Simone Lawson
Creative Commons licenses are legal tools that help creators grant copyright permissions to the public. They are free licenses that allow copyrighted work to be reused, modified, and redistributed. There are six main types of Creative Commons licenses, which vary based on factors such as whether the licensee can create derivative works and whether commercial redistribution is permissible. The process of choosing a license that fits one's needs is automated on the CC website. Once a CC license is chosen, it cannot be revoked. However, licensing work under a CC license does not preclude entering into a separate license agreement with someone else. There are also three other models for transferring or licensing work: all rights reserved, which limits the scope of the implied license given to users; using services like Lisensa, which work in tandem with CC licenses to display commercial license terms and collect license fees; and the standard free software license, which is recommended for computer software and hardware.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A free license or open license is a license that allows copyrighted work to be reused, modified, and redistributed. |
| History | The term "free license" emerged from the sharing traditions of the hacker culture of the 1970s public domain software ecosystem. The social and political free software movement began in 1980, and the open-source movement started in the 1990s. |
| Types | The two main categories of free and open-source licenses are permissive and copyleft. Creative Commons (CC) licenses are another type of free license with six different types. |
| Requirements | Requirements vary but typically include attribution and liability disclaimers. CC licenses require attribution to the original creator and allow for commercial or non-commercial use depending on the specific license. |
| Protection | Copyright protection is available for various types of original creative works, including motion pictures, visual artworks, and software. |
| Application | To apply a CC license, choose the appropriate license and include the provided HTML code in your work. For other licenses, follow the specific instructions provided. |
| Considerations | Licensing your work does not prevent you from entering into separate license agreements. Consult a lawyer for complex cases involving commercial licenses. |
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What You'll Learn
Understand the different types of Creative Commons (CC) licenses
Creative Commons (CC) licenses are a standardized way for creators and institutions to grant the public permission to use their creative work under copyright law. There are six main types of Creative Commons licenses, which vary based on factors such as whether the licensee can create derivative works and whether commercial redistribution is allowed. All CC licenses require attribution, but the license elements can be combined to allow for or restrict various activities.
The CC BY license is one of the most permissive licenses. It allows others to reuse, adapt, remix, and distribute the work for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as attribution is given to the creator. This license also requires that any adaptations of the work be shared under the same or a compatible license.
The CC BY-NC license is similar to CC BY, but it only permits non-commercial uses of the work. This means that the work cannot be used for commercial advantage or monetary compensation. However, a for-profit company could still use a work licensed under CC BY-NC in a non-commercial way.
The CC BY-ND license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format, but no derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted. This license is for non-commercial use only, and attribution must be given to the creator.
The CC BY-NC-ND license combines the restrictions of the previous two licenses. It only permits non-commercial use of the work, and no derivatives or adaptations are allowed.
The CC BY-SA license, also known as Share Alike, allows others to reuse, adapt, remix, and distribute the work for any purpose, including commercial use. It requires attribution to the creator and that any adaptations of the work be licensed under the same or a compatible license.
The CC BY-NC-SA license is similar to CC BY-SA, but it only permits non-commercial uses of the work. Adaptations must be shared under the same terms, and attribution must be given to the creator.
In addition to these six licenses, Creative Commons also provides a public domain dedication tool called CC0 (CC Zero). This tool enables creators to give up their copyright and put their work into the worldwide public domain. CC0 allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, with no conditions.
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Know the difference between free and open-source licenses
Creative Commons (CC) licenses are a way to grant the public permission to use creative work under copyright law. There are six main types of Creative Commons licenses, which vary based on factors such as whether the licensee can create derivative works and whether commercial redistribution of the work is permissible. All CC licenses require attribution, meaning the licensee must credit the creator.
CC licenses are either designated as "Some Rights Reserved" or "No Rights Reserved". The former means that the work is licensed under a Creative Commons license, while the latter means that the work is dedicated to the public domain. CC0, or CC Zero, is a public dedication tool that enables creators to put their works into the worldwide public domain.
Open-source licenses, on the other hand, are licenses that comply with the Open Source Definition. They allow software to be freely used, modified, and shared. The Open Source Initiative (OSI) maintains a list of open-source licenses, which focus on the availability of the source code and the advantages of an unrestricted and community-driven development model. OSI's open-source criteria do not require that the software be free of charge.
There are several types of open-source licenses, including copyleft licenses and permissive licenses. Copyleft licenses are those in which code derived from the original open-source code inherits its license terms. Permissive licenses provide more freedom for reuse, modification, and distribution. The most popular copyleft licenses include AGPL, GPL, LGPL, EPL, and Mozilla. The most popular permissive licenses include Apache, MIT, BSD, and Unlicense.
