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ARTICLE · 09 JULY 2024

Not Another Fair Dealing Article: Parodies Of Copyrighted Works

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In April, Ryan Gosling hit the SNL stage to perform a song about letting go of his role as Ken. The performance, which spoofed Taylor Swift's hit "All Too Well," received the pop star's seal of approval.

CanadaIntellectual Property
Esther Kim
Esther Kim
Adam Maunsell
Adam Maunsell
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In April, Ryan Gosling hit the SNL stage to perform a song about letting go of his role as Ken. The performance, which spoofed Taylor Swift's hit "All Too Well," received the pop star's seal of approval.

But what happens if a parody isn't met with enthusiasm from the original creator? There's no time like the present to revisit when a parody may be exempt from copyright infringement.

From copyright to Saturday Night (Live)

Under section 29 of the Copyright Act, "fair dealing for the purpose of research, private study, education, parody or satire does not infringe copyright." For fair dealing to apply, the work must be used for one of the allowable purposes and the use must be fair.

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