Images & Videos: Can I use that video?

Embed, link or download?

It can be difficult to know if you're allowed to use a video that you've found, as simply downloading or copying the video into your presentation, training material or Moodle course is usually a breach of copyright law.

Some of the options for sharing an online video are:

Linking

• Linking to an online video is never a breach of copyright, as you're not reproducing the content in any way. The only caveat is that you must ensure that the video you're linking to isn't itself in breach of copyright i.e. check that the video hasn't been uploaded illegally or reproduced without the consent of the copyright owner.

Example of a link to an online video: https://youtu.be/cj1p5ITOdmc?t=4m4s

Embedding

• In general, embedding an online video in your presentation or Moodle course is safe and not a breach of copyright as the content is streaming directly from the host server and you're not reproducing or downloading the video. Most online video sharing services provide their own embedding player or code so that you can embed the video in your website, presentation or other resource.

Example of an embedded video:

NOTE: Both the embedding and linking options require the user to have internet access in order to view the video.

Seeking permission from copyright owner

• If linking or embedding aren't an option for you (if for example your intended audience won't have access to the internet) then you might consider contacting the copyright owner directly to seek permission to make a copy of the required video. Some organisations may be open to allowing you to download a copy of a video if you will be using it for not-for-profit, educational purposes.
• The Australian Copyright Council has a detailed fact sheet called Permission: How to Get It

How do I acknowledge a source?

When acknowledging the source of a video (also called a citation or an attribution) you should follow the bibliographic style you are using for your text e.g. APA, MLA, Harvard. (See our Referencing Help Guide for more information about bibliographic styles.)

At the very least, you should cite the name of the video, the creator and / or the website where you found it. For example:

IV Catheter Insertion Nursing Skills Video, Angelina Koch, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWQ3NXh5tUE