Is Fair Use in Danger?

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has been fighting for years to protect the rights of people who use electronic media. One of its most recent issues has been the YouTube policy on taking down posted videos that use bits of copyright material. EFF describes how the Warner corporation has used this policy to take down any video it deems as going beyond fair use practice. The difficulty is that almost no individual who makes a video incorporating music or images from copyright material has the resources to fight against Warner. Even when a use is clearly within the doctrine, the individual may be left with significant legal fees. Librarians and Teachers have a stake in this quarrel because it seems clear that much art of the future will be made by remixing material from a variety of sources. This creative use should be encouraged, especially among young people, rather than stifled by corporate interests.