Difference between revisions of "Frequently Asked Questions"

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'''This is the full/extended version of the FAQ. It has a lot of information, and may be difficult to navigateYou may want to first take a look at the [[FFAQ | abbreviated FAQ]], which answers a handful of the most common questions people have about Creative Commons.'''
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__NOTOC__
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These FAQs are designed to provide a better understanding of Creative Commons, our licenses and our other legal and technical tools. They provide basic information, sometimes about fairly complex topicsThese FAQs will often link to more detailed information. Please note that several of our tools have their own in-depth FAQs, including our [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/CC0_FAQ CC0 Public Domain Dedication] and [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/PDM_FAQ Public Domain Mark].  If you have any questions about CC that are not covered here or elsewhere on our website, please email info@creativecommons.org.
  
Please Note: '''Creative Commons does not provide legal advice'''. This FAQ is designed to be helpful in raising awareness about the use of our licenses. It is not a substitute for legal advice. It may not cover important issues that affect you and you may wish to consult with a lawyer.
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Regarding terminology used in these FAQs, Creative Commons designs and stewards licenses and legal tools that allow copyright holders to offer their works to the public on conditions expressed in the selected license or tool. The holder of the copyright may be referred to in these FAQs as the licensor, rightsholder, owner or creator.  All of those terms are used interchangeably to refer to the person or entity that at the time the CC license or tool is applied has the right to do so.  Additionally, unless otherwise specified, information about our licenses provided below is made with reference to the [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/License_Versions version 3.0] license suite, and is not necessarily the same for earlier license versions.
  
===Questions for people thinking about applying a Creative Commons license to their work===
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Please Note: '''Creative Commons does not provide legal advice.''' This FAQ is designed to be helpful in raising awareness about Creative Commons and the use of our licenses and other tools. It is not a substitute for legal advice. It may not cover important issues that affect you.  You should consult with your own lawyer if you have questions.
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==Questions==
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===Most Frequently Asked Questions===
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#[[#Can_Creative_Commons_give_legal_advice_about_its_licenses_or_other_tools.2C_or_help_with_CC_license_enforcement.3F | Can Creative Commons give legal advice about its licenses or other tools, or help with CC license enforcement?]]
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#[[#Who_gives_permission_to_use_works_offered_under_Creative_Commons_licenses.3F | Who gives permission to use works offered under Creative Commons licenses?]]
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#[[#How_do_I_properly_attribute_a_work_offered_under_a_Creative_Commons_license.3F | How do I properly attribute a work offered under a Creative Commons license?]]
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#[[#What_if_CC_licenses_have_not_been_ported_to_my_jurisdiction_.28country.29.3F |What if CC licenses have not been ported to my jurisdiction (country)?]]
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#[[#Does_my_use_constitute_an_adaptation.3F | Does my use constitute an adaptation?]]
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#[[#Does_my_use_violate_the_NonCommercial_clause_of_the_licenses.3F | Does my use violate the NonCommercial clause of the licenses?]]
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#[[#Can_I_apply_a_Creative_Commons_license_to_software.3F | Can I apply a Creative Commons license to software?]]
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#[[#How_can_I_change_or_remove_the_Creative_Commons_search_option_built_into_the_Firefox_browser.3F | How can I change or remove the Creative Commons search option built into the Firefox browser?]]
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===About CC===
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#[[#What_is_Creative_Commons_and_what_do_you_do.3F | What is Creative Commons and what do you do?]]
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#[[#Is_Creative_Commons_against_copyright.3F | Is Creative Commons against copyright?]]
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#[[#Can_Creative_Commons_give_legal_advice_about_its_licenses_or_other_tools.2C_or_help_with_CC_license_enforcement.3F | Can Creative Commons give legal advice about its licenses or other tools, or help with CC license enforcement?]]
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#[[#Who_gives_permission_to_use_works_offered_under_Creative_Commons_licenses.3F | Who gives permission to use works offered under Creative Commons licenses?]]
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#[[#Does_Creative_Commons_collect_or_track_works_licensed_under_a_CC_license.3F | Does Creative Commons collect or track works licensed under a CC license?]]
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#[[#May_I_use_the_Creative_Commons_logo_and_buttons.3F | May I use the Creative Commons logo and buttons?]]
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#[[#I_love_Creative_Commons._How_can_I_help.3F | I love Creative Commons. How can I help?]]
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#[[#Why does Creative Commons run an annual fundraising campaign? What is the money used for and where does it go.3F | Why does Creative Commons run an annual fundraising campaign? What is the money used for and where does it go?]]
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===General License Information===
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#[[#What_are_Creative_Commons_licenses.3F | What are Creative Commons licenses?]]
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#[[#How_do_CC_licenses_operate.3F | How do the CC licenses operate?]]
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#[[#Which_is_the_latest_version_of_the_licenses_offered_by_Creative_Commons.3F | Which is the latest version of the licenses offered by Creative Commons?]]
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#[[#Why_should_I_use_the_latest_version_.28currently_3.0.29_of_the_Creative_Commons_licenses.3F | Why should I use the latest version (currently 3.0) of the Creative Commons licenses?]]
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#[[#Do_Creative_Commons_licenses_affect_exceptions_and_limitations_to_copyright.2C_such_as_fair_dealing_and_fair_use.3F | Do Creative Commons licenses affect exceptions and limitations to copyright, such as fair dealing and fair use?]]
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#[[#What_does_.22Some_Rights_Reserved.22_mean.3F | What does "Some Rights Reserved" mean?]]
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#[[#Are_Creative_Commons_licenses_enforceable_in_a_court_of_law.3F | Are Creative Commons licenses enforceable in a court of law?]]
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#[[#What_happens_if_someone_applies_a_Creative_Commons_license_to_my_work_without_my_knowledge_or_authorization.3F | What happens if someone applies a CC license to my work without my knowledge or authorization?]]
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#[[#Which_Creative_Commons_ShareAlike_license_versions_are_compatible_with_each_other.3F | Which Creative Commons ShareAlike license versions are compatible with each other?]]
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#[[#What_are_the_international_.28.E2.80.9Cunported.E2.80.9D.29_Creative_Commons_licenses.2C_and_why_does_CC_offer_.E2.80.9Cported.E2.80.9D_licenses.3F | What are the international (“unported”) Creative Commons licenses, and why does CC offer “ported” licenses?]]
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#[[#What_if_CC_licenses_have_not_been_ported_to_my_jurisdiction_.28country.29.3F |What if CC licenses have not been ported to my jurisdiction (country)?]]
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#[[#What_do_the_Creative_Commons_buttons_do.3F | What do the Creative Commons buttons do?]]
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#[[#Can_I_include_a_work_licensed_with_CC_BY_in_a_Wikipedia_article_even_though_they_use_a_CC_BY-SA_license.3F | Can I include a work licensed with CC BY in a Wikipedia article even though they use a CC BY-SA license?]]
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===For Licensors===
 
'''NB:  You should never apply a CC license to a work unless you have [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Before_Licensing all the permissions you need] to do so. '''  
 
'''NB:  You should never apply a CC license to a work unless you have [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Before_Licensing all the permissions you need] to do so. '''  
  
====How do I apply a Creative Commons<small><sup>®</sup></small> license to my work?====
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#[[#What_things_should_I_think_about_before_I_apply_a_Creative_Commons_license_to_my_work.3F | What things should I think about before I apply a Creative Commons license to my work?]]
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#[[#How_should_I_decide_which_license_to_choose.3F | How should I decide which license to choose?]]
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#[[#Should_I_choose_an_international_license_or_a_ported_license.3F | Should I choose an international license or a ported license?]]
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#[[#What_if_I_change_my_mind.3F | What if I change my mind?]]
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#[[#Can_I_use_a_Creative_Commons_license_if_I_am_a_member_of_a_collecting_society.3F | Can I use a Creative Commons license if I am a member of a collecting society?]]
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#[[#Can_I_still_make_money_from_a_work_I_make_available_under_a_Creative_Commons_license.3F | Can I still make money from a work I make available under a Creative Commons license?]]
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#[[#How_do_Creative_Commons_licenses_affect_my_moral_rights.2C_if_at_all.3F | How do Creative Commons licenses affect my moral rights, if at all?]]
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#[[#Can_I_change_the_license_terms_or_conditions.3F | Can I change the license terms or conditions?]]
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#[[#What_happens_if_I_offer_my_work_under_a_Creative_Commons_license_and_someone_misuses_my_work.3F | What happens if I offer my work under a Creative Commons license and someone misuses my work?]]
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#[[#What_can_I_do_if_I_offer_my_work_under_a_Creative_Commons_license_and_I_do_not_like_the_way_someone_uses_my_work.3F | What can I do if I offer my work under a Creative Commons license and I do not like the way someone uses my work?]]
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#[[#What_do_I_do_if_someone_tries_to_restrict_my_work_with_digital_rights_management_.28DRM.29.3F | What do I do if someone tries to restrict my work with digital rights management (DRM)?]]
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#[[#Do_I_need_to_register_with_Creative_Commons_before_I_obtain_a_license.3F | Do I need to register with Creative Commons before I obtain a license?]]
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#[[#How_do_I_apply_a_Creative_Commons_license_to_my_work.3F | How do I apply a Creative Commons license to my work?]]
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#[[#Why_should_I_use_the_license_chooser.3F_What_if_I_don.E2.80.99t.3F | Why should I use the license chooser? What if I don’t?]]
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#[[#May_I_apply_a_Creative_Commons_license_to_a_work_in_the_public_domain.3F | May I apply a Creative Commons license to a work in the public domain?]]
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#[[#Can_I_insist_on_the_exact_placement_of_the_attribution_credit.3F | Can I insist on the exact placement of the attribution credit?]]
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#[[#Can_I_apply_a_Creative_Commons_license_to_software.3F | Can I apply a Creative Commons license to software?]]
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#[[#Can_I_apply_a_Creative_Commons_license_to_data_or_a_database.3F | Can I apply a Creative Commons license to data or a database?]]
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#[[#Can_I_place_a_trademark_on_a_work_and_offer_the_work_under_a_CC_license_without_also_licensing_or_otherwise_affecting_rights_in_the_trademark.3F_If_so.2C_how.3F | Can I place a trademark on a work and offer the work under a CC license without also licensing or otherwise affecting rights in the trademark? If so, how?]]
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===For Licensees===
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#[[#What_should_I_think_about_before_using_a_work_offered_under_a_Creative_Commons_license.3F | What should I think about before using a work offered under a Creative Commons license?]]
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#[[#Are_all_the_licenses_at_the_same_version_level_identical.3F_What_should_I_know_about_differences_between_the_international_licenses_and_the_ported_licenses.3F | Are all the licenses at the same version level identical? What should I know about differences between the international licenses and the ported licenses?]]
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#[[#Does_a_Creative_Commons_license_give_me_all_the_rights_I_need_to_use_the_work.3F | Does a Creative Commons license give me all the rights I need to use the work?]]
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#[[#How_do_I_properly_attribute_a_work_offered_under_a_Creative_Commons_license.3F | How do I properly attribute a work offered under a Creative Commons license?]]
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#[[#Do_I_need_to_be_aware_of_anything_else_when_providing_attribution_or_credit.3F | Do I need to be aware of anything else when providing attribution or credit?]]
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#[[#What_happens_if_I_want_to_use_the_work_in_a_way_that_is_not_permitted_by_the_license.3F | What happens if I want to use the work in a way that is not permitted by the license?]]
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#[[#Does_my_use_violate_the_NonCommercial_clause_of_the_licenses.3F | Does my use violate the NonCommercial clause of the licenses?]]
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#[[#Does_my_use_constitute_an adaptation.3F | Does my use constitute an adaptation?]]
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#[[#Can_I_combine_works_that_use_different_Creative_Commons_licenses_into_my_work.3F | Can I combine works that use different Creative Commons licenses into my work?]]
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#[[#If_I_derive_or_adapt_a_work_offered_under_a_Creative_Commons_license.2C_which_CC_license.28s.29_can_I_apply_to_the_resulting_work.3F | If I derive or adapt a work offered under a Creative Commons license, which CC license(s) can I apply to the resulting work?]]
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#[[#If_I_create_a_collective_work_that_includes_a_work_offered_under_a_CC_license.2C_which_license.28s.29_may_I_choose_for_the_collection.3F | If I create a collective work that includes a work offered under a CC license, which license(s) may I choose for the collection?]]
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#[[#Where_can_I_find_material_offered_under_a_CC_license.3F | Where can I find material offered under a CC license?]]
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===Technical Questions===
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#[[#How_do_Creative_Commons_licenses_and_public_domain_tools_work_technically.3F | How do Creative Commons licenses and public domain tools work technically?]]
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#[[#What_does_it_mean_that_Creative_Commons_licenses_are_.22machine-readable.22.3F | What does it mean that Creative Commons licenses are "machine-readable"?]]
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#[[#What_is_RDFa.3F | What is RDFa?]]
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#[[#What_is_CC_REL_and_why_does_Creative_Commons_recommend_it.3F | What is CC REL and why does Creative Commons recommend it?]]
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#[[#What_does_it_mean_for_a_search_engine_to_be_CC-enabled.3F | What does it mean for a search engine to be CC-enabled?]]
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#[[#How_do_I_give_users_of_my_site_the_option_to_use_CC_licensing_like_Flickr_does.3F | How do I give users of my site the option to use CC licensing like Flickr does?]]
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#[[#How_can_I_change_or_remove_the_Creative_Commons_search_option_built_into_the_Firefox_browser.3F | How do I change/remove the Creative Commons search options built into the Firefox browser?]]
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#[[#Is_Creative_Commons_involved_in_digital_rights_management_.28DRM.29.3F | Is Creative Commons involved in digital rights management (DRM)?]]
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===Legal Background===
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#[[#What_is_copyright_and_why_does_it_matter.3F | What is copyright and why does it matter?]]
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#[[#What_is_the_public_domain.3F | What is the public domain?]]
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#[[#What_do_I_need_to_do_to_get_a_copyright.3F | What do I need to do to get a copyright?]]
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#[[#What_is_an_adaptation.3F | What is an adaptation?]]
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#[[#What_are_moral_rights.3F | What are moral rights?]]
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#[[#What_are_neighboring_rights.3F | What are neighboring rights?]]
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#[[#What_are_collecting_societies.3F | What are collecting societies?]]
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#[[#What_are_publicity_and_privacy_rights.3F | What are publicity and privacy rights?]]
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<hr/>
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==About CC==
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<span id="What_is_Creative_Commons.3F"></span>
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<span id="Who_started_Creative_Commons.3F"></span>
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<span id="What_problem_does_Creative_Commons_intend_to_solve.3F"></span>
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<span id="Whom_does_Creative_Commons_serve_or_represent.3F"></span>
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====What is Creative Commons and what do you do?====
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Creative Commons is a global nonprofit organization that enables sharing and reuse of creativity and knowledge through the provision of free legal tools.  CC has affiliates [http://creativecommons.org/international/ all over the world] who help ensure our licenses work internationally and who raise awareness about our work. Our legal tools help those who want to encourage reuse of their works by offering them for use under generous, standardized terms, those who want to make creative uses of works, and those who want to benefit from this symbiosis.  Our vision is to help others realize the full potential of the internet.
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Although Creative Commons is best known for licenses, our work extends beyond just providing copyright licenses. CC offers a number of other legal and technical tools that also facilitate sharing and discovery of creative works. Unlike other public legal tools, [[#Technical_Questions_2 | Creative Commons' licenses and tools were designed specifically to work with the web]], which makes content that is offered under their terms easy to search for, discover and use. CC also offers other legal tools, such as [http://creativecommons.org/choose/zero/ CC0], a public domain dedication for rightsholders who wish to put their work into the public domain in advance of the expiration of applicable copyright, and the [http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0 Public Domain Mark], a tool for marking a work that is in the worldwide public domain. Additionally, Creative Commons makes available tools used by scientific communities, such as standard materials transfer agreements.
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For more information about CC, our [http://creativecommons.org main website] contains in-depth information about [http://creativecommons.org/about/ the organization], its [http://creativecommons.org/about/people/ staff and board of directors], its [http://creativecommons.org/about/history history] and its [https://support.creativecommons.org/supporters supporters]. You can also read [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Case_Studies CC case studies] to learn about some of the inspiring ways CC licenses and tools have been used to share works and support innovative business models.  You can also find up-to-the-minute information about CC by visiting the [http://creativecommons.org/weblog blog].
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====Is Creative Commons against copyright?====
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Absolutely not. CC has [http://creativecommons.org/weblog/entry/22643 responded to claims to the contrary]. CC licenses are copyright licenses, and depend on the existence of copyright to work. CC licenses are legal tools that creators and other rightsholders can use to offer certain usage rights to the public, while reserving other rights. Those who want to make their work available to the public for limited kinds of uses while preserving their copyright may want to consider using CC licenses. Others who want to reserve all of their rights under copyright law should not use CC licenses.
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<span id="Will_Creative_Commons_help_me_enforce_my_license.3F"></span>
  
