what is fair use

Fair use is a legal doctrine in United States law that allows for the limited use of copyrighted material without obtaining permission from the copyright holder. It is a defense against claims of copyright infringement and is designed to promote freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances. Fair use is determined on a case-by-case basis and is subject to a four-factor test, which includes considering 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 upon the potential market for the copyrighted work. Examples of fair use in United States copyright law include commentary, search engines, criticism, parody, news reporting, research, and scholarship. Fair use is not a one-size-fits-all concept and is open to interpretation, with no hard-and-fast rules, only general guidelines and varied court decisions. It is important to seek legal advice when considering fair use to ensure compliance with copyright law.