What is copyright fair use doctrine?

The fair use doctrine is a legal principle that allows using copyrighted material for certain purposes, such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. For the use of copyrighted material to qualify as fair use, it must be evaluated based on four factors: the purpose and character of the use, the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount and substantiality of the portion used, and the effect of the use on the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. The application of these factors is highly fact-specific and can vary depending on the specific circumstances of each case.