PostEaseThe short answer
Whoever made a photo, video, song or piece of writing usually owns its copyright, so you need permission to use someone else’s work in your posts unless an exception applies. Credit is courteous, but it is not the same as permission. Use music the platform provides for posts, ask before reposting anyone’s work, keep the permission in writing, and treat fair use as a narrow exception judged case by case, not a rule you can rely on.
Fair use is decided on the facts. The US Copyright Office says courts evaluate fair use claims on a case-by-case basis and that there is no set amount of a work that can be used without permission. Other countries have their own, often narrower, exceptions.
The four fair use factors
In the US, courts weigh four factors, as the Copyright Office lists them:
| Factor | What it asks | For a social post |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose and character | Is the use commercial, and does it transform the work? | Commentary or criticism weighs better than reposting to sell |
| Nature of the work | Is it factual or creative? | Using creative work, such as music or art, weighs against you |
| Amount used | How much of the work, and how central? | A short clip weighs better than a whole song or video |
| Market effect | Does it replace the original or hurt its value? | A repost that substitutes for the original weighs against you |
Music in videos
Music is where most creators run into trouble. Use the sounds and music a platform offers inside its app for posts, check whether business accounts have a narrower library, and avoid adding commercial songs to videos you export and upload elsewhere. For ads and branded content, license the music for that use.
Reposting others’ work
Before resharing a photo, video or design, ask the creator, get a clear yes in writing (a reply or a message is enough to keep), and credit them in the post. For customer content, the same applies: the customer owns their photo. Platform share and repost buttons are generally fine within that platform; downloading and re-uploading is not the same thing.
Copyright strikes on YouTube
YouTube enforces copyright with strikes. It says channels that get 3 copyright strikes in 90 days are subject to termination, and that a strike expires in 90 days if you complete Copyright School and have fewer than three. You can also ask the claimant to retract, or submit a counter notification if you believe the removal was a mistake or the use qualifies for an exception such as fair use. Deleting the video does not resolve a strike.
| Route | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Wait | Complete Copyright School; the strike expires in 90 days if you have fewer than three |
| Retraction | Ask the person who requested the removal to withdraw it |
| Counter notification | If the removal was a mistake or the use is an exception such as fair use |
Protecting your own work
Post at a size that looks good on a phone but is not print quality, add a small consistent credit if you want one, keep your original files and their dates, and report copies through each platform’s copyright form.
Questions
Can I use a song in my social media video?
Use the music the platform provides for posts, inside its app. Commercial songs added to exported videos, or used in ads, need a licence.
Is crediting the creator enough to repost their work?
No. Credit is courteous, but you still need permission. Ask, keep the yes in writing, and credit them.
How long does a YouTube copyright strike last?
YouTube says a strike expires in 90 days if you complete Copyright School and have fewer than three; three strikes in 90 days can end a channel.
Sources
- US Copyright Office, U.S. Copyright Office fair use index, checked October 2026.
- YouTube, Copyright strike basics, checked October 2026.