So what the heck CAN I do??!!
Used under license. Copyright: jaykayl / 123RF Stock Photo
"Aauugghh!! Copyright holders have content locked down so tight I can't legally download anything!"
Fortunately, this isn't the case! Copyright law (in 17 USC § 107) specifically provides for situational "fair use" copying of intellectual property, provided certain conditions are met. While there are no absolute requirements or limitations that determine what kind of copying can be considered "fair", there are four factors that are given as guidelines:
1. The purpose and nature of the copying (ie, commercial vs non-profit);
2. The nature of the copyrighted work (commercial works are more problematic to copy from);
3. The amount and "substantiality" (ie, significance) of the portion being copied; and
4. The potential effect of the copying on the fair market value of the work.
So in many cases, especially in your university studies and future employment, downloading and using copyrighted content might very well be OK!
Used under license. Copyright: lovleah / 123RF Stock Photo