Copyright - the exclusive legal right of an originator (creator) to copy and distribute their creative work

A copyright is a law that gives the owner of a written document, musical composition, book, picture, or other creative work, the right to decide what other people can do with it. Copyright laws make it easier for authors to make money by selling their works. Because of copyright, a work can only be copied if the owner of the copyright gives permission.

When someone copies or edits a work that is protected under copyright without permission, the owner may sue for the value of the violation. Most such cases are handled by civil law. In more serious cases, a person who copies a work that is protected under copyright could be arrested, fined or even go to prison.

Here's an example: if I make a video to promote a business, I can't add a copyrighted song (e.g. "Eye of the Tiger") as audio for it without express permission from the legal owner of the song. There are certain things that aren't copyrighted, such as things in the public domain (things made with the purpose of being shared) or things that the copyright has expired (much of the classic literature you will read), but many things are copyrighted. If you are ever unsure about whether or not something is safe to use, it is better to just find something that you are sure is in the public domain.

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

When it comes to fair use, there are four main things that are focused on to determine whether or not something is actually fair use. (1) The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for non-profit 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.

An example of fair use would be if I were to share part of a copyrighted book or a poem with my class (you!) for the purpose of study. Because it is used with the intended purpose of teaching, I am permitted to use the book in my classroom materials, despite the materials not being connected with the copyright owner and despite not having their express permission.