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The Center for Social Media is proud to announce the upcoming release of the Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education

There's a lot of misinformation out there about legal rights and responsibilities in the digital era. This is especially disconcerting when it comes to information being shared with youth. Kids and teens are bombarded with messages from a myriad of sources that using new technology is high-risk behavior. Downloading music is compared to stealing a bicycle - even though many downloads are lawful. Making videos using short clips from other sources is treated as probably illegal - even though many such videos are also lawful. This misinformation is harmful, because it discourages kids and teens from following their natural inclination to be innovative and inquisitive. The innovators, artists and voters of tomorrow need to know that copyright law restricts many activities but also permits many others. And they need to know the positive steps they can take to protect themselves in the digital sphere. In short, youth don't need more intimidation - what they need is solid, accurate information. EFF's Teaching Copyright curriculum was created to help teachers present the laws surrounding digital rights in a balanced way.

The issues surrounding copyright have never been more visible. But the classroom presents its own copyright-related challenges, for students and teachers alike. How is an educator to know what the rules are? How do those rules apply in the classroom? And how can we make sure that students know the rules as well? To help educators answer these questions, the Copyright Alliance has established the Copyright Alliance Education Foundation. Working with Young Minds Inspired, the Foundation has developed a comprehensive program for teachers. Additionally, we have compiled a library of free curricula that helps teachers of all grades and subject areas incorporate copyright into existing lesson plans.