What *keyfactor determines whether an image qualifies for fair use on Wikipedia, regardless of its visual appeal or informational value?

The *keyfactor that determines whether an image qualifies for fair use on Wikipedia, regardless of its visual appeal or informational value, is whether its use is *transformativeand *necessaryfor illustrating a critical point that cannot be adequately conveyed through freely licensed images. Fair use is a legal doctrine that allows the use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder under certain circumstances. On Wikipedia, fair use is permitted only as an *exception, not as a general rule. To qualify for fair use, the image's use must be transformative, meaning it adds new expression or meaning to the original work, and it must be necessary for illustrating a point that is essential to understanding the topic and cannot be reasonably illustrated with a freely licensed alternative. The image's visual appeal or informational value alone is not sufficient. If a freely licensed image could be created or obtained to illustrate the same point, then the fair use claim is unlikely to be valid. The use of the image must also be minimal and narrowly tailored to the specific purpose for which it is being used.