While in doubt, it is always better to contact MA World Services to sign a licensing agreement for the desired use of copyrighted (or trademark protected) materials, the following limited uses of MA’s copyrighted material may not require a license, as noted:
One Time Use:
Publication in print or online for the purpose of nonfiction commentary, news reporting, summarization, and similar uses require a license, except in limited instances of “fair use.” In no case should such use exceed 500 words or two paragraphs, whichever is greater. (QUOTE)
Audio Recordings:
Permission to use up to 10% or three minutes, whichever is less, may be presented ONE time for audiences of up to 100 persons is granted. Any use exceeding these terms requires a license.
Individual Use:
Individuals are granted permission to photocopy or print, from time to time, pamphlets, newsletters, or materials from the Website for their own use. Reproduction on a scale above 5 copies for use in meetings or any other use, including emailing documents for this purpose, requires a license.
MA Entities:
The MA Service Manual and Intellectual Property Policies & Procedures provide guidelines for MA members, groups, meetings, districts and regions (“MA Entities”) regarding the reprinting of MA’s copyrighted materials, and use of MA’s registered Trademarks.
Reprinting MA’s Copyrighted Materials by MA Entities:
Regarding the reprinting of MA’s copyrighted materials by MA Entities, the Service Manual (“SM”) states, in part:
“MA meetings, groups, district, or regions are permitted to reprint the Steps, Traditions, Twelve Questions and/or the Concepts for Service, and to quote a phrase, sentence or brief paragraph excerpted from MA literature such as Life with Hope, the Life with Hope Twelve Step Workbook, Living Every Day with Hope, the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, Twelve Concepts for Service, and Twelve Questions, MA’s Service Manual and Conference-approved pamphlets, MA’s Service Manual and Conference-approved pamphlets, without a prior, written request to do so. When this occurs, the proper credit line should be included to ensure that the copyrights of MA. literature are protected. After a quotation from a book or pamphlet, the credit line should read:
‘Reprinted from (name of publication, page number), with permission of MA World Services.’
“When reprinting or excerpting from the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, Twelve Concepts for Service, Twelve Questions. Life with Hope, the Life with Hope Twelve Step Workbook, Living Every Day with Hope, MA’s Service Manual and Conference-approved pamphlets, and other MA literature, these materials may not be altered in any way (besides excerpting) if they are being read, “screen-shared” in a virtual meeting, or otherwise used in meetings.”
“Examples of unauthorized alterations that are strictly prohibited would include changing the text of the copyrighted Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, or changing the wording of any content being shared or read from the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, Twelve Concepts for Service, Twelve Questions, Life with Hope, the Life with Hope Twelve Step Workbook, Living Every Day with Hope, MA’s Service Manual or Conference-approved pamphlets.”
MA does not own the copyrights to the Serenity Prayer, or other prayers not from Life with Hope (including the St. Francis/Eleventh Step prayer, the Unity prayer, or other prayers not in Life with Hope), so does not have any requirements or limits on their use – although other entities may. However, A.A. also does not own copyrights to the Serenity Prayer, the St. Francis/Eleventh Step prayer, the Unity prayer, or other prayers not from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. Nevertheless, it should be noted that anything that is not expressly documented as being in the public domain is copyrighted to some individual or entity, and should not be used frivolously or without permission.