For online works, you apply a Creative Commons license to a work by [http://creativecommons.org/choose/ selecting the license that suits your preferences]. Once you have selected your license, and if you are applying it to an online work, follow the instructions to include the html code in your work. This code will automatically generate a license button and a statement that your work is licensed under a Creative Commons license, or a CC0 or public domain button if you choose to dedicate your work to the public domain or certify that a work is in the public domain via one of our [http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain public domain tools]. These buttons are designed to act as a notice to people who come in contact with your work that your work is licensed under the applicable Creative Commons license or is in the public domain. The html code will also include the metadata that enables your work to be found via [http://search.creativecommons.org Creative Commons-enabled search engines].
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====Can Creative Commons give legal advice about its licenses or other tools, or help with CC license enforcement?====
  
====Can I apply a Creative Commons license to an offline work?====
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No. Creative Commons is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or legal services. CC is similar to a self-help service that offers free, form-based legal documents for others to use. CC also provides a [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Jurisdiction_Database jurisdiction database] where you can compare the international licenses (formerly known at the "unported licenses") and ports (adaptations of the international licenses for particular jurisdictions), and a [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/License_versions license versions page] where you can compare the differences between license versions.
  
Yes. For offline works, you should identify which Creative Commons license you wish to apply to your work and then mark your work either: (a) with a statement such as “This work is licensed under the Creative Commons [insert description] License. To view a copy of this license, visit [insert url]; or, (b) send a letter to Creative Commons, 444 Castro Street, Suite 900, Mountain View, California 94140, USA.” or insert the applicable license buttons with the same statement and URL link.  
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The CC wiki has a [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/CC_Friendly_Lawyers list of lawyers and organizations] who have identified themselves as willing to provide information to others about CC licensing issues. However, please note that CC does not provide referral services, and does not endorse or recommend any person on that list. CC's [[CC Affiliate Network|Affiliate Network]] may also be a good resource for information about the licenses in a particular jurisdiction, though they should not be contacted for legal advice, at least in their capacity as a member of our CC Affiliate Network.
  
The only difference between applying a Creative Commons license to an offline work and applying it to an online work is that offline works will not include the metadata and, consequently, will not be identified via [http://search.creativecommons.org Creative Commons-customized search engines].
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<span id="Will_Creative_Commons_give_me_permission_to_use_a_work.3F"></span>
  
====May I apply a Creative Commons license to a work that is in the public domain?====
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<span id="#Will_Creative_Commons_give_me_permission_to_use_a_work.3F"></span>
  
No, Creative Commons licenses should not be applied to works in the public domain.  Our licenses are intended for works protected by copyright only.  Our deeds now state this unambiguously:  "Public Domain -- where the work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license."  Applying a CC license to a work in the public domain may constitute [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyfraud Copyfraud]. However, if you incorporate a work that is in the public domain into a collection that is itself protected by copyright, then you may apply a Creative Commons license to the work as a collection, although the license will not affect the status of public domain work.  Similarly, you may apply a Creative Commons license to an adaptation of a public domain work if you hold copyright to the adaptation.
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====Who gives permission to use works offered under Creative Commons licenses?====
  
====How does a Creative Commons license operate?====
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Our licenses and legal tools are intended for use by anyone who holds copyright to the work.  This is often, but not always, the creator or author.  Creative Commons has no authority to grant permission on behalf of those persons, nor does CC manage those rights on behalf of others. CC offers licenses and tools to the public free of charge and does not require that creators or other rightsholders register with CC in order to apply a CC license to a work. This means that CC does not have special knowledge of who uses the licenses and for what purposes, nor does CC have a way to contact authors beyond means generally available to the public.
  
A Creative Commons license is based on copyright. CC licenses apply to works that are protected by copyright law. The kinds of works that are protected by copyright law are books, websites, blogs, photographs, films, videos, songs and other audio & visual recordings, for example. Software programs are also protected by copyright but, as explained below, we do not recommend that you apply a Creative Commons license to software code.
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If you would like to obtain additional permissions to use the work beyond those granted by the license that has been applied, you should [[#What_happens_if_I_want_to_do_something_with_the_work_that_is_not_permitted_by_the_license.3F | contact the rightsholder]].
  
Creative Commons licenses give you the ability to dictate how others may exercise your copyright rights—such as the right of others to copy your work, make derivative works or adaptations of your work, to distribute your work and/or make money from your work. They do not give you the ability to restrict anything that is otherwise permitted by exceptions or limitations to copyright—including, importantly, fair use or fair dealing—nor do they give you the ability to control anything that is not protected by copyright law, such as facts and ideas.
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<span id="Does_Creative_Commons_host_or_own_any_content.3F"></span>
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<span id="Is_Creative_Commons_building_a_database_of_licensed_content.3F"></span>
  
Creative Commons licenses attach to the work and authorize everyone who comes in contact with the work to use it consistent with the license. This means that if Bob has a copy of your Creative Commons-licensed work, Bob can give a copy to Carol and Carol will be authorized to use the work consistent with the Creative Commons license. You then have a license agreement separately with both Bob and Carol.
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<span id="Does_Creative_Commons_determine_what_content_is_released_under_its_licenses.3F"></span>
  
You should be aware that Creative Commons licenses only affect your rights under copyright.  You are not licensing your trademark or patent rights, if any, when you apply a CC license to your work.
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====Does Creative Commons collect or track works licensed under a CC license?====
  
Creative Commons licenses are expressed in three different formats: the Commons Deed (human-readable code), the Legal Code (lawyer-readable code); and the metadata (machine readable code). You don’t need to sign anything to get a Creative Commons license—just [http://creativecommons.org/license/ select your license with our License Chooser].
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CC does not collect content or track works except by way of example. CC builds technical tools that help the public search for and use works licensed under our licenses and other legal tools.
  
One final thing you should understand about Creative Commons licenses is that they are all non-exclusive. This means that you can permit the general public to use your work under a Creative Commons license and then enter into a separate and different non-exclusive license with someone else, for example, in exchange for money.
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For instance, the [https://creativecommons.net/ CC Network] [http://creativecommons.org/weblog/entry/10043 allows creators and users to express their support for Creative Commons], and also provides a tool for creators to authenticate ownership of their works.
  
====What things should I think about before I apply a Creative Commons license to my work?====
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CC also offers tools like [http://search.creativecommons.org/ CC Search] to help the public discover works offered under Creative Commons licenses on the Internet via CC-aware search engines and repositories.
  
We have set out some things that you should think about before you apply a Creative Commons license to your work [[Before Licensing|here]].
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<span id="I_want_to_incorporate_the_Creative_Commons_logos_into_my_site_or_work.2C_can_I.3F"></span>
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<span id="I_want_to_print_out_some_t-shirts_.26_stickers_with_Creative_Commons_logos.3B_how_do_I_go_about_doing_this.3F"></span>
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<span id="Where_can_I_get_a_high_resolution_version_of_the_Creative_Commons_logos.3F"></span>
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<span id="Can_I_change_the_Creative_Commons_logos_so_that_they_look_better_on_my_site_or_with_my_work.3F"></span>
  
====Which Creative Commons license should I choose?====
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====May I use the Creative Commons logo and buttons?====
  
You should choose the license that meets your preferences. The license is a statement as to what others may do with your work, so you should select a license that matches what you are happy for others to do with your work. You can find [http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses/meet-the-licenses an overview of the Creative Commons licenses here].
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You may [http://creativecommons.org/about/downloads download high resolution versions] of the Creative Commons logos and use them in connection with your work or your website, provided you comply with our [http://creativecommons.org/policies policies]. Among other things, if you use the logos on a website or on your work, you may not alter the logos in any respect -- such as by changing the font, the proportions or the colors. CC's buttons, name and corporate logo (the “CC” in a circle) are trademarks of Creative Commons.  You cannot use them in ways not permitted by our policies unless you first receive express, written permission. This means, for example, that you cannot (without our permission) print your own buttons and t-shirts using CC logos, although you can purchase them in CC’s [https://creativecommons.net/store/ store].  
  
You can find out information about how our licenses have been applied by other people to [http://creativecommons.org/text/ text], [http://creativecommons.org/audio/ audio], [http://creativecommons.org/image/ images], [http://creativecommons.org/video/ video] and [http://creativecommons.org/education/ educational works].  
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<span id="I_love_what_Creative_Commons_does._How_can_I_help.3F"></span>
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====I love Creative Commons. How can I help?====
  
You can also participate in our [http://creativecommons.org/discuss email discussion lists] and/or review the discussion archives to see if our community is able to respond to your questions and concerns and/or has already addressed them.
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Please support CC by making a donation through our [https://creativecommons.net/ support page]. You can choose to receive a variety of cool merchandise in exchange for your donation, depending on the amount donated. Donations and shipping information can be handled through Google Checkout or PayPal. You can also support CC by visiting our [https://creativecommons.net/store store].
  
Finally, you can also consult with a lawyer to obtain advice on the best license for your needs. For information about how you may be able to locate a suitably qualified lawyer, please refer to [[Frequently_Asked_Questions#Will_Creative_Commons_help_me_enforce_my_license?|this question and answer]].
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CC always welcomes your feedback, which you can provide by emailing [mailto:info@creativecommons.org info@creativecommons.org]. Alternately, you can participate in CC's [http://creativecommons.org/contact#discuss email discussion lists] and share feedback and ideas in one of those forums.
  
====What if I change my mind?====
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<span id="Who_funds_Creative_Commons.3F"></span>
  
Creative Commons licenses are non-revocable. This means that you cannot stop someone, who has obtained your work under a Creative Commons license, from using the work according to that license. You can stop distributing your work under a Creative Commons license at any time you wish; but this will not withdraw any copies of your work that already exist under a Creative Commons license from circulation, be they verbatim copies, copies included in collective works and/or adaptations of your work. So you need to think carefully when choosing a Creative Commons license to make sure that you are happy for people to be using your work consistent with the terms of the license, even if you later stop distributing your work.
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====Why does Creative Commons run an annual fundraising campaign? What is the money used for and where does it go?====
  
====Do I need to sign something or register to obtain a Creative Commons license?====
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Creative Commons is a global nonprofit organization that enables sharing and reuse of creativity and knowledge through free legal tools, with affiliates all over the world who help ensure our licenses work internationally and raise awareness about our work. Our tools are free and our reach is wide. In order to:
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*continue developing our licenses and public domain tools to make sure they are legally and technically up-to-date around the world,
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*help creators implement these tools on websites through best practices and individual assistance,
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*enable CC licensing on major content-sharing platforms,
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*enhance CC-licensed resource search and discovery,
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*advocate for CC licensing and open policies in education, science, and culture, and myriad other activities we’re forgetting to mention--such as all the everyday, boring but essential operations that go into running an organization--we need $ to make it all happen!
  
No. Creative Commons licenses are designed to be applied to your work and to be binding upon people who use your work based on their notice of the Creative Commons “Some Rights Reserved” (or “No Rights Reserved” in the case of works dedicated to or certified to be in the public domain with one of our [http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain public domain tools]) button and the statement that the work is Creative Commons-licensed.  
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Creative Commons has always relied on the generosity of both individuals and organizations to fund its ongoing operations. It is essential we have the public’s support because it is the creators and users, neither mutually exclusive, that make our tools relevant in this digital age. They depend on the tools and services CC provides through their reuse and remix of the rich and open resources available on Wikipedia, Flickr, SoundCloud, Vimeo, Europeana, MIT OpenCourseWare, the Public Library of Science, Al Jazeera, and YouTube--just to name a few. Many of these people donate $10, $25 or $50 to CC, to help keep it up and running so we can continue to provide our tools and services for free, as a nonprofit organization. The more people who donate to CC, the more independent it will remain.
  
