Are there clear-cut instances where the fair-use exception would NOT apply?
Clear-cut, not necessarily. But the fair-use exception would probably not apply in cases where your copy: • Was used in a parody of the original that did not refer to the original in broad enough terms to be understood by the court. • Was used in an advertisement or commercial, or in promotional copy. • Was a complete copy of the work, or used the key elements of the work, rather than being a copy of a small portion of the work. How can I possibly tame this slippery fair-use creature?The fair-use exception to copyright law defies unambiguous descriptions. With this in mind, here is a simple guideline that may keep you out of the murky netherworlds of infringement and out of the tidal waves of copyright attorneys’ caseloads! • When you are about to make a copy, a strident annoying bell should go off in your head. You should heed this as a warning that you need to think clearly and objectively about what you are about to copy. Put yourself in the place of the person whose work you want t
