This document discusses issues with traditional copyright and how Creative Commons (CC) provides solutions through standardized copyright licenses. CC licenses allow creators to grant permissions for others to use and share their work while still retaining copyright. The licenses provide options like allowing adaptations (SA) or prohibiting commercial use (NC). CC also provides tools to dedicate works to the public domain and identify works already in it.

2. With digital technologies
and the web, it’s so easy
to share

3. Problem: traditional
copyright does not work
well for sharing and free
online collaboration.

4. • Supposed to encourage creativity and knowledge
production?
• AUTOMATIC
• Terms are long: typically life of author + 50 years
• Have to ask permission to use works
• Infringement is expensive ($750-$150k)
• Safety valves (fair use/fair dealing)
• Public Domain = no copyright protection; expired
works, facts, government information, etc.
Features of copyright today

5. CC’s solution:
A standardized, legally
robust way to grant
copyright permissions to
creative works.

6. (1) Copyright Licenses
(2) Public Domain
Tools
(3) License Chooser

7. (1) Copyright Licenses
(2) Public Domain
Tools
(3) License Chooser

8. Attribution
ShareAlike
NonCommercial
NoDerivatives

10. Lawyer
readable
code

11. Human
readable
deed

12. Machine
readable
metadata

13. • Make copies of the work
• Distribute, display, share the
work
• Change copies from one
medium to another
• Incorporate the work into a
collection
Standard permissions

14. • Give credit to the author or
rightsholder
• No endorsement
• Retain copyright and licensing info
• Identify if changes were made
• Do not add technical restrictions to
access
Standard conditions

15. (1) Copyright Licenses
(2) Public Domain
Tools
(3) License Chooser

16. CC0 Public
Domain Dedication
Universal waiver, permanently
surrenders copyright and related
rights, placing the work into the
public domain worldwide

17. Public Domain Mark
A label to be used by those with
knowledge that a work already in
the worldwide public domain.

18. Public Domain Dedication
Licenses

19. (1) Copyright Licenses
(2) Public Domain
Tools
(3) License Chooser

20. http://creativecommons.org/choose/
creativecommons.org/choose

22. search.creativecommons.org

24. 1 billion
works

25. 34
languages

26. CC Network in 85 countries