Copyright

Search engines such as Google, Creative Commons, Bing, etc. are NOT sources of information or elements that may be included in your project. They are merely tools you can use to make it easier to find the resources you want to use in your project. When citing a source from the internet, you need to include a hyperlink to the actual site in which you downloaded/copied it. Including a source URL is part of creating an MLA citation and covers you if what you borrowed is licensed under Creative Commons or in the Public Domain.

A form of protection provided by the laws of the United States for "original works of authorship", including literary, dramatic, musical, architectural, cartographic, choreographic, pantomimic, pictorial, graphic, sculptural, and audiovisual creations. "Copyright" literally means the right to copy but has come to mean that body of exclusive rights granted by law to copyright owners for protection of their work. (https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/definitions.html)

Students are required to get permission from the owner to use any copyrighted music, video, graphics, or any element that is not your own original work. See Copyright permission request on page 6 of the participation packet. Cite ALL sources of information, audio, video, images, etc. used in your project, including your own work.

NOTE: When students and sponsors sign the participation packet, they are acknowledging that there are no copyright violations and all items are properly cited.

"Fair use permits a party to use a copyrighted work without the copyright owner’s permission for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research." (https://copyrightalliance.org/faqs/what-is-fair-use/)

"The PA Media and Design Competition, although educational, removes the student work from the classroom and therefore requires the student to get permission from the owner to use any copyrighted music, video, graphics, etc. Fair use does NOT apply. Remember to credit music or items that were created by yourself or friends as well." (https://mediadesigncompetition.org/?page_id=203)

"Creative Commons is a global nonprofit organization that enables sharing and reuse of creativity and knowledge through the provision of free legal tools." (https://creativecommons.org/faq/#is-creative-commons-against-copyright) In short, Creative Commons is a community of contributors who generally allow their works to be re-purposed for other uses without having to worry about copyright infractions.

"The combination of our tools and our users is a vast and growing digital commons, a pool of content that can be copied, distributed, edited, remixed, and built upon, all within the boundaries of copyright law." (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/)

How do search for creative commons works to use in my project? Use this search engine: https://creativecommons.org/use-remix/

"Works in the public domain include works that have never been the subject of copyright protection, works whose term of copyright protection has expired, and works by the U.S. government. Works in the public domain may be freely copied and used, and in the case of works with expired copyright terms, used without the former copyright owners’ permission." (https://copyrightalliance.org/faqs/freely-using-public-domain-materials/)

Finding public domain pictures: https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/