This information is for faculty members delivering class content online. This is not legal advice. Do consult with a lawyer.
If you have a legally purchased DVD (your personal property or checked out from the library), playing the DVD on your computer and sharing your screen via an online meeting platform falls within copyright's Fair Use under the following conditions:
- Don't record the session
- Only allow registered students in the course to access the session. You can do this by distributing the link in the learning management system and not the open web.
- DVDs will work for screen sharing.
There may be difficulties with screen sharing and using streaming services. The service may be able to detect the screen share and disable that ability. So Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc. may not work due to their technology to block this activity. While streaming services may have terms of service barring screen sharing, Courtney argues there is no market harm from this activity if there is no time or ability to negotiate public display rights with the vendor.
(Copyright advice presented above is from Kyle K. Courtney, Esq., Harvard University, transmitted March 2020 during a Virtual Copyright Office Session and is adapted from this Cal State guide.)
More information about copyright is available in the library's Copyright Research Guide.