Our Commitment to Fair Use
PoliticalLiars.com is committed to operating within the bounds of copyright law while fulfilling our mission to expose political lies and promote transparent, balanced discourse. We respect the intellectual property rights of news organizations and content creators.
This page explains how we use copyrighted material under the doctrine of Fair Use (17 U.S.C. § 107) for purposes of commentary, criticism, and news reporting.
What We Do
✅ Linking to Original Sources
We always link directly to the original article on the publisher's website. This drives traffic to the source and allows readers to verify our analysis. Linking is protected under the First Amendment and does not constitute copyright infringement.
✅ Brief Excerpts with Commentary
We use only brief excerpts (typically 1-3 sentences or one paragraph) from news articles, accompanied by our own transformative commentary analyzing bias, fact-checking claims, or providing context. This qualifies as fair use for purposes of criticism and news reporting.
✅ Clear Attribution
Every article, image, or content snippet is clearly attributed to its source with visible author/publisher names, publication dates, and clickable links back to the original.
✅ Non-Commercial Educational Purpose
Our primary purpose is educational and critical commentary on political discourse. While we display ads to cover operating costs, our use of excerpts is transformative and does not substitute for reading the original article.
What We DON'T Do
❌ Reproduce Full Articles
We never copy and paste entire articles. We provide only the minimum necessary excerpt to support our commentary.
❌ Download or Re-host Images
We do not download and re-upload news images to our servers. When images are used, they are embedded from the original source with proper attribution.
❌ Claim Ownership
We never claim ownership of third-party content. All rights remain with the original publishers.
Fair Use Analysis (17 U.S.C. § 107)
Our use of copyrighted material is evaluated under the four factors of fair use:
1. Purpose and Character of Use
Transformative, Non-Commercial Commentary: We add significant value through analysis, fact-checking, and bias evaluation. Our use is for criticism and news reporting, not commercial redistribution.
2. Nature of the Copyrighted Work
Factual News Content: News articles are factual works, which receive less copyright protection than creative works. Fair use applies more readily to factual reporting.
3. Amount and Substantiality Used
Minimal Excerpts Only: We use only brief quotes necessary to support our commentary— typically 1-3 sentences or a single paragraph, never the full article.
4. Effect on Market Value
No Market Harm: Our excerpts drive traffic to the original source through direct links. We do not substitute for the original article and may actually increase readership.
DMCA Compliance
We comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). If you believe any content on our site infringes your copyright, please send a DMCA takedown notice to:
DMCA Agent: PoliticalLiars.com
Email: dmca@politicalliars.com
Subject Line: "DMCA Takedown Request"
Your notice must include: (1) identification of the copyrighted work, (2) identification of the infringing material, (3) your contact information, (4) a statement of good faith belief, and (5) a statement of accuracy under penalty of perjury. We will respond promptly to valid notices.
User-Generated Content
Users who submit tips or comments are responsible for ensuring they have the right to share any content they provide. By submitting content, you grant us a non-exclusive license to display and use it for our mission of political transparency.
We reserve the right to remove any user content that violates copyright or other laws.
Educational Resources
Learn more about fair use and copyright law:
Last Updated: November 2025
This policy may be updated periodically. Please check back for changes.