Creative Commons (CC) licenses are a set of flexible copyright licenses that enable creators to share their work with others while retaining certain rights. These licenses help authors specify how their works can be used, shared, and adapted. Here’s a detailed overview of the different types of Creative Commons licenses:
1. CC BY (Attribution)
Description: The CC BY license allows others to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the work, even for commercial purposes, as long as they credit the original creator. This is the most permissive CC license.
Key Features:
- Attribution Required: Users must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.
- Commercial Use Allowed: The work can be used for commercial purposes.
- Adaptation Allowed: Derivative works can be created and distributed under any terms.
Common Uses:
- Open educational resources
- Open access academic articles
- Government publications
2. CC BY-SA (Attribution-ShareAlike)
Description: The CC BY-SA license lets others remix, adapt, and build upon the work even for commercial purposes, as long as they credit the creator and license their new creations under identical terms. All derivative works will carry the same license, ensuring they remain open.
Key Features:
- Attribution Required: As with CC BY, appropriate credit must be given.
- ShareAlike: Derivative works must be licensed under the same terms.
- Commercial Use Allowed: The work and derivatives can be used commercially.
Common Uses:
- Collaborative projects
- Wikis like Wikipedia
3. CC BY-NC (Attribution-NonCommercial)
Description: The CC BY-NC license allows others to remix, adapt, and build upon the work non-commercially. Although new works must also acknowledge the creator and be non-commercial, they don’t have to be licensed on the same terms.
Key Features:
- Attribution Required: Users must give appropriate credit.
- NonCommercial: The work cannot be used for commercial purposes.
- Adaptation Allowed: Derivative works can be created but must also be non-commercial.
Common Uses:
- Academic research for educational purposes
- Personal blogs and non-profit projects
4. CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike)
Description: This license allows others to remix, adapt, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as they credit the creator and license their new creations under the identical terms.
Key Features:
- Attribution Required: Proper credit must be given.
- NonCommercial: The work and derivatives cannot be used commercially.
- ShareAlike: Derivative works must be licensed under identical terms.
Common Uses:
- Educational resources
- Non-profit organization content
5. CC BY-ND (Attribution-NoDerivatives)
Description: The CC BY-ND license allows for redistribution, both commercial and non-commercial, as long as the work is passed along unchanged and in whole, with credit to the creator. No derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted.
Key Features:
- Attribution Required: Users must give appropriate credit.
- NoDerivatives: Only verbatim copies of the work can be shared; no modifications or adaptations are allowed.
- Commercial Use Allowed: The original work can be used for commercial purposes.
Common Uses:
- Government and policy documents
- Official reports and publications
6. CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives)
Description: This is the most restrictive of the CC licenses, allowing others to download the works and share them with others as long as they credit the creator, but they can’t change them in any way or use them commercially.
Key Features:
- Attribution Required: Users must give appropriate credit.
- NonCommercial: The work cannot be used for commercial purposes.
- NoDerivatives: No modifications or adaptations of the work are allowed.
Common Uses:
- Personal projects
- Educational materials that must remain unchanged
Public Domain Tools
In addition to the licenses, Creative Commons offers tools to help creators dedicate their work to the public domain or mark it as such:
CC0 (No Rights Reserved):
- Allows creators to waive all their copyright and related rights, effectively placing the work in the public domain.
- Key Feature: No rights reserved; anyone can use the work for any purpose without attribution.
Public Domain Mark (PDM):
- Used to mark works that are already in the public domain.
- Key Feature: Helps users identify works that are free to use without any restrictions.
Conclusion
Creative Commons licenses provide a flexible range of protections and freedoms for authors, artists, and educators. They empower creators to share their work more freely while ensuring that their contributions are appropriately credited and used as intended. By understanding and utilizing these licenses, individuals and organizations can foster a more open and collaborative creative environment.
