Multimedia materials are protected by copyright law just as are works
fixed in print or other tangible formats. Access to works on the Internet/World Wide
Web does not mean that the information can be reproduced or reused without permission or
licensing. "Copyright protects original authorship fixed in tangible
form. 17 U.S.C. sec. 102(a). For works transmitted online,
the copyrightable authorship may consist of text, artwork, music, audiovisual
material (including any sounds), sound recordings, etc. (Circular 66).
[Emphasis added.]
Fair use guidelines apply to multimedia materials, also.
"These guidelines apply to the use, without permission, of portions of
lawfully acquired copyrighted works in educational multimedia
projects which are created by educators or students as part of a systematic learning
activity by nonprofit educational institutions to include but not limited to motion media,
music, text materials, graphics, illustrations, photographs and digital software, combined
into an integrated presentation. Portion limitations refer to the
amount of the copyrighted work than can reasonably be used in educational multimedia
projects without permission. These portions are: 1) up to 10% or 3 minutes
(whichever is less) of motion media; 2) up to 10% or 1,000 words (whichever is less) of
text material or an entire poem of less than 250 words; 3) up to 10% but in no event more
than 30 seconds of music, lyrics, or music videos; 4) no more than 5 images,
illustrations, or photographs by an artist or photographer, or not more than 10% or 15
images (whichever is less) from a published collective work; [and] 5) up to 10% or 2,500
fields (a field is a specific item of information such as a Social Security number) or
cells entries (whichever is less) from numerical data sets. Time limitations
are set for two years for use of such a multimedia product in
instruction, at which time permission must be obtained. Student
work has no time limitations if included as part of a portfolio. [Emphasis added.}
Copyright does NOT protect ideas, procedures, systems, or methods of
operation. 17 U.S.C. sec. 102(b)." (Circular 66)
To read Circular 66, "Copyright Registration for
Online Works", click here.
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