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Streaming Films for QU Courses: Screening Films in Class Using Zoom - Copyright Guidelines

This guide provides information on the various types of streaming video options available to faculty who want to incoporate film into their courses.

Screening Films in Class Using Zoom

The copyright information presented below is based on 2020 recommendations from Kyle K. Courtney, Esq., Copyright Advisor and Program Manager at Harvard University, as well as additional advise that Courtney provided to the San Diego State University Library. 

If you have a legally purchased or rented film (DVD or streaming), playing it on your computer and sharing it on your screen via a live Zoom class session falls within the face to face teaching copyright exception under the following conditions:

  1. Don't record the session
  2. Only allow registered students in the course to access the Zoom session. Distribute the link via Blackboard for example, not on the open web.
  3. DVDs will work for screen sharing, but be aware that in some cases streaming services may be able to detect the screen share and disable that ability. While some streaming platforms may have terms of service that disallow screen sharing, there is no market harm from this activity, and if instructors follow the Fair Use guidelines stated above.

Please note: If an instructor would like to have a film available for students to watch outside of class time then an educational streaming license is usually required so that an entire class can access the film.

Please contact public services librarian Robert Young if you have questions about licensing streaming films. 

For technical assistance related to screening films via Zoom, please contact the the QU Help Desk.