Showing DVDs and Videos in class via Zoom
*Copyright advice presented below is from Kyle K. Courtney, Esq., Harvard University, transmitted March 2020 during a Virtual Copyright Office Hour session as told to Kate Holvoet.
If you have a legally purchased DVD (your personal property or checked out from the Library), playing the DVD on your computer and sharing your screen via Zoom falls within copyright Fair Use under the following conditions:
- Don't record the session
- Only allow registered students in the course to access the Zoom session. Distribute the link via Blackboard/Canvas for example, not on the open web.
- DVDs will work for screen sharing, but streaming services may be able to detect the screen share and disable that ability (So Netflix/Hulu may not work due to their technology). While Netflix and other services may have terms of service that disallow screen sharing, there is no market harm from this activity if there is no time or ability to negotiate public display rights with the vendor.
Technical advice for sharing your screen in Zoom to show a DVD or video (YouTube, etc.):
- You need to enable sharing for sound as well.
- Click the Share Screen button at the bottom of your Zoom screen.
- Check the Share Computer Sound and Optimize Screen Sharing for Video Clip in the share screen pop up window.
- Make sure your volume is an appropriate level.
- Select the screen showing your video clip so that others can see the content.
- It is recommended that all participants turn off their cameras for the duration of the video and that student participants mute their sound.
- Mac users may find that the native DVD player blocks the video when you share your screen. If this happens we recommend downloading and using VLC Media Player to run DVDs instead.
4. Use only the portion necessary to support your pedagogy (don't show the whole thing unless you must).
5. Instructor commentary and lecture during the course of the video greatly increases the fair use defense of this activity.
