Copyright and Intellectual Property

Fair dealing is a legal principle within the UK that allows limited use of copyright-protected material without permission, under specific circumstances. It’s especially relevant for students and staff at London Met when using resources for study, teaching, or research.

There’s no fixed legal definition—each case depends on context. The UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO) suggests asking:
“Would a fair-minded and honest person have used the work in this way?”

Some key factors to consider:

• Amount used: Is it a small, relevant portion of the work?
• Purpose: Is it for non-commercial research, private study, criticism, review, or news reporting?
• Impact: Does your use compete with or replace the original work (e.g. avoiding buying a copy)?

Fair dealing applies to literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and typographical works—not just text. However, it does not cover printed music.

Here are some typical examples of fair dealing in a university setting:

• Research & Private Study
  A student photocopies one chapter from a textbook to read at home for an assignment.
  ✅ Fair dealing applies.

• Criticism or Review
  A lecturer includes a short quote from a novel in a presentation to critique its themes.
  ✅ Fair dealing applies.

• Instruction or Examination
  A tutor shares a scanned article (within limits) with students on a secure VLE (e.g. WebLearn) for discussion in class.
  ✅ Fair dealing applies.

• News Reporting
  A journalism student uses a brief excerpt from a speech in a news article they’re writing for a course.
  ✅ Fair dealing applies.

• Non-commercial Use
  A student includes a small image from an online source in a dissertation, with proper citation.
  ✅ Fair dealing applies.

You are not covered by fair dealing if you:

• Copy or share an entire book, film, or piece of music.
• Provide unrestricted access to copyrighted material.
• Share high-resolution copies that could harm the creator’s income.
• Use material for purposes outside the legal exceptions (e.g. entertainment or commercial use).
• Share copies with others via email, social media, or print—even if for study.

Instead, share a link or reference to the original source.

The IPO offers general guidance for fair dealing in education and research:

• Books: Up to 5% or one full chapter (whichever is greater).
• Journals: Up to 5% or one full article per issue.
• Conference proceedings: Up to 5% or one paper.
• Anthologies: Up to 5% or one short story or poem (max 10 pages).
• Legal reports: Up to 5% or one case.

This applies to both print and online materials.