Copyright in Library Streaming Services

Many subscription or commercial streaming media platforms include clauses in their Terms of Use, Subscriber Agreements, or Terms of Service that restrict their content to private, personal use only. Publicly streaming content from these services would violate these agreements.

The information below is for reference on the most popular streaming services.  If you’re considering using content from a commercial or paid subscription streaming service, please review the platform's licenses and policies before presenting any content in a classroom setting.

Pet Netflix's Terms of Use, "4.2. The Netflix service and any content accessed through our service are for your personal and non-commercial use only and may not be shared with individuals beyond your household unless otherwise allowed by your subscription plan." 

Therefore, the Library does not recommend nor endorse using Netflix in the classroom due to the potential for copyright violations and violations to Netflix's Terms of Use.

Netflix does, however, have an exception for some of their documentaries per their Educational Screenings of Documentaries policy. Netflix films permitted for educational screenings will be accompanied by a "Grant of Permission" or "Educational Screenings Permissions (ESP)" note.

Per Hulu's Subscriber Agreement, "The Services are provided to individuals for their personal, noncommercial use only... Only individuals that have registered for a Hulu account and/or MyDisney account (if available), provide certain information (e.g., a valid email address), and agree to this Agreement are eligible to use the relevant Services."  Hulu has not stated in their agreement that content can used for educational screenings. Although classroom use is non-commercial, it would not qualify as personal, noncommercial, or private use.

Therefore, the Library does not recommend nor endorse using Hulu in the classroom due to the potential for copyright violations and violations to Hulu's Subscriber Agreement.

Per Amazon Prime Video Terms of Use, "Amazon grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, limited license, during the applicable Viewing Period, to access and view the Digital Content in accordance with the Usage Rules, for personal, non-commercial, private use." Amazon has not stated in their agreement that content can used for educational screenings. Although classroom use is non-commercial, it would not qualify as personal, noncommercial, or private use.

Therefore, the Library does not recommend nor endorse using Amazon Prime Video in the classroom due to the potential for copyright violations and violations to the Amazon Prime Video Terms of Use.

Per Disney+ Subscriber Agreement, "The Services are provided to individuals for their personal, noncommercial use only... [Disney+ and ESPN+] grants you a limited, personal use, non-transferable, non-assignable, revocable, non-exclusive and non-sublicensable right to... install and make non-commercial, personal use of the Disney+ Service or ESPN+ Service." Disney+ and ESPN+ have not stated in their agreement that content can used for educational screenings. Although classroom use is non-commercial, it would not qualify as personal, noncommercial, or private use.

Therefore, the Library does not recommend nor endorse using Disney+ or ESPN+ in the classroom due to the potential for copyright violations and violations to the Disney+ Subscriber Agreement.

Per HBO's Terms of Use, "You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, publish, enter into a database, display, perform, modify, create derivative works, transmit, or in any way exploit any part of this Service, except that you may access and display material and all other content displayed on this Service for non-commercial, personal, entertainment use on a single computer or device only. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you may not distribute any part of this Service over any network, including a local area network, nor sell or offer it for sale." HBO has not stated in their Terms of Use that content can used for educational screenings. Although classroom use is non-commercial, it would not qualify as personal, noncommercial, or private use.

Therefore, the Library does not recommend nor endorse using HBO in the classroom due to the potential for copyright violations and violations to HBO's Terms of Use.