Other Topics Related to Copyright
In addition to copyright, there are legal and ethical frameworks as well as institutional policies that are relevant to how and if you can use someone else’s work.
Contractual Overrides and Usage Restrictions
A legal contract can override copyright law. By accepting a website’s or social-media platform's terms of service, you may waive some of your rights or restrict your ability to rely on statutory exemptions to copyright. For more information about the terms of service for common sites and platforms, you may wish to consult Terms of Service; Didn’t Read.
Contractual Restrictions on Library Materials
Databases and journals accessed through Emory Libraries are subject to institutional licenses that often prohibit systematic downloading, further distribution, or publication without permission even when the content is in the public domain. Please refer any questions about Emory's institutional licenses to the Collections team.
The Use of AI Tools with Library Materials
Inputting library-acquired materials into external AI platforms often violates Emory’s contracts with publishers and database providers. When legally and financially possible, Emory Libraries will liaise with vendors to accommodate researchers wishing to use corpora derived from licensed e-resources for computational analysis and AI learning. For the most up-to-date information about the responsible use of library materials with AI tools, please refer to the Libraries’ guide for Text and Data Mining and more generally to the guide for Artificial Intelligence at Emory.
Privacy and Confidentiality
In addition to copyright law, federal or state privacy laws may govern the sharing or copying of records or other materials containing personal data or identifying information.
Even if a disclosure is technically legal, it may still violate the ethical guidelines of your specific discipline or promises made to research participants. For guidance on protecting participant data, consult the Emory Institutional Review Board (IRB).
The Authors Alliance Guide to Writing About Real People (2023) provides a comprehensive legal and practical framework for nonfiction authors to navigate the risks of portraying living individuals. The guide balances an author’s First Amendment rights with exceptions that can result in legal liability: false statements and portrayals, invasions of privacy, and identity and publicity rights.