Memes have become an integral part of our digital culture, providing laughter, commentary, and social engagement across the internet. However, the world of memes also exists in a legal gray area when it comes to copyright law. While memes may seem harmless and humorous, they can potentially infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others. Read on for a short exploration of how memes can violate copyright law and who should worry about enforcement.

Many people believe that their use of copyrighted material is “fair use” and not copyright infringement. However, a high percentage of those people later find out that their use was not covered by the fair use doctrine. The following are common misconceptions about when the fair use doctrine applies to use of copyrighted material.