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Why the Fair Use Network?

How much can you borrow, quote or copy from someone else's work? What happens if you get a "cease and desist" letter from a copyright owner? These and many other questions make "intellectual property," or "IP," law, a mass of confusion for artists, scholars, journalists, bloggers, and everyone else who contributes to culture and political debate.

The Fair Use Network was created because of the many questions that artists, writers, and others have about "IP" issues. Whether you are trying to understand your own copyright or trademark rights, or are a "user" of materials created by others, the information here will help you understand the system — and especially its free-expression safeguards.

If you have received a "cease and desist" letter from a copyright or trademark owner, or a notice from your Internet service provider about a "takedown" letter, you'll also find useful information on this site.

 

The Fair Use Reference Guide

Introduction

• Free Expression, Fair Use & Other Rights: An orientation to the free expression principles in copyright and trademark law. When can a creator or critic borrow or copy from another work, and how much can they take? When is it permissible to use someone else's trademark?

Basic Legal Guides

• Copyright 101
• Fair Use of Copyrighted Works
• Trademark and Related Claims
• "Fair Use" & Free Expression Defenses in Trademark Law


• A Directory of Legal Guides for Creators of All Kinds

Evaluating & Responding to Legal Correspondence

• Cease-and-Desist 101: General guide to evaluating & assessing a letter or notice
• Responding to a DMCA 512 Takedown Notice
• Directory of Legal Assistance
• Contribute to the Chilling Effects Clearinghouse

References & Indexes

• Glossary & Index of Legal Terms: Explanations of the legal process, common legal terms and concepts, and key copyright, trademark, and speech concepts.
• Important Statutes & Regulations
• Major Cases
• Directory of IP Organizations and Government Agencies
• Books, Articles & Online Legal Guides