Fair Use Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Fair Use.

Fair Use (noun)

A legal concept that allows limited use of copyrighted work without seeking permission from the copyright owner. This can be for purposes of education, research, news reporting, criticism, or commentary. Fair use acknowledges that society can benefit from the unauthorized use of copyrighted materials when the purpose of the use serves the public interest. However, it does not permit unauthorized use of copyrighted material for personal gain or to misrepresent the intentions of the original author.