Final answer:
Under the fair use provision, teachers and students receive special considerations allowing them to use copyrighted material without permission for activities like teaching and research. State and federal laws support these exceptions and Supreme Court rulings have further defined the scope of liability around intellectual property rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under the fair use provision, teachers and students receive special considerations regarding copyright violations. This provision allows the use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder under specific circumstances that are considered fair, such as for commentary, criticism, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act outlines these exceptions, which are critical for educational and scholarly activities.
Additionally, state and federal laws, including specific Supreme Court rulings like MGM Studios v. Grokster, provide a framework of liability surrounding intellectual property rights.