Fair Use
Fair Use is a legal doctrine in U.S. copyright law that allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder, under certain circumstances. It is a defense against claims of copyright infringement, balancing the rights of creators with public interests such as education, commentary, and innovation. Developers often encounter Fair Use when dealing with code snippets, APIs, or content in software projects.
Developers should understand Fair Use to navigate legal risks when using third-party code, libraries, or data in their work, especially in contexts like open-source contributions, educational tools, or transformative applications. It is crucial for scenarios involving code analysis, reverse engineering for interoperability, or creating parodies or critiques that incorporate copyrighted elements, helping ensure compliance and avoid litigation.