Copyright Compliance
Under federal copyright law, publicly screening a movie, documentary, or television show requires a Public Performance Right (PPR) license.
What Constitutes a "Public" Viewing?
- Under copyright law, any screening held outside of a private living space (like a personal residence hall room or apartment) is considered a public performance. This means any screening held in a campus facility—such as Kennedy Union, an academic classroom, or outdoor space—requires purchased rights, even if the event is closed and only your organization's members are attending.
Streaming Services
- Personal accounts (e.g., Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime) are legally restricted to private, in-home viewing only. They cannot be used for organization events, even if you are not charging admission.
Purchasing Rights:
- To legally show a film, your organization must purchase the temporary screening rights through an authorized licensing distributor.
- The University Libraries offer several streaming collections of films and documentaries available to students.
- For films and shows not available through the library, the process of securing movie rights can be complex and expensive. If you need assistance navigating this process, identifying distributors, or securing rights, please contact the Center for Student Involvement. We have relationships with authorized licensing distributors.