If you use a work you didn't create without permission, the person who created it can take you to court to make you pay for it or stop using it.

There are some times when you can use a work without permission. Fair use is the right to use a work without permission, as long as it's used fairly.

There are many images, songs, and videos available on the web, and it's up to you to make sure you don't use them unfairly.

It's safest to ask the copyright owner for permission to use their work. If that's not practical, do as many of these things as you can:

•         Use a work the owner gave permission for the public to use.

•         Follow any special conditions for using the work, such as paying the owner or linking to their website.

•         Give credit to the copyright owner.

•         Use the work for educational purposes, not for profit.

•         Only use a small part of the work.

•         Make sure your use won't hurt the original work's value.

You'll learn more about giving credit to the copyright owner later in this course.