The Internet

Posting Material Found on the Internet

Copyright applies to all types of materials (text, music, images, email, etc.) that might be posted on the Internet. As stated in other sections of this tutorial, being the owner of a copyrighted work does not make you the copyright holder. If you are the copyright holder or the work is in the public domain, there are no copyright issues with posting it on the Internet. If you are not the copyright holder, you must obtain permission to post the material, or your use must fall within the fair use doctrine or the transmissions of performances and display exemption. Generally, a fair use claim may be strengthened by limiting the amount of material used, limiting access to the material, and limiting how long the material is accessible. Measures that prevent the downloading and/or printing of the material would also strengthen the claim that the material is indeed being used solely for a nonprofit educational purpose.

Who owns the copyright to the Web course?

The answer to this question will depend on who contributed copyrightable expression, any contracts or agreements in place, and your university policy.

For additional information, see the Copyright Ownership Tutorial.

Purpose of Copyright | Copyright Facts | The First Sale Doctrine | Rights of the Copyright Holder Limitations on Exclusive Rights: Fair Use -- Performances & Displays -- Library Exemptions The Internet | Posting Material on the Internet | Musical Works | Who Owns the Copyright to Student Work? Student Webpages

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