GIFs are protected under the Fair Use doctrine in the United States, meaning GIFs may use material from copyrighted media (movies, television shows, viral videos, etc.) according to the following criteria:
Purpose and character of the use, including whether the use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
Nature of the copyrighted material
Amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
Effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work
Many court cases throughout U.S. history have illuminated the flexibility of the Fair Use doctrine, but GIF as a medium has yet to be challenged under this law. Read More.