Formal Reuse Policy
Copyright law is subject to much interpretation by individual copyright holders. The owner of a copyright involving a piece of work can render his own interpretation of what a reader of his material may or may not do with his work. One author may grant permission to copy a set number of pages without permission, while another one may say that a reader or visitor may not copy, in whole or in part, any portion without prior consent from the copyright holder. Thus, a formal policy is important in that it clearly explains to the user what she may or may not do without asking.
Other People Are Reading
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Fair Use
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A formal policy for the reuse of a copyrighted work includes a fair usage section. It may include an overview of the "Fair use" section of copyright law. It reminds the reader --- or website visitor --- that fair use covers areas such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research, according to Copyright.com. Any other use requires permission of the copyright holders.
Licensing
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The licensing section of a formal reuse policy describes what the website or publisher defines as fair use. For example, the Center for American Progress website informs its visitors that they may copy, reprint or display materials with the condition that they attribute whatever materials they reference to the website. Other websites may request that users include a link back to the page.
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Copyright Protection Notification
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The purpose of this section is to advise users not only of the copyright protection, but also of the extent of it. A work may have such protection in the United States and/or other countries, or worldwide. It warns readers or website visitors that they must abide by all copyright laws governing the use of the materials.
Restrictions
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The restrictions, or limits on use, section warns readers of all of the activities the company of publication sees as outside the realm of fair use. For example, such a section may warn that users may not copy, redistribute or create derivative works from the material in question without obtaining proper permission from the holder. For example, the American Progress website has such a section, which includes information on editing any part of the website without prior consent.
Consequences of Noncompliance
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A formal policy may also include a heading on the consequences of the failure to comply with the conditions of any permissions. This section may advise of possible fines or imprisonment, or any possible alternative recourse. For instance, the American Progress website provides for the withdrawal of a previously granted license, and describes the steps the violator must take to remedy the situation, such as the withdrawal of all portions of the work that the violator may have added to his website under the previous licensing agreement.
How to Obtain Permissions
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A formal reuse policy should advise the reader how to obtain permissions to use the work, if the prospective user wishes to employ the material in a manner that would otherwise violate copyright law. In this part, the copyright holder reveals his email address, as well as instructions of what information to include in such a letter, such as the purpose for which the material will be used, whether commercial or private.
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References
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