In which context might fair use apply?

Fair use is a legal doctrine in U.S. copyright law that allows limited use of copyrighted material without obtaining permission from the copyright owner. This concept is particularly applies in contexts that promote the public interest, such as criticism, commentary, scholarship, teaching, or news reporting.

In the realm of criticism and news reporting, fair use allows individuals or organizations to utilize portions of a copyrighted work to provide analysis, critique, or context around the original work. For instance, a film critic may include a brief clip from a movie in a review, or a journalist might quote a passage from a book when discussing that book in a news article. The inclusion of these materials can be essential to the critic's or reporter's message, thus falling under the protections of fair use.

On the other hand, uses like commercial resale of a copyrighted work or unauthorized adaptations typically do not fall under the fair use provisions, primarily because these actions can negatively impact the market for the original work and do not serve a public benefit. Instead, they can be seen as infringing on the rights of the copyright holder, which is contrary to the principles of fair use. Therefore, fair use most appropriately applies in contexts that foster discussion or analysis, making the choice regarding criticism and news reporting