What is free use?

"Free use" typically refers to the legal concept or practice where certain materials can be used without needing to obtain permission or pay royalties. Here are some contexts where "free use" is applicable:

1. Public Domain: Works that are in the public domain can be used freely by anyone. These are usually works whose copyright has expired, or they were never eligible for copyright protection. Works by authors who have been deceased for a long time or works created by the U.S. government are often in the public domain.

2. Creative Commons: Some creators release their works under Creative Commons licenses, which allow for varying degrees of free use. These licenses might allow users to freely share, use, and build upon a work, sometimes with conditions like attribution or non-commercial use.

3. Open Access: In academia, some research articles are published under open-access licenses, allowing anyone to read and use the content without cost. This promotes wider dissemination and discussion of scholarly work.

4. Fair Use: Under U.S. copyright law, fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission for specific purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. Factors considered include the purpose of use, the nature of the work, the amount used, and the effect on the market value of the original.

5. Educational and Personal Use: Some educational resources are made available for free by their creators, often for non-commercial use in teaching and learning environments. Similarly, individuals sometimes have free access to materials for personal use, though this can vary depending on the item and its licensing.

Each of these contexts comes with its own rules and guidelines about what can be done with the material, so it’s important to understand the specifics of each to ensure compliance with legal and licensing terms.