Which term refers to the unauthorized use of copyrighted material?

Which term refers to the unauthorized use of copyrighted material?

• A. Unauthorized Use
• B. Infringement
• C. Attribution
• D. Fair Use

Answer: (B)

Infringement is the act of violating a copyright holder’s exclusive rights by using protected material without permission. Copyright gives creators control over copying, distributing, displaying, and performing their work; using that work without authorization (and outside any allowed exceptions) falls under infringement. Attribution is simply crediting the creator and does not grant rights, while fair use is a limited exception that allows some uses without permission under specific conditions. Unauthorized use is not a formal term for the act, so the precise label for this scenario is infringement.

Infringement is the act of violating a copyright holder’s exclusive rights by using protected material without permission. Copyright gives creators control over copying, distributing, displaying, and performing their work; using that work without authorization (and outside any allowed exceptions) falls under infringement. Attribution is simply crediting the creator and does not grant rights, while fair use is a limited exception that allows some uses without permission under specific conditions. Unauthorized use is not a formal term for the act, so the precise label for this scenario is infringement.