Fair use is a legal doctrine that allows the use of copyrighted materials for certain purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. The four factors that determine fair use are: the purpose and character of the use; the nature of the copyrighted work; the amount and substantiality of the portion used; and the effect of the use on the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. Fair use is not a right, but a defense to copyright infringement. It is important to consider fair use when using copyrighted materials for educational, research or criticism purposes.
