From Content ID to Courtrooms: Applying the Fair Use Test to Digital Copyright Disputes

This paper explores the rapidly evolving principle of fair use in the contemporary digital realm while analysing the ongoing conflict between Mohak Mangal and ANI. It explores deeply the YouTube copyright enforcement mechanism and its effect on content creators. This paper further analyses the liability of intermediaries under the US law and Indian Law, while particularly focusing on the safe harbour doctrine and Its Judicial interpretation. This paper further comparatively studies the factors to determine fair Use in India and the USA. This Paper applies these tests on an ongoing case in Mohak Mangal v ANI ors and determines whether the work of Mohak Mangal comes under fair use or not. The analysis concludes that transformative, factual, and minimally copied content—when causing negligible market harm—should be protected to ensure an adequate copyright policy that fosters creativity, criticism, and Information creation and distribution in the digital age.