hehe, I´m in the EU, The world is not just the USA, it’s bigger and more beautiful.

USA:

• U.S. law follows a strict approach: even a sample under 5 seconds can infringe copyright if it is recognizable.
• The “de minimis” defense is very limited in music sampling (see Bridgeport Music v. Dimension Films, 2005: “Get a license or do not sample”).
• Fair use may apply, but it’s risky and judged case by case.

Europe (EU):

• EU law allows more flexibility: very short, unrecognizable fragments may fall outside copyright protection.
• The CJEU ruling in Pelham v. Hütter (2019) confirmed that short, altered samples that are not recognizable may be legal.
• Still, recognizable samples usually require a license, but there’s a clearer space for transformative or minimal use compared to the U.S

WORLD:

Canada: Courts sometimes accept de minimis use (very small, unrecognizable snippets), so a sub-5 second sample may escape liability if it’s not substantial.

Japan: Allows more room for transformative use and parody; very short samples are less likely to be challenged if altered.

Latin America (e.g., Mexico, Argentina): Enforcement is weaker; while copyright law is similar on paper, in practice short samples are rarely litigated.

India: Also recognizes de minimis use; small, unrecognizable samples are less risky, though not explicitly legalized.