We do not keep track of or a register of which creative works have been licensed under a Creative Commons license. We make the licenses, code and tools available for you to use or not as you wish.
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==General License Information==
  
====What is the Commons Deed? What is the legal code? What does the html/metadata do?====
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<span id="How_does_a_Creative_Commons_license_operate.3F"></span>
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<span id="What_are_the_terms_of_a_Creative_Commons_license.3F"></span>
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====What are Creative Commons licenses?====
  
Creative Commons licenses are expressed in three different formats: the Commons Deed (human-readable code), the Legal Code (lawyer-readable code); and the metadata (machine readable code).
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[http://creativecommons.org/licenses Creative Commons licenses] provide an easy way to manage the copyright terms that attach automatically to all creative works under copyright.  Our licenses allow those works to be shared and re-used under terms that are flexible and legally sound.  Creative Commons offers a core suite of six copyright licenses.  Because there is no single "Creative Commons license," it is important to identify which of the six licenses you are applying to your work, and which of the six licenses has been applied to a work you intend to use.
  
The Commons Deed is a summary of the key terms of the actual license (which is the Legal Code)—basically, what others can and cannot do with the work. Think of it as the user-friendly interface to the Legal Code beneath. This Deed itself has no legal value, and its contents do not appear in the actual license.
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All of our licenses require that users provide attribution (BY) to the original creator and licensor (where those are different) when the content is used and shared. Some licensors choose the BY license, which conditions reuse only on that condition.  The other five licenses combine BY with one or more of three additional conditions:  NonCommercial (NC), which prohibits commercial use of the work; NoDerivatives (ND), which permits reuse provided the work is not modified; and if modifications are allowed, ShareAlike (SA), which requires modified works be released under the same license.
  
The Legal Code is the actual license; a document designed to be enforced in a court of law.  
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CC licenses may be applied to any type of work, including [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/OER educational resources], [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Musician music], [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Photographer photographs], [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Data databases], [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Government_use_of_Creative_Commons government and public sector information] and [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Case_Studies many other types of creative content].  The only categories of works for which CC does not recommend its licenses are [[#Can_I_apply_a_Creative_Commons_license_to_software.3F | computer software]] and works that are [[#May_I_apply_a_Creative_Commons_license_to_a_work_in_the_public_domain | no longer protected by copyright or are otherwise in the public domain]].
  
The metadata describes the key license elements that apply to a piece of content to enable discovery through [http://search.creativecommons.org CC-enabled search engines].
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====How do CC licenses operate?====
  
====I am in a band; can I use Creative Commons licenses but still collect statutory royalties such as under statutory licenses for public performances?====
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CC licenses take effect and are operative only when applied to a work in which a copyright exists, and even then only when a particular use of the work is prohibited by copyright.  This means that CC license terms and conditions are not triggered by uses of a licensed work that are permitted under [[#Do_Creative_Commons_licenses_affect_fair_use.2C_fair_dealing.2C_or_other_exceptions_to_copyright.3F | a use permitted under any applicable exceptions and limitations to copyright]], nor do license terms and conditions apply to elements of a licensed work that are in the public domain.  This also means that CC licenses do not contractually impose restrictions on uses of a work where there is no underlying copyright. This feature (and others) distinguish CC licenses from some other open licenses like the [http://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/ ODbL] and [http://opendatacommons.org/licenses/by/ ODC-BY], both of which are intended to [http://opendatacommons.org/faq/licenses/#db-versus-contents impose contractual conditions and restrictions] on the reuse of databases in jurisdictions where there is no underlying copyright or sui generis database right. 
  
Yes, so long as you choose a “NonCommercial” license option (ie. Attribution-NonCommercial, Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike or Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives) because under these licenses you reserve the right to collect royalties under statutory or compulsory licenses for commercial use of your work. Whether, as a practical matter, you can collect these royalties, depends on which country you are in (check out the answer to the next question).
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All CC licenses are non-exclusive -- creators and owners can enter into additional, different licensing arrangements for the same work at any time, a practice known as dual-licensing. Note, however, that once granted, CC licenses are not revocable in the absence of a breach, and even then the license is terminated only as to the particular licensee.
  
Under the Creative Commons licenses that permit other people to make commercial use of your work (ie. Attribution, Attribution-ShareAlike, Attribution-NoDerivatives), the licensor waives the right to collect these royalties when possible to do so.
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There are [http://creativecommons.org/videos/ videos and comics] that offer visual descriptions of how CC licenses work.
  
====I am a member of a collecting society, can I use Creative Commons licenses?====
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====Which is the latest version of the licenses offered by Creative Commons?====
  
You need to check with your society. Currently, many of the collecting societies in Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Taiwan and the Netherlands take an assignment of rights (or in France what is called a “mandate” of rights that nonetheless has the same effect practically as an assignment) from you in present and future works (so that they effectively become the owner of these rights) and manage them for you. So if you are already a member of a collecting society in one of these jurisdictions, you may not be entitled to license your work yourself under a Creative Commons license because the necessary rights are not held by you but by the collecting society. Please also read the FAQ on the website of the Creative Commons project team for your jurisdiction for more information about this issue in your jurisdiction.
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In 2007, Creative Commons published the version 3.0 license suite. These licenses are the most up-to-date licenses offered by CC, and are recommended over all prior versions. You can see how the licenses have been improved over time on the [[License versions|license versions page]]. The process of porting the 3.0 international licenses to individual jurisdictions started in 2007. As of 2011, CC is no longer approving new porting projects while preparations are made for beginning version 4.0.
  
Creative Commons is reaching out to collecting societies in those jurisdictions where this problem arises to try to find a solution that enables creators to enjoy the benefits both systems offer.  
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If CC offers only a pre-version 3.0 ported license for your jurisdiction, or has never offered a ported license for your jurisdiction, consider using a 3.0 international (unported) license, all of which are intended to operate around the world.
  
If you encounter difficulties with using Creative Commons licenses because of your membership in a collecting society in your jurisdiction that is not listed above, please let either your country’s Creative Commons [http://creativecommons.org/worldwide/ project team] know or email info@creativecommons.org. Also, if you wish to discuss ways to try to deal with the situation in your country please contact your country’s Creative Commons [http://creativecommons.org/worldwide/ project team].
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====Why should I use the latest version (currently 3.0) of the Creative Commons licenses?====
  
If you are already a member of one of these collecting societies, feel free to encourage your collecting society to give you the option of Creative Commons licensing.
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You should always use the latest version of the Creative Commons licenses in order to take advantage of the improvements described on the [[License versions|license versions page]]. In addition, version 3.0 ShareAlike licenses are not backwards compatible, so users cannot license a work that incorporates or remixes a work offered under a BY-SA 3.0 license (like Wikipedia articles) under an earlier version of BY-SA.
  
====Can I still make money from a work I make available under a Creative Commons license?====
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<span id="Do_Creative_Commons_licenses_affect_fair_use.2C_fair_dealing_or_other_exceptions_to_copyright.3F"></span>
  
Absolutely. Firstly, because our licenses are non-exclusive which means you are not tied down to only make a piece of your content available under a Creative Commons license; you can also enter into other revenue-generating licenses in relation to your work. One of our central goals is to encourage people to experiment with new ways to promote and market their work.
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====Do Creative Commons licenses affect exceptions and limitations to copyright, such as fair dealing and fair use?====
  
Secondly, the noncommercial license option is an inventive tool designed to allow people to maximize the distribution of their works while keeping control of the commercial aspects of their copyright. To make one thing clear that is sometimes misunderstood: the "noncommercial use" condition applies only to others who use your work, not to you (the licensor). So if you choose to license your work under a Creative Commons license that includes the “noncommercial use” option, you impose the ”noncommercial” condition on the users (licensees). However, you, the creator of the work and/or licensor, may at any time decide to use it commercially. People who want to copy or adapt your work, "primarily for monetary compensation or financial gain" must get your separate permission first.
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No.  All of CC's licenses include language that accounts for exceptions and limitations, similar to the following:  “Nothing in this license is intended to reduce, limit, or restrict any rights arising from fair use, first sale or other limitations on the exclusive rights of the copyright owner under copyright law or other applicable laws.
  
One thing to note on the noncommercial provision: under current U.S. law, file-sharing or the trading of works online is considered a commercial use -- even if no money changes hands. Because we believe that file-sharing, used properly, is a powerful tool for distribution and education, all Creative Commons licenses contain a special exception for file-sharing. The trading of works online is not a commercial use, under our documents, provided it is not done for monetary gain.
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The laws of all jurisdictions allow at least some uses of copyrighted material without permission of the creator, and may include uses such as quotation, current-affairs reporting, or parody in some jurisdictions. These exceptions vary depending on the jurisdiction. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use Fair use] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_dealing fair dealing] are two exceptions to copyright that may be relevant to your use of a CC licensed work depending on your jurisdiction.
  
====Do I need to register my copyright?====
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====What does "Some Rights Reserved" mean?====
  
In most jurisdictions, registration is not required. However, for creators in the United States registration can be obtained and is advisable so that you can enforce your copyright in court. For US-based creators, you should check out the U.S. Copyright Office’s ‘[http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.pdf Copyright Basics]’ page, which explains more about copyright registration.
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Copyright grants to creators a bundle of exclusive rights over their creative works, which generally include the right to reproduce, distribute, display, make adaptations, perform, sell and so on. The phrase “All Rights Reserved” is often used by owners to indicate that they reserve all of the rights granted to them under the law. When copyright expires, the work enters the [[#What_is_the_public_domain.3F | public domain]], and the rightsholder can no longer stop others from engaging in those activities under copyright, with the exception of moral rights reserved to creators in some jurisdictions. Creative Commons licenses offer creators a spectrum of choices between retaining all rights and relinquishing all rights (public domain), an approach we call "Some Rights Reserved."
  
====How do I register my copyright?====
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====Are Creative Commons licenses enforceable in a court of law?====
  
If you are based in the US, to find out more about how to register your copyright, check out the U.S. Copyright Office’s ‘[http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.pdf Copyright Basics]’ document.
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Creative Commons licenses are drafted to be enforceable around the world, and have been [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Case_Law enforced in court] in various jurisdictions. To CC's knowledge, the licenses have never been held unenforceable or invalid.
  
====Is applying a Creative Commons license to my work the same or an alternative to registering the copyright to my work?====
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Please note that CC licenses contain a “severability” clause.  This allows a court to eliminate any provision determined to be unenforceable, and enforce the remaining provisions of the license in question.
  
No. Applying a Creative Commons license to your work does not give you the same, similar or alternate protection to registering your copyright. Creative Commons licenses apply in addition to and on top of an existing copyright.
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====What happens if someone applies a Creative Commons license to my work without my knowledge or authorization?====
  
====Do I need to register my copyright in order to use a Creative Commons license?====
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CC [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Before_Licensing alerts prospective licensors] they need to have all necessary rights before applying a CC license to a work.  If that is not the case and someone has marked your work with a CC license without your authorization, you should contact that person and tell them to remove the license from your work. You may also wish to contact a lawyer. Creative Commons is not a law firm and cannot represent you or give you legal advice, but there are [[#Can_Creative_Commons_give_legal_advice_about_its_licenses_or_help_with_CC_license_enforcement.3F | lawyers who have identified themselves as interested in representing people in CC-related matters]].
  
No. Creative Commons licenses apply to works that are copyrighted. As a general rule, in most jurisdictions, copyright protection is automatic for those works that satisfy the requirements of copyright law. Generally, copyright attaches to creative and expressive works once they are fixed in tangible form, ie. the minute you put pen to paper, brush to easel, hit the “save” button on your computer, the “send” button on your email or take a photo.
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====Which Creative Commons ShareAlike license versions are compatible with each other?====
  
For U.S. based creators, registering your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office is advisable so that you can enforce your copyright in court. For US-based creators, you should check out the U.S. Copyright Office’s ‘[http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.pdf Copyright Basics]’ page which explains more about copyright registration.
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Version 1.0 of the CC licenses containing the ShareAlike provision are not compatible with later versions of the ShareAlike licenses. If you wish to make an adaptation of a work licensed under BY-SA 1.0, for example, then the resulting adaptation must also be licensed under BY-SA 1.0.
  
====Do I need a copyright notice to protect my work?====
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All of the ShareAlike licenses starting from version 2.0 are compatible with future versions of the ShareAlike licenses.  If you want to make an adaptation using a photograph that is licensed under a BY-SA 2.0 license, you can apply BY-SA 3.0 to the adaptation.  The licenses are not backward compatible, however.  You cannot create an adaptation of a work licensed under BY-SA 3.0 and license the derivative under BY-SA 2.0. 
  
You do not need to apply a copyright notice to secure copyright protection. However, a copyright notice can be useful because it clearly signals to people that you believe you own copyright in your work and who to contact.  
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[http://wiki.creativecommons.org/License_versions Visit the license versions page] to compare the versions of the licenses on this point and others.
  
====Can I insist on the exact placement of the attribution credit for my work?====
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<span id="What_are_the_international_.28.22unported.22.29_CC_licenses.2C_and_why_does_CC_offer_.E2.80.9Cported.E2.80.9D_licenses.3F"></span>
  
No.  CC licenses allow for flexibility in the way credit is provided depending on the means used by a licensee to re-distribute the work. There may be differences based on the format in which the content is re-used. For example, providing attribution to the author when re-distributing information via a blog post may be different than how credit is provided to an author in a video remix.  All CC licenses provide that attribution is to be provided in a manner “reasonable to the medium or means” used by the licensee, and for credit to be provided in a “reasonable manner.”  This flexibility facilitates compliance by licensees – minimizing the risk that overly onerous and inflexible attribution requirements are simply disregarded.
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====What are the international (“unported”) Creative Commons licenses, and why does CC offer “ported” licenses?====
  
====Do Creative Commons licenses affect fair use, fair dealing or other exceptions to copyright?====
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One of Creative Commons’ goals is ensuring that all of its legal tools work globally. To this end, CC offers a core suite of six international copyright licenses (formerly called the "unported") that are drafted based on various [http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/treaties.htm international treaties governing copyright]. CC offers these international licenses so that anyone, anywhere in the world can share their work on globally standard terms.
  
