Fair dealing is a legal doctrine that allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright owner. It is often applied in contexts such as education, criticism, news reporting, and research. The purpose of fair dealing is to balance the rights of creators with the public's interest in accessing information and ideas. The criteria for fair dealing can vary by jurisdiction but generally consider factors like the purpose of use, the amount of material used, and the effect on the market value of the original work. This ensures that while creators are protected, the public can still benefit from certain uses of their work.