Like all photographers and video makers, the authors of video slideshows must remember to respect other people's rights. In fact, learning to do so is an important part of your students' education. Of course, each country has its own laws, so make sure you and your students obey the laws of your country. However, some general issues deserve to be mentioned here.

In particular, you and your students should respect other people's intellectual property rights and their right to privacy. Various resources are available online if you wish to learn more about these topics. A number of them are listed on this site under Useful Links. However, here is a quick strategy to try to avoid legal complications.

1. You should only use photos that were either

• (a) taken by yourselves

• (b) obtained under a Creative Commons license
  

2. Whenever you use pictures obtained as described under a Creative Commons license you should scrupulously credit the author and meet all other conditions specified in the license.

3. You must not photograph on private property without permission (i.e. if you take a photo in a museum without permission, it is NOT legal to use it.)

4. If recognizable people appear in pictures you have taken, you should make sure these people have signed a photo release form.

5. You should only use music that was

• (a) composed and played by yourselves
  

or

• (b) obtained by you under Creative Commons licenses

or

• (c) composed and played by musicians friends and recorded by you with the musicians' explicit written permission.

6. Whenever you use music obtained as described under point 4b and 4c above, you must scrupulously credit the artists involved. If the Creative Commons license specifies further requirements, please make sure you meet them as well.

7. You should only use images (such as drawings, charts, cartoons, etc.)

• (a) that you yourselves have created
  

or

• (b) that you have obtained under a Creative Commons license

or

• (c) whose copyright has expired

It is not always easy to determine if something is out of copyright. This would be extremely old materials. Do not use anything unless you are absolutely sure the copyright has expired. It is probably best to check with a librarian.

Note that although, for example, a painting may be hundreds of years old and thus be out of copyright, a photo of the painting may have its own copyright. In that case, it is the copyright of the photo that you must not infringe.  However, if the photo simply reproduces the painting, it would seem to lack the originality that is necessary for it to be protected by copyright. In a famous case in the US, Bridgeman Art Library v. Corel, museum reproductions of paintings were not considered by the court to be original enough to deserve copyright protection. Note that this decision only refers to paintings. It says nothing about three-dimensional objects such as sculptures. A similar interpretation appears to govern Australian copyright law. However, note that the law may be different in other countries and that even in the US the Bridgeman v. Corel decision does not mean that you could not be sued by someone. People sometimes sue other people even if they have little hope to win.  Also, remember that the paintings reproduced must be out of copyright. A good resource for art images that are believed to be legal for educational use under Australian law can be found here.

Of course, if a student photographs her room and in it there are, say, books on a shelf, showing their covers should fall under fair use. 

8. You should only use narration that

• (a) you have composed yourselves

or

• (b) comes from books out of copyright

Brief quotes from copyrighted materials, if clearly attributed and cited for the purpose of scholarship, criticism, or satire, may fall under fair use. However, there is no consensus on what constitutes a brief quote. Therefore, exercise caution. When using materials out of copyright, please make sure that the copyright has really expired. Again, it is probably best to check with a librarian.

9. If students author a video, the teacher will need a copyright release from them before he or she can put it on the Internet.

Note

Rule 3 applies even if it is students who are photographed. If you are going to put your video slideshow on the Internet, you must make sure that any students who appear in it have signed photo release forms.

(Disclaimer: Please note that none of the above constitutes legal advice.)