No. All jurisdictions allow some uses of copyrighted material without permission, such as quotation, current-affairs reporting, or parody, although these vary from country to country. These usage rights are independent from the license and are not affected or changed in any way. To make this clear, all of our licenses include this or similar language: “Nothing in this license is intended to reduce, limit, or restrict any rights arising from fair use, first sale or other limitations on the exclusive rights of the copyright owner under copyright law or other applicable laws.” Thus, regardless of the jurisdiction a user is in, our licenses do not affect a user’s right to use or allow use of content under copyright exceptions and limitations. Read more about [[Podcasting_Legal_Guide#Fair_Use_Under_Copyright_Law_And_Its_Application_To_Podcasts|Fair Use in the United States.]].
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Creative Commons also offers ported versions of its six, core licenses for many jurisdictions (usually jurisdiction = country, but not always). These ported licenses are based on the international license suite but have been modified to reflect any local nuances in the expression of legal terms and conditions, drafting protocols and, of course, language. The ported licenses and the international licenses are all intended to be legally effective everywhere. However, if the ported licenses in your jurisdiction have not yet been versioned to 3.0 (launched in 2007), CC recommends that you consider using the equivalent international license instead and take advantage of the improvements in the 3.0 suite explained on the [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/License_versions license versions page].
  
====Can I use a Creative Commons license for software?====
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There are [[#Should_I_choose_an_international_license_or_a_ported_license.3F | considerations you may wish to take into account]] before choosing an international or a ported license.
  
We do not recommend it. Creative Commons licenses should not be used for software. We strongly encourage you to use one of the very good software licenses which are already available. We recommend considering licenses made available by the [http://www.fsf.org/ Free Software Foundation] or listed at the [http://www.opensource.org/ Open Source Initiative]. Unlike our licenses, which do not make mention of source or object code, these existing licenses were designed specifically for use with software. Furthermore, our licenses are [http://www.dwheeler.com/essays/gpl-compatible.html not compatible with the GPL], the most frequently used free software license.
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====What if CC licenses have not been ported to my jurisdiction (country)?====
  
Note that the CC0 Public Domain Dedication '''is''' GPL-compatible and acceptable for software. For details, [[CC0_FAQ#May_I_apply_CC0_to_computer_software.3F_If_so.2C_is_there_a_recommended_implementation.3F|see the relevant CC0 FAQ entry]].
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All CC licenses are intended to work worldwide.  If the licenses have not yet been ported to your jursidiction, or if your jurisdiction's ported licenses have not yet been versioned to 3.0, we suggest you consider using one of the international licenses.  
  
====Should I use Creative Commons licenses for software documentation?====
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Please note that as of 2011 CC no longer approves new license porting projects -- though we very much continue to encourage new jurisdiction projects!  We are dedicating resources to preparing for version 4.0.  Porting is a demanding process that requires a lot of resources and time by both CC and the porting team, and we need those resources and time for the 4.0 process.
  
Absolutely. Creative Commons licenses work well for all text materials.
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<span id="What_does_the_Creative_Commons_.E2.80.9CSome_Rights_Reserved.E2.80.9D_button_mean.3F_What_does_a_Creative_Commons_license_do.3F "></span>
  
====What happens when a copyright owner says her work is governed by two different Creative Commons licenses?====
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====What do the Creative Commons buttons do?====
  
As a user, you can choose to use the work under either license. Generally, a licensor that offers the same work under two different licenses gives the public a choice between them. If, for example, a photograph is governed by one license with a NonCommercial provision, plus a separate license with a NoDerivatives provision, it does not mean that both provisions apply together. If an owner wants both to apply together, she should be sure to choose a single license that contains both provisions.
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The CC buttons are a shorthand way to convey the basic permissions associated with works offered under CC licenses. Creators and owners who apply CC licenses to their works can [http://creativecommons.org/about/downloads download and apply those buttons] to communicate to users the permissions granted in advance. When the work is offered online, the buttons should usually link out to the human-readable license deeds (that are in turn linked to the license itself).
  
====Are Creative Commons licenses enforceable in a court of law?====
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====Can I include a work licensed with CC BY in a Wikipedia article even though they use a CC BY-SA license?====
  
The Creative Commons Legal Code has been drafted with the intention that it will be enforceable in court. That said, we can not account for every last nuance in the world's various copyright laws and/or the circumstances within which our licenses are applied and Creative Commons-licensed content is used. Please note, however, that our licenses contain "severability" clauses -- meaning that, if a certain provision is found to be unenforeceable in a certain place, that provision and only that provision drops out of the license, leaving the rest of the agreement intact.
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Yes. Works licensed under CC BY may be incorporated into works that are licensed under CC BY-SA. For example, you may incorporate a CC BY photograph into a Wikipedia article so long as you keep all copyright notices intact, provide proper attribution and otherwise comply with the terms of CC BY.  [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ Learn more] about the licenses.
  
====Will Creative Commons help me enforce my license?====
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<span id="What_should_IGOs_consider_before_applying_a_CC_license.3F"></span>
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<span id="Do_CC_licenses_impose_obligations_on_IGOs_.28or_other_licensors.29_that_could_result_in_liability.3F"></span>
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<span id="What_law_would_be_applied_if_an_IGO_itself_chooses_to_enforce_the_terms_of_the_license_against_a_violator.3F"></span>
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====Can anyone use a CC license?  What about governments and intergovernmental organizations ("IGOs")?====
  
No. We are not permitted to provide legal advice or legal services to assist anyone with enforcing Creative Commons licenses. We are not a law firm. We're much like a legal self-help site that offers free form-based legal documents for you to use however you see fit.
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Anyone may use CC licenses for works they own, including governments and IGOs, and are [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Government frequently used to license copyrightable works]. The reasons for doing so vary, and often include a desire to maximize the impact and utility of works for educational and informational purposes, and to enhance transparency.
  
However, if you are based in the US, you may be able to find a suitably qualified volunteer lawyer in your area from [http://www.starvingartistslaw.com/help/volunteer%20lawyers.htm Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts]. If you are based in Australia, the [http://www.artslaw.com.au/ Arts Law Centre of Australia] may be able to put you in touch with a volunteer lawyer.
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Creative Commons licenses have [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ desirable features] that make them the preferred choice over custom licenses. CC licenses are standard and interoperable, which means works published by different authors using the same type of CC license can be translated, modified, compiled and/or remixed depending on the [[#Can_I_combine_works_that_use_different_Creative_Commons_licenses_into_my_work? | particular license applied]]. Creative Commons licenses are also machine-readable, allowing CC-licensed works to be easily discovered via search engines such as Google. These features maximize distribution, reuse and impact of works published by governments and IGOs.
  
====What happens if someone misuses my Creative Commons-licensed work?====
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Read more about how [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Government governments] and  [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/IGO IGOs] use and can leverage CC licenses and legal tools, considerations for using our licenses and how they operate in the IGO-context.
  
A Creative Commons license terminates automatically if someone uses your work contrary to the license terms. This means that, if a person uses your work under a Creative Commons license and they, for example, fail to attribute your work in the manner you specified, then they no longer have the right to continue to use your work. This only applies in relation to the person in breach of the license; it does not apply generally to the other people who use your work under a Creative Commons license and comply with its terms.
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==For Licensors==
  
You have a number of options as to how you can enforce this; you can consider contacting the person and asking them to rectify the situation and/or you can consider consulting a lawyer to act on your behalf. For information about how you may be able to locate a suitably qualified lawyer, please refer to [[Frequently_Asked_Questions#Will_Creative_Commons_help_me_enforce_my_license?|this question and answer]].
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====What things should I think about before I apply a Creative Commons license to my work?====
  
====I don’t like the way a person has used my work in a derivative work or included it in a collective work; what can I do?====
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Applying a Creative Commons license to your work is a serious decision. When you apply a CC license to your work, you give permission to anyone to use the work for the full duration of applicable copyright, absent a violation of the license.
  
If you do not like the way that a person has made a derivative work or incorporated your work into a collective work, under the Creative Commons licenses, you may request removal of your name from the derivative work or the collective work.
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CC [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Before_Licensing has identified some things that you should consider before you apply a CC license to your work], some of which relate to your ability to apply a license at all. Here are some highlights:
  
====What are moral rights, and how could I exercise them to prevent uses of my work that I don’t like?====
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*Is the work copyrightable? CC licenses do not apply to ideas, facts, or content that is otherwise not copyrightable. Different countries have different standards for what is and is not copyrightable or in the public domain.
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*Do you own the work?  Are you otherwise authorized to license the work under the specific CC license you are interested in using?  You should not apply a license to a work that you do not own or that you are not authorized to license.
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*Are you aware that CC licenses are not revocable? You are free to stop offering the work under a CC license at any time, but this will not affect the rights associated with any copies of your work already in circulation absent a breach by a particular licensee (which does not affect continual use of the work by other licensees).
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*Are you a member of a [[#What_are_collecting_societies.3F | collecting society]]? If you are, you should [[#Can_I_use_a_Creative_Commons_license_if_I_am_a_member_of_a_collecting_society.3F | make sure that you are able to use CC licenses for your works]].
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*Always read the terms and conditions of the specific license you plan to apply to your work.  Some of the ported licenses contain specific provisions that may impact your choice, such as a choice of law provision.  You may also want to access the [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Jurisdiction_Database jurisdiction database] to search for licenses that contain choice of law and/or other terms and conditions that you may find relevant to your license selection.
  
In addition to the right of licensors to request removal of their name from a work when used in a derivative or collective they don't like, copyright laws in most jurisdictions around the world (with the notable exception of the US except in very limited circumstances) grant creators “moral rights” which may provide some redress if a derivative work represents a “derogatory treatment” of the licensor's work. Moral rights give an original author the right to object to “derogatory treatment” of their work; “derogatory treatment” is typically defined as “distortion or mutilation” of the work or treatment that is “prejudicial to the honor, or reputation of the author.” Creative Commons licenses (with the exception of Canada) do not affect any moral rights licensors may have. This means that if you have moral rights as an original author of a work, you may be able to take action against a creator who is using your work in a way you find objectionable. Of course, not all derivative works you don’t like are necessarily “derogatory.”
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<span id="Which_Creative_Commons_license_should_I_choose.3F"></span>
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====How should I decide which license to choose?====
  
====What are the international ("unported") CC licenses, and why does CC offer “ported” licenses?====
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There are plenty of resources to help rightsholders choose the right CC license. CC Australia has developed a [http://creativecommons.org.au/learn-more/fact-sheets/which-creative-commons-licence-is-right-for-me-poster flow chart] that may be useful in helping you settle on the right license for your work. 
  
Creative Commons offers a core suite of six copyright licenses that are written to conform to international treaties governing copyright. These licenses were drafted to be utilized and enforceable around the world without further modification. You can think of the international license suite as appropriate for use in all of the countries that are signatories to the treaties mentioned above.  
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If you are unsure which license best suits your needs, Creative Commons offers several other tools that may help. Our case studies offer great examples of how CC licenses have been applied to [http://creativecommons.org/text/ text], [http://creativecommons.org/audio/ audio], [http://creativecommons.org/image/ images],
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[http://creativecommons.org/video/ video] and [http://creativecommons.org/education/ educational works]. The CC community can also respond to any questions, and may have already addressed issues you raise. The CC community [http://creativecommons.org/discuss email discussion lists] and discussion archives may be useful resources.
  
Creative Commons also offers ported versions of its six, core international licenses for many distinct jurisdictions (usually jurisdiction = country, but not always). These ported licenses are based on the international license suite and differ only in that they have been modified to reflect any local nuances in how legal terms and conditions are expressed, drafting protocols and, of course, language. The ported licenses and the international licenses are all intended to be legally effective anywhere.
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Finally, you may also want to [[#Can_Creative_Commons_give_legal_advice_about_its_licenses_or_help_with_CC_license_enforcement.3F | consult with a lawyer to obtain advice on the best license for your needs]].  
  
 
====Should I choose an international license or a ported license?====
 
====Should I choose an international license or a ported license?====
  
That depends. There are several reasons why the international licenses may be preferable for a licensor, even if the licenses have been ported to his or her jurisdiction. CC, for example, licenses all of its own content under an international license because, among other things, the international licenses are essentially jurisdiction-neutral while remaining effective globally. The neutral nature of the international licenses appeals to many people and organizations, particularly for use in connection with global projects that span political borders, a staple of digital culture today. Another reason the international licenses may be preferable is because the ported licenses for a particular jurisdiction may not always be at the most updated and [http://creativecommons.org/licenses recommended version]. The international licenses are always improved and updated before any others, since they are the licenses on which all of the ported licenses are based. Using the international licenses guarantees that the licensor has at his or her disposal the latest, recommended version.
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That depends. There are several reasons why the [[#What_are_the_international_.28.E2.80.9Cunported.E2.80.9D.29_Creative_Commons_licenses.2C_and_why_does_CC_offer_.E2.80.9Cported.E2.80.9D_licenses.3F | international licenses]] may be preferable for a rightsholder, even if the licenses have been ported to his or her jurisdiction. For example, CC licenses all of its own content under an international license because, among other reasons, the international licenses are essentially jurisdiction-neutral while remaining effective globally. The neutral nature of the international licenses appeals to many people and organizations, particularly for use in connection with global projects that transcend political borders, a common characteristic of digital culture today.  
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In addition, the ported licenses for some jurisdictions have not yet been versioned to 3.0, which means licensors using those licenses do not have the benefit of the improvements [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/License_versions made in the 3.0 license suite]. Moreover, the 3.0 ShareAlike licenses are not backwards compatible, so a user cannot create adaptations of works offered under 3.0 ShareAlike licenses (like Wikipedia pages) and offer the new works under earlier license versions. Finally, it is important to know that some of the ported licenses contain a choice of law provision, which may be undesirable for your licensing needs.
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Notwithstanding these benefits, some rightsholders still choose a license ported to their local jurisdiction because there are nuances in local law that are not explicitly addressed by the international licenses. For example, in the European Union, some licensors prefer to use ported licenses because all version 3.0 EU licenses account for the European Database Directive as implemented in national laws. The international licenses do not. If the licenses have been ported to your jurisdiction and you feel that your jurisdiction's ported licenses better account for some aspect of local legislation, then you may want to consider a ported license.
  