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Learn how to apply a CC license to your work
Creative Commons (CC) licenses are a standardized way for creators and institutions to grant the public permission to use their creative work under copyright law. There are six main types of CC licenses, each with different levels of permissiveness. These include:
- CC BY: credit must be given to the creator. This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator. The license allows for commercial use.
- CC BY-NC: credit must be given to the creator, and only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted.
- CC BY-NC-SA: credit must be given to the creator, only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted, and adaptations must be shared under the same terms.
- CC BY-ND: credit must be given to the creator, and no derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted.
- CC BY-NC-ND: credit must be given to the creator, only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted, and no derivatives or adaptations of the work are allowed.
- CC0: a public dedication tool that enables creators to give up their copyright and put their works into the worldwide public domain. CC0 enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, with no conditions.
To apply a CC license to your work, you must first ensure that you own or control the copyright. Then, you can choose the CC license that best suits your needs and include it in your work. This can be done by adding a bit of text stating and linking to the license in a copyright notice or by embedding the license information on your website using the HTML code associated with the particular license. The CC website has an automated process to help you choose the license that fits your needs. Once you have selected your license, follow the instructions to include the HTML code in your work. This code will automatically generate a "Some Rights Reserved" or "No Rights Reserved" button, depending on your license choice.
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Understand the process of transferring a license
Understanding the process of transferring a license involves several steps. Firstly, it's important to recognise that Creative Commons (CC) licenses provide a standardised way to grant the public permission to use your creative work under copyright law. There are six main types of CC licenses, ranging from the most to the least permissive. These licenses enable reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the original material, as long as attribution is given to the creator.
The next step in the process is to choose the CC license that best suits your needs. This involves considering factors such as whether you want to allow the creation of derivative works and whether commercial redistribution is permitted. Once you've selected the appropriate license, you need to communicate your choice clearly to your users. This can be done by including a link to the license or by using text and a link in a copyright notice.
The process of applying a CC license to your online work is straightforward. The CC website provides instructions on how to include the necessary HTML code, which will generate a "Some Rights Reserved" or "No Rights Reserved" button. This button serves as a notice to users that your work is licensed under a specific Creative Commons license.
It's important to remember that CC-licensing your work does not prevent you from entering into separate license agreements, especially for commercial purposes. Services like Lisensa work with CC licenses to display commercial license terms and collect license fees, but they may take a cut of the royalties. Consulting a lawyer is recommended when navigating the intersection of CC licenses and commercial licenses.
Finally, keep in mind that CC licenses and CC0 (public domain dedication) cannot be revoked. Once applied, anyone who receives the licensed material can rely on that license for as long as the material is protected by copyright. Therefore, it's crucial to carefully consider your licensing choices before making them public.
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Learn how to license your work under GPL
The GNU General Public License (GPL) is a type of Creative Commons (CC) license that grants users the freedom to run, study, and share the source code of a program. It also guarantees copyleft protections.
To license your work under GPL, you must first assert your copyright on the software. This involves adding two elements to each source file of your program: a copyright notice and a statement of copying permission. The copyright notice should include the year and your name, for example, "Copyright 1999 Terry Jones". The statement of copying permission should say that the program is distributed under the terms of the GPL.
If you are an individual with an employer or are studying in a school, it is wise to ask your employer or school to sign a copyright disclaimer for your program. This ensures that they cannot later claim ownership of the copyright.
You should also include a copy of the GPL license itself somewhere in the distribution of your program. This is usually done by putting the license in a file called COPYING.
Once you have selected the GPL license, you can apply it to your online work by following the instructions on the CC website to include the HTML code in your work. This code will automatically generate a "Some Rights Reserved" button and a statement that your work is licensed under the GPL.
It is important to note that the GPL requires that modified versions of a program be marked as changed. This is to ensure that any problems with the modified version are not erroneously attributed to the authors of the original program. Additionally, the GPL is incompatible with many application digital distribution systems, such as the Mac App Store, due to the right "to make a copy for your neighbour" being violated by digital rights management systems.
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Frequently asked questions
A free license, also known as an open license, is a license that allows copyrighted work to be reused, modified, and redistributed.
To modify a free license to constitute new work, you must first obtain a license from the holder of the original copyright. The new material must be sufficiently original and creative to be copyrightable by itself. You can then apply a CC license to your new work.
CC licenses are legal tools that help you grant copyright permissions to the general public. There are six main types of Creative Commons licenses to choose from, and they vary based on several factors, such as whether the licensee can create derivative works and whether commercial redistribution of the work or its derivatives is permissible.
