Exceptions to copyright

Most countries recognize different exceptions to copyright that allow certain uses of copyright-protected works without the authorization of the rightsholder.

• In France, copyright is limited by a list of exceptions such as parody or short quotation.
• In the United States, copyright is limited by the doctrine of "fair use". This use is determined on a case-by-case basis according to four criteria: (1) the purpose and character of the use, (2) the nature of the copyrighted work, (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole and (4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work. In some other countries, there is a similar concept called "fair dealing" that may be applied differently.