Notwithstanding those benefits, some creators still choose a license ported to their local jurisdiction because there may be some specific laws in their jurisdiction that are not explicitly handled by the international licenses.  For example, in the European Union some creators may prefer a ported license over an international license because all version 3.0 licenses ported to E.U. jurisdictions specifically address the European Database Directive as implemented in national laws.  The international licenses do not address that directive.  If the licenses have been ported to your jurisdiction and you feel that your jurisdiction's ported licenses account for some aspect of local legislation that the international licenses do not, then you may want to consider which license is better suited for your needs.
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[http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Jurisdiction_Database Use our jurisdiction database] to compare international licenses and ports on these issues and others, such as whether a ported license contains a choice of law or forum selection clause.  
  
====Can anyone use a CC license?  What about governments and intergovernmental organizations ("IGOs")?====
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====What if I change my mind?====
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CC licenses are not revocable. Once a work is published under a CC license, licensees may continue using the work according to the license terms for the duration of copyright protection.  Notwithstanding, CC licenses do not prohibit licensors from ceasing distribution of their works at any time. Additionally, CC licenses provide a [http://wiki-staging.creativecommons.org/Frequently_Asked_Questions#What_can_I_do_if_I_offer_my_work_under_a_Creative_Commons_license_and_I_do_not_like_the_way_someone_uses_my_work.3F mechanism] for licensors and authors to ask that others using their work remove the credit to them that is otherwise required by the license.  You should [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Before_Licensing think carefully before choosing a Creative Commons license].
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<span id="I_am_a_member_of_a_collecting_society.2C_can_I_use_Creative_Commons_licenses.3F"></span>
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====Can I use a Creative Commons license if I am a member of a collecting society?====
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Creators and other rightsholders may wish to check with their [[#What_are_collecting_societies.3F | collecting society]] before applying a CC license to their work. Many rightsholders who are members of a collecting society can waive the right to collect royalties for uses allowed under the license, but only to the extent that their societies allow.
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Collecting societies in Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Taiwan and The Netherlands take an assignment of rights (in France it is called a “mandate” of rights but has similar practical effect) from creators in present and future works and manage them, so that the societies effectively become the owner of these rights. Creators in these jurisdictions who belong to collecting societies may not be able to license their works under a CC license because the collecting societies own the necessary rights, not them.  CC is [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Collecting_Society_Projects working with several collecting societies] and running pilot programs that allow creators to use CC licenses for their works in some circumstances.
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If you are already a member of a collecting society and want to use CC licenses, feel free to encourage your collecting society to give you the option of Creative Commons licensing.
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<span id="I_am_a_member_of_a_collecting_society.2C_can_I_use_Creative_Commons_licenses.3F"></span>
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====Can I still make money from a work I make available under a Creative Commons license?====
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Absolutely. One of our goals is to encourage creators and rightsholders to experiment with new ways to promote and market their work. CC's NonCommercial (NC) licenses allow rightsholders to maximize distribution while maintaining control of the commercialization of their copyrighted works. Choose a license with the NC condition if you want to reserve the right to commercialize your work. The NC license condition '''only''' applies to users, '''not''' the owner of the work. As the rightsholder, you may still commercially exploit your work. If someone else wants to use your work commercially and you have applied an NC license to your work, they must first get your permission.
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====How do Creative Commons licenses affect my moral rights, if at all?====
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The international licenses provide that licensees “must not distort, mutilate, modify or take other derogatory action in relation to the Work which would be prejudicial to the Original Author's honor or reputation.” This prohibits licensees from making uses that would otherwise violate authors’ moral rights of integrity where that right exists. The attribution requirement contained in all of our licenses is intended to satisfy the moral right of attribution.
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The ported versions of the licenses often contain an adjusted version of this language, in part to account for moral rights legislation in a particular jurisdiction. As a general matter, all CC licenses preserve moral rights to the extent they exist (they do not exist everywhere), but allow uses of the work in ways contemplated by the license that might otherwise violate moral rights through a limited waiver or license of the moral rights where that is possible.  If you are applying a ported license to your work, you may wish to review the moral rights language in the particular license.
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[http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Jurisdiction_Database You can also compare how different jurisdictions have implemented this provision], or
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[http://wiki.creativecommons.org/License_versions browse the license versions page] to compare the treatment of this issue across the different versions of the CC licenses.
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<span id="http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Frequently_Asked_Questions#Can_I_change_the_terms_of_a_CC_license_or_waive_some_of_its_conditions.3F"></span>
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<span id="Can_I_change_the_terms_of_a_CC_license_or_waive_some_of_its_conditions.3F"></span>
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====Can I change the license terms or conditions?====
  
Anyone may use CC licenses for works they own, including governments and IGOs.  CC licenses are [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Government frequently used by governments and IGOs to license copyrightable works]The reasons for doing so vary, and often include a desire to maximize the impact and utility of works for educational and informational purposes, and to enhance transparency.
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While you can change our licenses -- CC [http://creativecommons.org/policies does not assert copyright in the text of the licenses] -- if you do so you cannot call the modified license a "Creative Commons" license or use our trademarks or logosAnd even though CC will not stop you from changing our licenses, there are many reasons why you should not.  Foremost, the modified license may not be compatible with CC licenses.  But there are other good reasons, too, such as confusion for users and decreased re-usability because the modified license is no longer standard.
  
Creative Commons licenses have desirable features that make them the [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ preferred choice] over custom licenses.  CC licenses are standard and interoperable, which means works published by different authors using the same type of CC license can be translated, modified, compiled and/or remixed depending on the [[#Can_I_combine_works_that_use_different_Creative_Commons_licenses_into_my_work? | particular license applied]]. Creative Commons licenses are also machine-readable, allowing CC-licensed works to be easily discovered via search engines such as Google. These features maximize distribution, reuse and impact of works published by governments and IGOs.
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Changing the terms is different from waiving requirements or conditions in the licenses. A licensor may always grant more permissions than are granted by our licenses.  The 3.0 licenses specifically contemplate a waiver or consent as long as the waiver or consent is in writing and signed.
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<span id="What_happens_if_someone_misuses_my_Creative_Commons-licensed_work.3F"></span>
  
====What should IGOs consider before applying a CC license?====
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====What happens if I offer my work under a Creative Commons license and someone misuses my work?====
  
Creative Commons recommends that IGOs use the international (formerly known as the "unported") licenses.  While no CC license (ported or unported) waives privileges and immunities that may apply to IGOs, the international licenses may be preferred because they have not been adapted to the laws of any particular jurisdiction. Using these licenses instead of a license adapted to the implementation of copyright law in a particular jurisdiction (a “ported license”) avoids any implication that an IGO has consented to jurisdiction or forum for resolution of disputes arising under the licenses, or has agreed that disputes arising under the licenses should be resolved in accordance with a particular jurisdiction’s laws.
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A CC license terminates automatically upon a violation of its conditions. For example, if a user of a work distributed under a Creative Commons license fails to attribute the creator as required, then the user no longer has the right to continue using the work and may be liable for copyright infringement. The license terminates with respect to the user who violated the license, but it remains in effect for all other users so long as they are in compliance.
  
====Do CC licenses impose obligations on IGOs (or other licensors) that could result in liability?====
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If you adopt a Creative Commons license and a user violates the license conditions, you have options for addressing the situation, from contacting the person and asking them to rectify the situation to [[#Can_Creative_Commons_give_legal_advice_about_its_licenses_or_help_with_CC_license_enforcement.3F | consulting a lawyer]] to act on your behalf.
  
No. CC licenses do not impose obligations on licensors, but instead grant others permission to use the licensed works consistent with license terms and conditions. The only exception is the undertaking by licensors not to enforce their copyright as long as the license terms are respected. CC licensors have the choice of enforcing (or not) any copyright licenses they grant.
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<span id="I_don.E2.80.99t_like_the_way_a_person_has_used_my_work_in_a_derivative_work_or_included_it_in_a_collective_work.3B_what_can_I_do.3F"></span>
  
This point is worth stressing. CC licenses impose no affirmative obligations of any kind on licensors.  There are more than 500,000,000 CC-licensed texts, photos, websites and other works.  Since the licenses were first published more than 8 years ago, CC has not been made aware of any claim made against a licensor under the licenses.  The reason is simple:  licensors are only waiving their rights to enforce copyright under certain circumstances, not accepting any affirmative duties or obligations in the license itself.  This makes CC licenses qualitatively different from the kinds of contracts or agreements that could subject IGOs to the jurisdiction of any particular country or legal process.
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====What can I do if I offer my work under a Creative Commons license and I do not like the way someone uses my work?====
  
As still further protection, in the unlikely event a claim is made against an IGO under a CC license, nothing in the license waives applicable privileges and immunities.
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Creative Commons licenses do not allow licensors to control how their works can be used except as limited by the license terms they select (i.e., NonCommercial, NoDerivatives, and ShareAlike (if modifications are allowed)).  As long as users abide by the selected license conditions, licensors cannot control how the work is used.
  
====What law would be applied if an IGO itself chooses to enforce the terms of the license against a violator?====
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That said, CC licenses do provide several mechanisms that allow licensors and authors to choose not to be associated with their works or uses with which they disagree.  First, all CC licenses prohibit using the attribution requirement to suggest that the original author or licensor endorses or supports a particular use of a work.  This "No Endorsement" provision protects reputation, and its violation constitutes a violation of the license and results in automatic termination.  Second, licensors may waive the attribution requirement -- choose not to be identified as the author or licensor of the work -- if they wish.  Third, if a work is modified or incorporated into a collection, and the original author or licensor does not like the how the work has been modified or used in the collection, CC licenses require that the person modifying the work or incorporating the work into a collection remove reference to the original author or licensor upon notice.  Finally, if the selected CC license permits modifications and adaptations of the original work, then the person modifying the work must indicate that the original has been modified.  This ensures that changes made to the original work -- whether or not acceptable to the original author or licensor -- are not attributed back to the licensor.
  
None of the CC 3.0 international licenses (contains a forum or jurisdiction selection clause. The international unported licenses are drafted using terminology from Berne and other conventions; it is not adapted to the laws of any jurisdiction but instead is jurisdiction agnostic. The only ported 3.0 licenses that contain a forum selection clause is the Hong Kong 3.0 license suite.  This suite is not recommended for use by licensors who want to preserve their right to bring an action in another forum. 
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<span id="What_happens_if_someone_tries_to_restrict_a_CC-licensed_work_with_digital_rights_management_.28DRM.29_tools.3F"></span>
  
A few of the ported licenses contain a choice of law provision. CC suggests that IGOs use the international licenses because they do not contain any forum selection clause or any choice of law, leaving the decision of which forum and law applies to the tribunal in which enforcement of the license is sought by the IGO.
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====What do I do if someone tries to restrict my work with digital rights management (DRM)?====
  
Those responsible for setting intellectual property or publication policy within an IGO should consider making these points clear in their copyright notice. One suggested implementation is:
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The use of [[#Is_Creative_Commons_involved_in_digital_rights_management_.28DRM.29.3F | DRM tools or any technical protection measures]] by licensees to prevent others from exercising the rights granted by the license is prohibited. All of CC's licenses prohibit users from "impos(ing) any effective technological measures on the Work that restrict the ability of a recipient of the Work from You to exercise the rights granted to that recipient under the terms of the License."
  
: © YEAR by ORGANIZATION. TITLE OF PUBLICATION is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (unported):  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/For the avoidance of doubt, by applying this license ORGANIZATION does not waive any privileges or immunities from claims that it may be entitled to assert, nor does ORGANIZATION submit itself to the jurisdiction, courts, legal processes or laws of any jurisdiction.
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Not all encryption or access limitations are necessarily prohibited by the licenses. For example, content sent via email and encrypted with the recipient's public key does not restrict use of the work by the recipient. Likewise, limiting recipients to a set of users (e.g., with a username and password) does not restrict use of the work by the recipientsThese examples are not incompatible with the prohibition on DRM because the recipient is not prevented from exercising all rights granted by the license (including rights of further redistribution).  
  
===Questions for people thinking about using a Creative Commons-licensed work===
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If you become aware of someone using technical protection measures with your CC-licensed work, you may wish to contact them directly to obtain compliance or hire a lawyer to represent you.
  
====Will Creative Commons give me permission to use a work?====
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<span id="Do_I_need_to_sign_something_or_register_to_obtain_a_Creative_Commons_license.3F"></span>
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<span id="Is_applying_a_Creative_Commons_license_to_my_work_the_same_or_an_alternative_to_registering_the_copyright_to_my_work.3F"></span>
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<span id="Do_I_need_to_register_my_copyright_in_order_to_use_a_Creative_Commons_license.3F"></span>
  
The permission isn’t ours to give. Creative Commons simply makes available licenses and tools to enable creators and licensors to license their works on more flexible terms. By applying a Creative Commons license to a work, the creator or licensor has decided to clearly signal to members of the public, such as you, that you may use the work without having to ask for permission—provided that you use it consistent with the license terms.
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<span id="Do_I_need_to_register_my_copyright_in_order_to_use_a_Creative_Commons_license.3F"></span>
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<span id="Does_it_cost_me_anything_to_use_the_Creative_Commons_licenses_.26_tools.3F"></span>
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====Do I need to register with Creative Commons before I obtain a license?====
  
====Does Creative Commons determine what content is released under its licenses?====
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No. CC offers the licenses, code and tools to the public free of charge, without obligation. CC does not require or provide any means for creators or rightsholders to register their use of a CC license, nor does CC maintain a database of works distributed under Creative Commons licenses. CC also does not require registration of the work with a national copyright agency.
  
