Copyright, Plagiarism, and Fair Use Basics

Your messy notebook doodles are legally protected assets the second you put pen to paper.

You do not need to register anything to own a copyright; it just has to be creative,

individual, and fixed in reality. But be careful with that copy-paste button because plagiarism

is actually a crime that can land you in jail. There is a major hack called fair

use, though. You can legally quote movies or books for memes,

reviews, or school without paying a cent. Just know the difference between inspiration

and a remix. Inspiration is free, but a remix needs permission. Unless the author

has been dead for seventy years, think twice before you hit upload.