Your employee Crystal posted a cartoon in your workplace that makes fun of a popular fantasy series, picturing herself as the Queen of Dragons. Should Crystal be reprimanded?

a. yes, because she is plagiarizing someone else's work

b. no, because parodies are considered fair use

c. maybe, depending on whether the original author of the show is ok with it

d. no, because it's not plagiarism if only people in your workplace know about it

1 answer

The most appropriate answer would be:

b. no, because parodies are considered fair use

Parody is generally protected under fair use, as it involves transformative use of the original work for purposes of commentary or humor. However, it's important to consider the context and the workplace culture regarding appropriateness and professionalism. If the content is offensive or detrimental to the workplace environment, that might warrant a discussion but not necessarily a reprimand.