Creative Commons, as an organization, does not control how the licenses are used and does not check or verify whether a Creative Commons license has been correctly applied to a particular work. Creative Commons does not endorse or certify any use of its licenses.
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<span id="How_do_I_apply_a_Creative_Commons.C2.AE_license_to_my_work.3F"></span>
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<span id="Can_I_apply_a_Creative_Commons_license_to_an_offline_work.3F"></span>
  
Instead, Creative Commons provides the licenses as a tool that may be adopted (or not) by members of the creative community.  Creative Commons does not determine whether the use of the licenses is appropriate for your situation or for a particular work.
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====How do I apply a Creative Commons license to my work?====
  
====What are the terms of a Creative Commons license?====
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'''For online works''': Select the license that is appropriate for your work [http://creativecommons.org/choose/ from the CC license chooser] and then follow the instructions to include the html code in your work. The code will automatically generate a [http://wiki-staging.creativecommons.org/Frequently_Asked_Questions#What_do_the_Creative_Commons_buttons_do.3F license button] and a statement that your work is licensed under a CC license. The html code will also include metadata, which allows the work to be discovered via [http://search.creativecommons.org/ Creative Commons-enabled search engines].
  
The key terms of the core suite of Creative Commons licenses are: Attribution, NonCommercial, NoDerivatives and ShareAlike. These license elements are succinctly described as follows:
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'''For offline works''': Identify which license you wish to apply to your work and either (a) mark your work with a statement such as, “This work is licensed under the Creative Commons [insert description] License. To view a copy of the license, visit [insert url]; or (b) insert the applicable license buttons with the same statement and URL link.
  
: '''Attribution.''' You let people copy, distribute, display, perform, and remix your copyrighted work, as long as they give you credit the way you request. All CC licenses contain this property.  
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To clarify, the only difference between applying a CC license to an offline rather than an online work is that the offline work will not include metadata, so users will be unable to find it through the CC-enabled search engines.
  
: '''NonCommercial.''' You let people copy, distribute, display, perform, and remix your work for non-commercial purposes only. If they want to use your work for commercial purposes, they must contact you for permission.  
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CC offers resources on the [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Marking/Creators best practices for marking works] and on [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/images/6/61/Creativecommons-licensing-and-marking-your-content_eng.pdf how to mark works on different media].
  
: '''ShareAlike.''' You let people create remixes and derivative works based on your creative work, as long as they only distribute them under the same Creative Commons license that your original work was published under.
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====Why should I use the license chooser? What if I don’t?====
  
: '''NoDerivatives.''' You let people copy, distribute, display, and perform only verbatim copies of your work — not make derivative works based on it. If they want to alter, transform, build upon, or remix your work, they must contact you for permission.  
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Licensors are not required to use the [http://creativecommons.org/choose/ CC license chooser] or provide any information about themselves or their works when applying a CC license to their works.  Doing so, however, allows licensors to take advantage of the "machine readable" layer of CC licenses.  Our [http://creativecommons.org/licenses// machine readable] code enhances the discoverability of your work because that code allows software, search engines and other technologies to recognize when a work is licensed under a CC license.  The code also facilitates attribution -- users of your work can click on the CC badge placed on your site and link directly to html code that they can cut and paste to provide attribution.  
  
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<span id="May_I_apply_a_Creative_Commons_license_to_a_work_that_is_in_the_public_domain.3F"></span>
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<span id="Will_works_that_use_Creative_Commons_licenses_be_in_the_.22public_domain.22.3F"></span>
  
For an overview of our licenses and links to the Commons Deed and Legal Code, check out [http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses/meet-the-licenses this page].
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====May I apply a Creative Commons license to a work in the public domain?====
  
====So “NonCommercial” means that the work cannot be used commercially?====
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No. CC licenses should not be applied to works in the [[#What_is_the_public_domain.3F | public domain]].  All CC license deed state unambiguously: "Public Domain -- where the work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license."
  
Not quite. The “NonCommercial” license option means that you do not receive the commercial rights via the Creative Commons license. You can always approach the licensor directly to see if they will separately license you the commercial rights.
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A creator may apply a Creative Commons license to an adaptation of a public domain work as long as he or she holds the copyright to the adaptation. The owner of copyright in a collection of works can apply a Creative Commons license to the collection even if it contains a work from the public domain. And publishers of databases and other works that are protected by copyright (or, in the case of databases, sui generis database rights) may use a CC license even if parts of the work or content in the database is in the public domain. However, in each of these instances, the license does not affect parts of the work that are unrestricted by copyright.
  
====What does the Creative Commons “Some Rights Reserved” button mean? What does a Creative Commons license do?====
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If you want to dedicate your work to the public domain before the expiration of copyright or sui generis database rights, use CC's legally robust  [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/CC0_FAQ CC0 public domain dedication].  If you want to mark a work that is already in the worldwide public domain, use CC's [http://creativecommons.org/about/pdm Public Domain Mark].
  
A Creative Commons license is a signal to you that you can use the work without having to seek out the individual creator or licensor and ask for permission—provided you use the work in the manner permitted by the Creative Commons license. The Commons Deed sets out the key terms governing your use of the work.
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<span id="Should_I_use_Creative_Commons_licenses_for_software_documentation.3F"></span>
  
====What happens if I want to make a different use of the work?====
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<span id="Can_I_insist_on_the_exact_placement_of_the_attribution_credit_for_my_work.3F"></span>
  
If you want to use a Creative Commons-licensed work in a manner that is not permitted under the terms of the Creative Commons license, you need to contact the creator and/or licensor and ask for their permission. If you use a Creative-Commons licensed work contrary to the terms of the Creative Commons license, your right to use the work terminates and you could be sued for infringement of copyright.
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====Can I insist on the exact placement of the attribution credit?====
  
====So I don’t have to pay to use Creative Commons-licensed works if I comply with the license terms?====
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No.  CC licenses allow for flexibility in the way credit is provided depending on the means used by a licensee to re-distribute the work. There may be differences based on the format in which the content is re-used. For example, providing attribution to the author when re-distributing information via a blog post may be different than how credit is provided to an author in a video remix.  All CC licenses provide that attribution is to be provided in a manner “reasonable to the medium or means” used by the licensee, and for credit to be provided in a “reasonable manner.”  This flexibility facilitates compliance by licensees – minimizing the risk that overly onerous and inflexible attribution requirements are simply disregarded.
  
As a general rule yes—Creative Commons licenses are made available under royalty-free licenses. In the case of Creative Commons-licensed works that are licensed for NonCommercial use only, the creator or licensor reserves the right to collect statutory royalties or royalties under compulsory licenses for commercial uses such as those collected for public performances; so, you may still have to pay a collecting society for such uses of Creative Commons licensed works. However, these are indirect payments, not payments to the licensor.
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<span id="Can_I_use_a_Creative_Commons_license_for_software.3F"></span>
  
====How do I use a Creative Commons-licensed work?====
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====Can I apply a Creative Commons license to software?====
  
If you come across a work that says it is made available under a Creative Commons license, you are authorized by the licensor to use it consistent with those license terms.  You should satisfy yourself that the scope of the license covers your intended uses. Since there are a number of versions of the Creative Commons licenses, you should read the particular license carefully to ensure that the license meets your needs. All Creative Commons licenses require that you attribute the author, licensor and/or any other parties specified by the author/licensor. To correctly use a Creative Commons licensed work, you must provide proper attribution. This is explained in [[Frequently_Asked_Questions#How_do_I_properly_attribute_a_Creative_Commons_licensed_work?|the answer below]].
+
We do not recommend it. Creative Commons licenses should not be used for software. We strongly encourage you to use one of the very good software licenses which are already available. We recommend considering licenses made available by the [http://www.fsf.org/ Free Software Foundation] or listed at the [http://www.opensource.org/ Open Source Initiative]. Unlike our licenses, which do not make mention of source or object code, these existing licenses were designed specifically for use with software. Furthermore, our licenses are [http://www.dwheeler.com/essays/gpl-compatible.html not compatible with the GPL], the most frequently used free software license.
  
To get an understanding of the key terms of the license, check out the Commons Deed for the license and/or review [http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses/meet-the-licenses this page], which has links to the Commons Deed and basic explanations of all of our licenses.
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Note that the CC0 Public Domain Dedication '''is''' GPL-compatible and acceptable for software. For details, [[CC0_FAQ#May_I_apply_CC0_to_computer_software.3F_If_so.2C_is_there_a_recommended_implementation.3F|see the relevant CC0 FAQ entry]].
  
====When are publicity rights relevant?====
+
====Can I apply a Creative Commons license to data or a database?====
  
In the U.S., publicity rights allow individuals to control how their voice, image or likeness is used for commercial purposes in public. These rights are relevant to any work that contains human subjects, such as photographs, audio or video interviews, plays, songs, and other spoken or visual content. When transmitting this sort of content, including the voices or images of anyone other than yourself, you may need to get permission from those individuals if you are using their voice or images for commercial purposes. This is a distinct and separate obligation from obtaining the copyright license for the works itself, which only gives you a license from the author (or photographer) but not from the subjects. A Creative Commons license does not waive or otherwise affect the publicity rights of subjects.
+
Yes, CC licenses can be used on anything that is restricted by copyright, including data and databases that are under copyright.
  
Jurisdictions outside of the U.S. may have rights that are similar in effect to publicity and privacy rightsYou may need to consider those other rights before using a CC licensed work that embodies a person's image, voice, or related spoken or visual content.  
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Note that in the version 3.0 ported licenses developed for jurisdictions where sui generis database rights exist, the license conditions are waived for uses that implicate only sui generis rights (as opposed to copyright), provided the licensee is otherwise in compliance with the license. For all of our 3.0 licenses (international or ported), the result is the same:  if a particular use of a database implicates sui generis database rights (rights that exist independent of copyright law in the European Union and a few other countries) but not copyright law, the license conditions are not triggered by that particular useUsers in those situations do not need to provide attribution or comply with other relevant conditions such as NonCommercial, ShareAlike, or NoDerivatives where those apply.  Many [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Data_and_CC_licenses governments and others use CC licenses] for data and databases.
  
Our Podcasting Legal Guide has further discussion of [[Podcasting_Legal_Guide#Publicity_Rights_Issues|publicity rights issues]] of general relevance.
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Creative Commons is reconsidering how sui generis database rights (and other similarly-situated rights) will be treated in version 4.0. Watch [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Version_4 this page] to stay updated on the 4.0 conversation.
  
====Does using a Creative Commons-licensed work give me all the rights I need?====
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====Can I place a trademark on a work and offer the work under a CC license without also licensing or otherwise affecting rights in the trademark? If so, how?====
  
You should be aware that all of the licenses contain a disclaimer of warranties, so there is no assurance whatsoever that the licensor has all the necessary rights to permit reuse of the licensed work.  The disclaimer means that the licensor is not guaranteeing anything about the work, including that she owns the copyright to it, or that she has cleared any uses of third-party content that her work may be based on or incorporate.
+
Yes, you may offer a work for use under a Creative Commons license that includes a trademark indicating the source of the work without affecting rights in the trademark. However, applying a CC license to such a work may create an implied license to use the trademark or otherwise suggest to licensees that use is permissible.  Creative Commons recommends that licensors who wish to mark works with trademarks or other branding materials give notice to licensors expressly disclaiming application of the license to those elements of the work.  This can be done in the copyright notice, but could also be noted on the website where the work is published.
  
This is typical of so-called “open source” licenses, where works are made widely and freely available for reuse at no charge.  The original version 1.0 of the Creative Commons licenses contained a warranty, but we ultimately concluded that, as with “open source” licenses, warranties and indemnities are best determined separately by private bargain, so that each licensor and licensee can determine the appropriate allocation of risk and reward for their unique situation.  One option thus would be to use private contract to obtain a warranty and indemnification from the licensor, although it is likely that the licensor would charge for this benefit. 
+
The following is an example notice:
  
As a result of the warranty disclaimer, before using a Creative Commons licensed work, you should satisfy yourself that the person has all the necessary rights to make the work available under a Creative Commons license. You should know that if you are wrong, you could be liable for copyright infringement based on your use of the work.
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“''The text of and illustrations in this document are licensed by Red Hat under a Creative Commons Attribution–Share Alike 3.0 Unported  license ("CC-BY-SA"). . . . Red Hat, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the Shadowman logo, JBoss, MetaMatrix, Fedora, the Infinity Logo, and RHCE are trademarks of Red Hat, Inc., registered in the United States and other countries. For guidelines on the permitted uses of the Fedora trademarks, refer to https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Legal:Trademark_guidelines.''”
  
You should learn about what rights need to be cleared and when a fair use or fair dealing defense may be available.  It could be that the licensor is relying on the fair use or fair dealing doctrine, but depending on the circumstances, that legal defense may or may not actually protect her (or you). You should educate yourself about the various rights that may be implicated in a copyrighted work, because creative works often incorporate multiple elements such as, for example, underlying stories and characters, recorded sound and song lyrics.  If the work contains recognizable third-party content, it may be advisable to independently verify that it has been authorized for reuse under a Creative Commons license.  If the work contains images, voices, or likenesses of people, educate yourself about [[#When are publicity rights relevant?|publicity rights]].
 
  
Additionally, you should know that CC licenses do not give you permission to use any trademarks that may be associated with a CC licensed-work.  You should ask the owner of a trademark for permission first.
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==For Licensees==
  
The result of this is that you should always use your informed good judgment, and you may want to obtain legal advice.
+
<span id="How_do_I_use_a_Creative_Commons-licensed_work.3F"></span>
 +
====What should I think about before using a work offered under a Creative Commons license?====
  
====How do I properly attribute a Creative Commons licensed work?====
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CC offers six core licenses, each of which grants different sets of permissions.  Before you use a CC-licensed work, [http://creativecommons.org/about/licenses/ you should review the terms of the particular license] to be sure your anticipated use is permitted.  If you wish to use the work in a manner that is not permitted by the license, you should contact the rightsholder (often the creator) to get permission first, or look for an alternative work that is licensed in a way that permits your anticipated use. Note that if you use a work in way that is not permitted by the applicable license and your use is not otherwise permitted by an applicable copyright exception or limitation, the license is automatically terminated and you may be liable for copyright infringement.
  
