rights of the original creators. Educational use might involve the inclusion of short excerpts from a book in a teaching presentation, whereas journalistic purposes could encompass the use of a specific image or quote in a news article to provide context or support a claim. However, fair use is not a blanket permission, and its application depends on factors such as the purpose of use, the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount of the work used, and the effect of the use on the market for the original work. Thus, this nuanced guideline provides a framework that fosters creativity and education without infringing on copyright protections.