Cartoon & Comics Research

Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States

Poynter Links to the News: Copyright Issues and Answers

Did you know? The images and other media you find online are most likely protected by copyright, regardless of whether any copyright statement is displayed. Copyright protection applies instantly and automatically when a new work is created; no copyright notice or registration is required! 

Learn more about using images legally from this guide: Using Images: Copyright Guidelines for the Use of Images in Education

What is fair use?

Fair use is a limitation on the copyright holder's exclusive rights and provides that some uses of copyrighted materials do not infringe copyright. A finding of fair use is determined through the analysis and application of the four fair use factors:

1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
2. the nature of the copyrighted work;
3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

How do I know if my intended use is within the limits of fair use?

Conduct a fair use analysis to weigh the four factors for your use. These resources can help frame your analysis: 

• Follow the Four Factors of Fair Use: A video about using a fair use checklist to help conduct a fair use analysis
• Columbia University Libraries Fair Use Checklist: A printable fair use checklist
• OSU Health Sciences Library Fair Use Checklist: An interactive version of the fair use checklist

Questions about Fair Use?

Contact Copyright Services at 614-688-5849 or libcopyright@osu.edu.

Need help? 

Go to the U.S. Copyright Office for more information regarding copyright law and fair use.