Fair Use and Copyright Exceptions: When Can You Legally Use Someone Else's Videos?

Fair use is not the global default

Many creators hear the phrase fair use and assume it works the same everywhere. It does not. In the United States, fair use is a specific legal doctrine. In many other countries, reuse depends on narrower copyright exceptions written differently in local law.

What fair use means in the U.S.

In the U.S., courts often evaluate reuse through factors such as purpose, how transformative the new work is, how much of the original was used, and whether the reuse harms the market for the original work.

Why creators outside the U.S. need extra caution

Many jurisdictions do not have a broad flexible doctrine like U.S. fair use. Instead, they provide more specific exceptions for criticism, teaching, quotation, news reporting, parody, accessibility, or private use.

Questions to ask before reusing a clip

• What country or countries matter for this publication, audience, and platform?
• Are you commenting on the work, or just reposting it?
• Are you using only what is necessary, or most of the original video?
• Could your version replace the need to watch, license, or buy the original?

As a practical rule, treat fair use as a legal defense, not as a publishing shortcut. If the project is commercial, high-profile, or cross-border, get permission or legal advice before relying on a grey area.

The most global-friendly approach is simple: assume copyright is local, exceptions are narrow, and platform enforcement can be stricter than the law itself.