----------------------- Page 1----------------------- What is the difference between What Is Creative Commons? Creative Commons makes sharing easy CC0 and the Public Domain Mark? Creative Commons is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting an open and accessible Internet that is enriched with free knowledge and creative resources CC0 (“CC Zero”) is intended for use only for people around the world to use, share, and cultivate. by authors or holders of copyright and related rights (including database rights), in connection Our easy-to-use licenses provide a simple, standardized way Guide to with works that are still subject to those rights in one or to give the public permission to share and use your creative more countries. work — on conditions of your choice. CC licenses let you change your copyright terms from the default of “all rights When CC0 is applied to a work, copyright and related reserved” to “some rights reserved.” using public rights are relinquished worldwide, making the work free Millions of people use CC licenses on some of the world’s from those restrictions to the greatest extent possible. most popular platforms for user-generated content. When you use a CC license to share your photos, videos, or blog, domain tools The Public Domain Mark (PDM) is used your creation joins a globally accessible pool of resources to label works that are already free of that includes the work of artists, educators, scientists, and known copyright restrictions. Unlike CC0, PDM doesn’t governments. change the copyright status of a work. PDM can be used by anyone, and is intended for use Creative Commons has waived all copyright and with works that are already free of known copyright related or neighboring rights to this guide using the CC0 Public Domain Dedication. restrictions throughout the world. e G d e m i r t fold line fold line ----------------------- Page 2----------------------- Public domain works are valuable because anyone The CC0 Public Domain Dedication Public Domain Mark can freely build upon, enhance, and reuse them for Use this universal tool if you are a holder of copyright or database Use this tool if you have identified a work that is free of known any purposes without restriction under copyright rights, and wish to waive all your rights to the work worldwide. copyright restrictions. or database law. That’s why it’s important for creators to have a clear and legally robust way to place their works in the public domain as completely as possible, and it’s also important for publishers and archives to have a standardized way to identify works that are already in the public domain. By using CC0, you waive all copyright and related rights Works marked with the Public Domain Mark have been together with all associated claims and causes of action with identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright Creative Commons supports two distinct public domain tools, respect to this work to the extent possible under the law. law, including all related and neighboring rights. Anyone can the CC0 Public Domain Dedication and the Public Domain copy, modify, distribute, and perform such works, even for Mark. Creative Commons copyright licenses help authors Applying CC0 to your work is easy. Simply visit the CC0 chooser commercial purposes, all without asking permission. manage their copyright on terms they choose. Conversely, CC0 (http://creativecommons.org/choose/zero) which will lead you enables authors and copyright owners who want to dedicate through the process. When completed, you will be provided Applying the PDM to a work is easy. Simply visit the PDM their works to the worldwide public domain to do so, and PDM with HTML code that you can copy and paste into your website. chooser (http://creativecommons.org/choose/mark) which facilitates the labeling and discovery of works that are already You let others copy, modify, distribute, and perform the work, will lead you through the proces. When completed, you will be provided with the HTML code that you can copy and paste into free of known copyright restrictions. even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. your website. Where public domain tools fit in the copyright spectrum Creative Commons does not recommend this tool for works that are restricted by copyright laws in one or more jurisdictions. CC0 Public Consult with your legal advisor if you are unsure whether you domain Some rights All rights should use the PDM for a certain work. reserved reserved PDM No known copyright e G d e m i fold line fold line r t