AUP

Copyright is the lawful right of a creator or author to control the use of their work by others. A copyrighted work may not be duplicated, disseminated, or appropriated by others without the creator's permission. The public display or performance of copyrighted works is also restricted.

There are exceptions to this rule—notably the fair use doctrine discussed next—but generally the unauthorized use of a copyrighted work is copyright infringement, therefore subject to civil and criminal penalties under federal law.

Fair Use is a legal doctrine that states portions of copyrighted materials may be used without permission of the copyright owner provided the use is fair and reasonable, does not substantially impair the value of the materials, and does not hinder profits reasonably expected by the owner. It allows one to use and build upon prior works in a manner that does not unfairly deprive prior copyright owners of the right to control and benefit from their works.

For further information on copyright and fair use visit the following links:

Harvard University - Copyright and Fair Use

U.S. Copyright Office

Standford University - Fair Use