All current CC licenses require that you attribute the original author(s). If the copyright holder has not specified any particular way to attribute them, this does not mean that you do not have to give attributionIt simply means that you will have to give attribution to the best of your ability with the information you do have. Generally speaking, this implies five things:
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Before using a work offered under a Creative Commons license, you should know that [http://wiki-staging.creativecommons.org/Frequently_Asked_Questions#Does_a_Creative_Commons_license_give_me_all_the_rights_I_need_to_use_the_work.3F CC licenses only grant permissions needed under copyright law], there may be additional rights you need to use the work as intended. You should also understand that licensors do not offer warranties or guarantees about the work they are licensing.  All works are licensed "AS IS" and a disclaimer of warranties appliesIf you want to ask for a warranty or guarantee about rights to use the work, you should talk with the licensor before using it.
  
* If the work itself contains any copyright notices placed there by the copyright holder, you must leave those notices intact, or reproduce them in a way that is reasonable to the medium in which you are re-publishing the work.
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<span id="So_I_don.E2.80.99t_have_to_pay_to_use_Creative_Commons-licensed_works_if_I_comply_with_the_license_terms.3F"></span>
  
* Cite the author's name, screen name, user identification, etc. If you are publishing on the Internet, it is nice to link that name to the person's profile page, if such a page exists.
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====Are all the licenses at the same version level identical? What should I know about differences between the international licenses and the ported licenses?====
  
* Cite the work's title or name, if such a thing existsIf you are publishing on the Internet, it is nice to link the name or title directly to the original work.
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As a licensee, you should always read and understand the relevant license legal code before using a CC-licensed work, particularly if you are using a work that is licensed using a ported license with which you are unfamiliarOur porting process involves adapting the international licenses to the legal framework of different jurisdictions, and in that process slight adjustments may have been made that you should make yourself aware of in advance of using the work.
  
* Cite the specific CC license the work is under. If you are publishing on the Internet, it is nice if the license citation links to the license on the CC website.
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For example, a handful of the 3.0 ported licenses (as well as of the pre-3.0 ported licenses) contain provisions specifying which laws will apply in the event the licensor chooses to enforce the license, and one 3.0 ported license suite (the Hong Kong license suite) and a few of the ported pre-3.0 ported licenses contain forum selection clauses. 
  
* If you are making a derivative work or adaptation, in addition to the above, you need to identify that your work is a derivative work i.e., “This is a Finnish translation of the [original work] by [author].” or “Screenplay based on [original work] by [author].
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Before using a work licensed under a ported license, you are encouraged to review the legal code carefully to identify unique provisions they may contain.
  
In the case where a copyright holder does choose to specify the manner of attribution, in addition to the requirement of leaving intact existing copyright notices, they are only able to require certain things.  Namely:
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<span id="Does_using_a_Creative_Commons-licensed_work_give_me_all_the_rights_I_need.3F"></span>
 +
====Does a Creative Commons license give me all the rights I need to use the work?====
  
* They may require that you attribute the work to a certain name, pseudonym or even an organization of some sort.
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It depends. All CC licenses contain a disclaimer of warranties, meaning that the licensor is not guaranteeing anything about the work, including whether she owns the copyright, has received permission to include third-party works within her work, or secured other rights such as through the use of model releases if a person's image is used in the work.
  
* They may require you to associate/provide a certain URL (web address) for the work.
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CC licenses do not affect rights other than copyright, such as the trademark or patent rights or the [[#What_are_publicity_and_privacy_rights.3F | publicity and privacy rights]] of third parties. These and other rights may require clearance (i.e., permission) in order to use the work as you would like.  Additionally, creative works sometimes incorporate other peoples' works (known as "third party content").  You may want to be sure that permission was obtained to use any third party content contained in the CC licensed work you want to use.
  
If you are interested to see what an actual license ("legalcode") has to say about attribution, you can use the CC Attribution 3.0 Unported license as an example.  Please note that this is '''only an example''', and you should '''always''' read the appropriate section of the specific license in question ... usually, but perhaps not always, section 4(b) or 4(c):
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You [[#Can_Creative_Commons_give_legal_advice_about_its_licenses_or_help_with_CC_license_enforcement.3F | may wish to obtain legal advice]] before using a CC licensed work if you are not sure whether you have all the rights you need.
  
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode
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<span id="How_do_I_properly_attribute_a_Creative_Commons_licensed_work.3F"></span>
 +
 
 +
====How do I properly attribute a work offered under a Creative Commons license?====
 +
 
 +
All CC licenses require users to attribute the original creator(s) of a work, unless the creator has waived that requirement or asked that her name be removed from an adaptation or collection.  CC licenses have a sophisticated and flexible attribution requirement, so there is not necessarily one correct way to provide attribution. The proper method for giving credit will depend on the medium and means you are using, and may be implemented in any reasonable manner, although in the case of an adaptation or collection the credit needs to be as prominent as credits for other contributors. The CC website offers some [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Marking/Users best practices] to help you attribute works, and the [http://www.creativecommons.org.au/ CC Australia] team has developed a [http://creativecommons.org.au/materials/attribution.pdf helpful guide to attributing works] in different formats. 
  
 
====Do I need to be aware of anything else when providing attribution or credit?====
 
====Do I need to be aware of anything else when providing attribution or credit?====
  
Yes, you need to be careful not to imply that you or your use of a work is connected to, or sponsored or endorsed by, the author, licensor or attribution party, without their permission. Wrongfully implying that an author, publisher or anyone else endorses your use of a work may be unlawful. We make the obligation not to imply endorsement explicit in all of our licenses, and on the face of our CC0 and Public Domain Mark deeds.
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Yes, you need to be careful not to imply any sponsorship, endorsement or connection with an author or attribution party without their permission. Wrongfully implying that an author, publisher or anyone else endorses you or your use of a work may be unlawful. Creative Commons makes the obligation not to imply endorsement explicit in all of the licenses. In addition, if the licensor of a work that you incorporate in an adaptation or collection so requests, you must remove the identifying credit.
  
====What is a derivative work?====
+
Additionally, if you are using a work that is an adaptation of one or more pre-existing works, you may need to give credit to the author(s) of the pre-existing work(s) in addition to giving credit to the author of the adaptation.  Those who create adaptations are required to "clearly label, demarcate or otherwise identify that changes were made to the original."  You can often find this information as well as the URI for the underlying original work(s) where attribution is specified in the copyright notice accompanying the adaptation.
  
A derivative work is a work that is based on another work but is not an exact, verbatim copy. What this means exactly and comprehensively is the subject of many law journal articles and much debate and pontification. In general, a translation from one language to another or a film version of a book are examples of derivative works. Under Creative Commons’ core licenses, synching music in timed-relation with a moving image is considered to be a derivative work.
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<span id="What_happens_if_I_want_to_make_a_different_use_of_the_work.3F"></span>
 +
====What happens if I want to use the work in a way that is not permitted by the license?====
  
It's important to note, however, that the Creative Commons licenses allow the user to exercise the rights permitted under the license in any format or media, even in the NoDerivatives licenses. This means that, under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license, for example, you can copy the work from a digital file to a print file consistent with the terms of that license.
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Contact the rightsholder to ask for their permission. Otherwise, unless a exception or limitation to copyright exists, your use of the work may violate the Creative Commons license, your rights to use the work will be automatically terminated, and you may be liable for copyright infringement.
  
====If I use a Creative Commons-licensed work with other works, do I have to Creative Commons license everything else as well?====
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<span id="So_.E2.80.9CNonCommercial.E2.80.9D_means_that_the_work_cannot_be_used_commercially.3F "></span>
  
With the exception of those of our licenses that contain the ShareAlike element, the Creative Commons licenses do not require everything else to be Creative Commons licensed as well. We specifically designed the Creative Commons licenses so that they would not turn all other works they were combined with into being Creative Commons-licensed. If you combine any work with a Creative Commons-licensed work that is licensed with a ShareAlike license provision, then, because of the way that the ShareAlike license element operates, the resultant work will need to be licensed under the same license as the original work.
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====Does my use violate the NonCommercial clause of the licenses?====
  
If you include a Creative Commons licensed work in a “collective work” (ie. a collection of works in their exact original format, not adaptations), then you only need to continue to apply the Creative Commons license to that work (even if the work was licensed under a Creative Commons Share-Alike license provision). You do not need to apply it to the entire collection.
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CC's NonCommercial (NC) licenses prohibit uses that are "primarily intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or private monetary compensation." Whether a use is commercial will depend on the specifics of the situation and the intentions of the user. In CC's experience, whether a use is permitted is usually pretty clear, and known conflicts are relatively few considering the popularity of the NC licenses. However, there will always be uses that are challenging to categorize as commercial or noncommercial. CC cannot advise you on what is and is not commercial use. If you are unsure, you should either contact the creator or rightsholder for clarification, or search for works that permit commercial uses.  Please note that CC's definition does not turn on the type of user:  if you are a non profit or charitable organization, your use of an NC-licensed work could run afoul of the NC restriction; and if you are a for-profit entity, your use of an NC-licensed work does not necessary mean you have violated the term.
  
====Can I combine two different Creative Commons licensed works? Can I combine a Creative Commons licensed work with another non-CC licensed work?====
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[http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Defining_Noncommercial Creative Commons published results from a survey on meanings of commercial and noncommercial use generally].  Note that the results of the study are not intended to serve as CC's official interpretation of what is and is not commercial use under our licenses, and the results should not be relied upon as such.
  
Generally yes; you can combine one Creative Commons licensed work with another Creative Commons licensed work or with another work.
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====Does my use constitute an adaptation?====
  
The one big caveat is for Creative Commons licenses that contain the ShareAlike license element (ie. Attribution-ShareAlike, Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike). These licenses require derivative works (ie. the result of two combined works) to be licensed under the same license elements. So, you cannot, for example, combine an Attribution-ShareAlike license with an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. If you are combining a work licensed under a ShareAlike license condition, you need to make sure that you are happy and able to license the resulting work under the same license conditions as the original work.
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CC licenses define the term “Adaptation” as a “work based on the [original] Work.” Pre-v3.0 license suites used the term "Derivative Work" in the international (unported) licenses. In CC licenses, the term is tied to the corresponding definition under applicable copyright law.  Copyright law reserves to an original creator the right to create adaptations of her original work. CC licenses that allow for adaptations grant permission to others to create adaptations when doing so would otherwise constitute a violation of applicable copyright law.
  
====If I use a Creative Commons-licensed work to create a new work  (ie a derivative work or adaptation), which Creative Commons license can I use for my new work?====
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Whether a modification is considered an [[#What_is_an_adaptation.3F | adaptation]] for the purpose of CC licenses depends on the applicable law.  Generally, a modification rises to the level of an adaptation when the modified work is based on the prior work but manifests sufficient new creativity to be copyrightable, such as a translation of a novel from one language to another, or the creation of a screenplay based on a novel. Under CC licenses, syncing music in timed-relation with a moving image is always considered an adaptation
  
The chart below should give you some assistance in figuring out which Creative Commons license you can use on your new work. Some of our licenses just do not, as practical matter, work together.  
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Note that all CC licenses allow the user to exercise the rights permitted under the license in any format or media.  Those changes are not considered adaptations even if applicable law might suggest otherwise. For example, if you are using a work that uses the CC [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ BY-NC-ND] license, you may copy a digital file to a print file as long as you do so in compliance with the other terms of the license.
  
The green boxes indicate license compatibilityThat is, you may use the license indicated in the top row for your derivative work or adaptation, or for a collective work. The blank rows for the by-nc-nd
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<span id="If_I_use_a_Creative_Commons-licensed_work_with_other_works.2C_do_I_have_to_Creative_Commons_license_everything_else_as_well.3F"></span>
and by-nd licenses indicate that derivative works or adaptations are not permitted by the license of the original work, therefore you are never allowed to re-license them.
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 +
<span id="Can_I_combine_two_different_Creative_Commons_licensed_works.3F_Can_I_combine_a_Creative_Commons_licensed_work_with_another_non-CC_licensed_work.3F"></span>
 +
====Can I combine works that use different Creative Commons licenses into my work?====
 +
 
 +
It depends.  You may only remix works released under different CC licenses if the terms of the licenses involved permit it.  The NoDerivatives licenses do not permit remixing at allAll the other CC licenses allow remixes, but may impose conditions on how the remix may be used. For example, if you create a remix with a work licensed under a ShareAlike license, you need to make sure that the remix is licensed under the same license conditions. Likewise, if you want to use the remixed work for commercial purposes, you cannot incoporate a work released under one of the NonCommercial licenses. Review the charts below for more details on whether and how differently licensed works can be combined and licensed.
 +
 
 +
<span id="If_I_use_a_Creative_Commons-licensed_work_to_create_a_new_work_.28ie_a_derivative_work_or_adaptation.29.2C_which_Creative_Commons_license_can_I_use_for_my_new_work.3F"></span>
 +
 
 +
====If I derive or adapt a work offered under a Creative Commons license, which CC license(s) can I apply to the resulting work?====
 +
 
 +
The chart below details the CC license(s) you can apply to the resulting work. Please note that this chart is not a substitute for legal advice and should not be relied upon as legal advice.
 +
 
 +
The green boxes indicate where compatibility exists between licenses.  When modifying a work licensed under the license identified in the lefthand column, you may license the adaptation under one of the licenses indicated on the top row if the corresponding box is green.  White boxes indicate those licenses that you may not use for the adapted work.  In the absence of an applicable copyright exception or limitation, you cannot [http://wiki-staging.creativecommons.org/Frequently_Asked_Questions#What_is_an_adaptation.3F adapt] works that contain the No Derivatives [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ license element].  
  
