Copyright and Teaching

Can I use my own Netflix account to stream a film in class?

• No. Films available on services such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, Amazon, and others are licensed for individual, private viewing only. As these services do not provide institutional licensing, their content cannot be screened as part of a class. 

Can I place a DVD on reserve and assign them to students to view outside of class time?

• Yes, so long as the DVD is legally obtained (not rented/borrowed), students may check out the DVD to view on their own time.

Would I be able to digitize a DVD I own or borrowed and post in Brightspace for my students to view?

• No. It is illegal to reformat media to enable streaming of its content. Proper licensing must be obtained if you wish to stream any form of media on a website or course management system.
• Possible solution: Inquire if the film is to be licensed via library streaming databases.

Queuing and changing DVDs to show short sections as part of a lesson can be awkward in class. May I edit together portions of videos?

• It depends. If you are using very brief clips from several videos, this would probably be permissible under fair use. If you are using several segments from the same video, then permission would need to be obtained.

Can an auditorium or other large space be used to show a film to a class or several sections of a course?

• Yes, so long as the presentation is not open to the public or to the larger academic community AND is a required component of the course. Presentation for entertainment purposes requires public performance licensing.