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Fair Use Experts to Release Best Practices in Media Literacy Education

(October 28. 2008) - Following up on the successful "Statement of Best Practices" for documentary filmmakers, scholars and activists are now about to release a similar statement of basic principles for media literacy educators. The Media Education Lab at Temple University, the Center for Social Media at American University, and the Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property at AU's Washington College of Law have spearheaded the project.

According to a report titled "The Cost of Copyright Confusion for Media Literacy," released by the three groups last year, "teachers from grade school to college are being stymied in their efforts to teach critical thinking and media literacy, because ignorance about copyright laws and fear of legal action is keeping them from using ads, music, articles and videos as teaching and learning tools." Yet the principle of fair use in copyright law allows some use of just these materials, without seeking copyright permission or paying what can be prohibitive fees, for purposes such as education, commentary, and news reporting. Fair use is one of the primary free expression safeguards in intellectual property law.

The best practices statement is a way to clarify what the law really is, promote fair uses of copyrighted works for teaching purposes, and set out basic, reasonable principles that teachers and school administrators can agree upon. It is hoped that, like the best practices statement for documentary filmmakers, it will be widely adopted and set a useful standard for the educational community.

The statement will be released at a November 11 event at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Click here for background information and more about the November 11 event.

For background on copyright and fair use, see Will Fair Use Survive? Free Expression in the Age of Copyright Control.