 
{| style="width:600px;" border="1" cellpadding="10"
 
{| style="width:600px;" border="1" cellpadding="10"
Line 329: Line 533:
 
| colspan="7" align="center" | Terms that can be used for a derivative work or adaptation
 
| colspan="7" align="center" | Terms that can be used for a derivative work or adaptation
 
|-
 
|-
| by || by-nc || by-nc-nd || by-nc-sa || by-nd || by-sa || pd
+
| BY || BY-NC || BY-NC-ND || BY-NC-SA || BY-ND || BY-SA || PD
 
|-
 
|-
 
| rowspan="7" style="width:12ex;" | Status of original work
 
| rowspan="7" style="width:12ex;" | Status of original work
| pd || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;
+
| PD || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;
 
|-
 
|-
| by || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || &nbsp;
+
| BY || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || &nbsp;
 
|-
 
|-
| by-nc || &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp;
+
| BY-NC || &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp;
 
|-
 
|-
| by-nc-nd || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp;
+
| BY-NC-ND || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp;
 
|-
 
|-
| by-nc-sa || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp;
+
| BY-NC-SA || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp;
 
|-
 
|-
| by-nd || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp;
+
| BY-ND || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp;
 
|-
 
|-
| by-sa || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || &nbsp;
+
| BY-SA || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || &nbsp;
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 
 
 
{| style="width:600px;" border="1" cellpadding="10"
 
{| style="width:600px;" border="1" cellpadding="10"
 
|-
 
|-
 
| Abbreviation Key  
 
| Abbreviation Key  
*by = [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Attribution only]
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*BY = [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Attribution only]
*by-nd = [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/ Attribution-NoDerivatives]
+
*BY-ND = [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/ Attribution-NoDerivatives]
*by-nc-nd = [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivatives]  
+
*BY-NC-ND = [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivatives]  
*by-nc = [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ Attribution-NonCommercial]
+
*BY-NC = [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ Attribution-NonCommercial]
*by-nc-sa = [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ Attribution-NonCommercial- ShareAlike]  
+
*BY-NC-SA = [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ Attribution-NonCommercial- ShareAlike]  
*by-sa = [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Attribution-ShareAlike]
+
*BY-SA = [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Attribution-ShareAlike]
*pd = Dedicated to or certified to be in the public domain via one of our [http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain public domain tools] or other public domain work  
+
*PD = Dedicated to or marked as being in the public domain via one of our [http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain public domain tools], or other public domain work  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
'''Note:''' [[#Do_Creative_Commons_licenses_affect_fair_use.2C_fair_dealing.2C_or_other_exceptions_to_copyright.3F | CC licenses do not change, alter, or modify exceptions and limitations to copyright, including fair dealing or fair use rights]].
 +
 +
<span id="I.E2.80.99m_collecting_a_number_of_different_works_together_into_one_resource._Can_I_include_Creative_Commons-licensed_material.3F.3F"></span>
  
Fair use note: CC Licenses do not change, alter, or modify fair use rights. You may still use fair use rights to incorporate CC works for any qualifying purpose.
+
====If I create a collective work that includes a work offered under a CC license, which license(s) may I choose for the collection?====
  
This chart is not a substitute for obtaining your own legal advice, nor should it be relied upon or represented as legal advice.
+
All Creative Commons licenses allow the original work to be included in collections such as anthologies, encyclopedias and broadcasts. However, you still must adhere to the license conditions governing your use of the original work. For example, material under any of the Creative Commons NonCommercial licenses cannot be included in a collection that is licensed to permit commercial use. The table below indicates how you may license collections incorporating CC-licensed works.
 
 
====I’m collecting a number of different works together into one resource. Can I include Creative Commons-licensed material? ====
 
 
 
All the Creative Commons licenses allow the original work to be included in collections such as anthologies, encyclopedias and broadcasts. However, you still have to follow the license the original material is under. For example, material under any of the Creative Commons Noncommercial licenses cannot be included in a collection that is going to be used commercially. The table below will help you work out whether you can include the Creative Commons-licensed material in your collection.
 
 
 
Note that when you include a Creative Commons licensed work in a collection, you must keep the work under the same license. This doesn’t mean the whole collection has to be put under the Creative Commons license – just the original work.
 
  
 +
Note that when you include a Creative Commons licensed work in a collection, you cannot change the license applicable to the original work itself.
  
 
{| style="width:400px;" border="1" cellpadding="10"
 
{| style="width:400px;" border="1" cellpadding="10"
 
|-
 
|-
| Original Work ||Commercial Collected Work || NonCommercial Collected Work
+
| Original Work ||Commercial Collection || NonCommercial Collection
 
|-
 
|-
| pd || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;  
+
| PD || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;  
 
|-
 
|-
| by || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;  
+
| BY || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;  
 
|-
 
|-
| by-nc || &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;  
+
| BY-NC || &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;  
 
|-
 
|-
| by-nc-nd || &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;
+
| BY-NC-ND || &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;
 
|-
 
|-
| by-nc-sa || &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;  
+
| BY-NC-SA || &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;  
 
|-
 
|-
| by-nd || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;  
+
| BY-ND || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;  
 
|-
 
|-
| by-sa || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;  
+
| BY-SA || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp; || style="background-color:green;" | &nbsp;  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
====Can I change the terms of a CC license or waive some of its conditions? ====
+
====Where can I find material offered under a CC license?====
  
You can change any of our licenses, but if you do so you should know that your modified license is not likely to be compatible with CC’s licenses. Also, if you change our licenses then you cannot say that your work is licensed under a CC license.  Read  [http://creativecommons.org/policies our policies] for more information.  
+
If you are looking for materials offered under a Creative Commons license, [http://search.creativecommons.org/ CC Search] is a good starting point. CC also maintains a [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Content_Directories directory] of organizations and individuals who use CC licenses. Some media sites, such as [http://www.flickr.com/ Flickr], have search filters for material licensed using CC's licenses.
  
This doesn’t mean, however, that if a user of your work comes to you and asks permission to do (or not do) something the license says she must not do (or do), that you can’t agree to that.  Our licenses anticipate that a licensor may want to waive compliance with a specific condition, such as attribution.  Our 3.0 licenses specifically allow this to happen, so long as the waiver or consent is in writing and signed.
+
Please note that you should not assume that your search results only contain works available under a CC license. You should verify that the works you intend to use are governed by a CC license.
  
===Technical Questions===  
+
==Technical Questions==
  
====I want to give users of my site the option to choose Creative Commons licensing; how do I do that?====
+
<span id="What_is_the_Commons_Deed.3F_What_is_the_legal_code.3F_What_does_the_html.2Fmetadata_do.3F"></span>
 +
====How do Creative Commons licenses and public domain tools work technically?====
  
You can directly integrate the Creative Commons license selection engine into your site. This can be useful if you have an application or website that allows people to contribute content and you want to give them the option to apply Creative Commons licenses to their works. Here is a [http://creativecommons.org/technology/web-integration step-by-step guide] on how to integrate our license selection engine with a website. We also have a [http://api.creativecommons.org web services API] for integration with any application.
+
The Creative Commons licenses have [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ three layers], as does the CC0 public domain dedication: the human-readable deed, the lawyer-readable legal code, and the machine-readable metadata. The [http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ Public Domain Mark] is not legally operative, and so has only two layers:  the human-readable mark and machine-readable metadata.
  
====Why did Creative Commons choose to use the RDF format for its metadata?====
+
When a work is licensed using any CC licenses or tools, it is highly recommended that a CC badge, text, or other marker somehow accompany the work. There are many possible modes for marking. For our licenses, most commonly people use the [http://creativecommons.org/choose CC license chooser] to generate HTML code that can be pasted into the webpage where the licensed work is published. CC0 and the Public Domain Mark have separate [http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/ choosers].  Many platforms and web services such as [http://www.flickr.com Flickr] and [[Drupal]] support CC licensing directly, allowing you to select an appropriate license.  The service then properly marks the work for you.
  
Creative Commons looked for the best way to express the intent behind the licenses in machine-readable form. We feel that our system provides the best of all possible worlds: RDF, XML, and even plain text-based tools can easily process our metadata files because we provide them with a structured format. But just as XML tools make it easier to process the information than text-based ones, RDF ones make it even easier -- so we encourage all of our developers to use RDF tools where possible. We're also working with the community to provide CC sample code, in many different languages, that shows how easy it is to take advantage of the RDF information. We're also open to providing converters from RDF to other formats. If you have such a tool or would like one, please send information about it to our metadata list.
+
CC has published some best practices for [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Marking/Creators marking] your CC-licensed work, and recommends:
  
====How can I use Creative Commons metadata in my program?====
+
*Including a visual indicator (some combination of text and images) that the work is licensed with one of the CC licenses.
 +
*Including a link to the human-readable deed (which itself contains a link to the lawyer-readable legal code).
 +
*Embedding [[Frequently_Asked_Questions#What_does_it_mean_that_Creative_Commons_licenses_are_.22machine_readable.22.3F|machine-readable]] metadata in the code of the license indicator or code of the licensed page.
  
You can use it in a variety of ways. A painting, writing, or drawing program could let its users know about their rights granted by the licensor of the file. File sharing software could highlight files with Creative Commons licenses and encourage users to download them. In fact, we see peer-to-peer file sharing software as an excellent distribution mechanism for Creative Commons works, especially large music, picture, and movie files that the authors might not have the bandwidth or tools necessary to distribute themselves. Search systems could allow users the choice of only searching for files with licenses that permit certain uses (such as searching for pictures of cats that you can include in your non-commercial collage). There are many ways to take advantage of this information and we hope the developer community will surprise us by coming up with others!
+
'''See the [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Marking/Creators marking] page for more details.'''
  
====I'd prefer to use a PNG image instead of a GIF image or vice versa. What should I do?====
+
====What does it mean that Creative Commons licenses are "machine-readable"?====
  
We provide older license buttons in both formats.  Change, e.g., [http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.gif somerights20.gif] to [http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.png somerights20.png] or vice versa.
+
Creative Commons has [[CC REL|specified CC REL]] as a way to associate machine-readable licensing metadata with objects offered under CC licenses.
  
Newer license buttons that include license property icons are only available in PNG format.
+
Before Creative Commons developed this vocabulary, it was difficult for a machine to ascertain whether a work was marked with a CC license. There was also no standard, predictable place to house metadata about that license (for example, the source URL of the work or the required mode of attribution).
  
===Questions about using Creative Commons’ logo===
+
Machine-readable metadata based on well-accepted metadata standards creates a platform upon which new services and applications can be built. Software and services can detect CC licenses and the details of that license, as described by the metadata. For example, on many websites and search engines such as Google and Flickr, you can run filtered searches for works offered under specific CC licenses. In addition, CC license deeds can automatically create copy-and-paste attribution code so users may easily comply with the BY condition of the licenses. When you click on a CC license or badge from a page with license metadata, you get copy-and-paste attribution HTML within that license deed page. That HTML is based on available RDFa metadata in the original work.
  
====Where can I get a high resolution version of the Creative Commons logos?====
+
All HTML provided by the [http://creativecommons.org/choose CC license chooser] is automatically annotated with [[metadata]] in [[RDFa]] format.
  
You can get high resolution versions of the Creative Commons logos and license buttons [http://creativecommons.org/presskit here]. Creative Commons only authorizes the use of our logos, name and license buttons in accordance with our [http://creativecommons.org/policies policies].
+
<span id="Why_did_Creative_Commons_choose_to_use_the_RDF_format_for_its_metadata.3F"></span>
  
====I want to print out some t-shirts & stickers with Creative Commons logos; how do I go about doing this?====
+
====What is RDFa?====
  
We’re glad you are excited about Creative Commons and want to spread the message. We only authorize use of our logo, name and license buttons in accordance with our [http://creativecommons.org/policies policies], ie. to linkback to the Creative Commons website, a Creative Commons license and/or otherwise describe a Creative Commons license that applies to a work.
+
[[RDFa]] is a method for embedding structured data in a web page. For more information about RDFa, see the following resources:
  
You can support Creative Commons and purchase t-shirts and stickers via our [http://support.creativecommons.org/store store]. In addition, movies about Creative Commons are available for download [http://support.creativecommons.org/videos here].
+
* [http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml-rdfa-primer/ RDFa Primer]: Bridging the Human and Data Webs
 +
* [http://rdfa.info/ RDFa.info]
 +
* [http://rdfa.info/wiki RDFa Wiki]
  
====I want to incorporate the Creative Commons logos into my site or work, can I?====
+
<span id="How_can_I_use_Creative_Commons_metadata_in_my_program.3F"></span>
 +
====What is CC REL and why does Creative Commons recommend it?====
  
You are welcome to incorporate the Creative Commons logos into your site or work if you do so in accordance with our [http://creativecommons.org/policies policies page]. Basically, we only authorize use of the Creative Commons corporate logo (that is the name Creative Commons and the “CC” in a circle) to link back to our website; and our “Some Rights Reserved” and “No Rights Reserved” buttons as well as our license element buttons (ie. the Attribution license button, the NonCommercial license button etc.) to be used to link back to our respective licenses.
+
[http://wiki.creativecommons.org/CC_REL Creative Commons Rights Expression Language] (CC REL) renders information about licenses and works machine-readable through standards that define the semantic web. Creative Commons wants to make it easy for creators and scientists to build upon the works of others when they choose; licensing your work for reuse and finding properly licensed works to reuse should be easy. CC recommends that you mark your licensed works with CC REL. The Creative Commons license chooser provides HTML annotated with CC REL, while the Creative Commons deeds recognize CC REL on web pages with works offered under a CC license, and use this metadata to enhance the deed for properly marked-up works, e.g., by providing copy and paste HTML that includes work attribution.
  
====Can I change the Creative Commons logos so that they look better on my site or with my work?====
+
For more background information on CC REL, please refer to this [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/images/d/d6/Ccrel-1.0.pdf paper].
  
Please don’t change our logo so that it works better with the look of your site or work. Our “Some Rights Reserved” and “No Rights Reserved” buttons need to be used consistently because they are our trademark and a core part of our licensing system. You can also use the license elements buttons that are in black and white to signal that your work or site is licensed under the relevant Creative Commons license; this is also explained at our [http://creativecommons.org/policies policies page].
+
====What does it mean for a search engine to be CC-enabled?====
  
===About Creative Commons===
+
Some search engines (like [http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en Google]) allow people to filter their search results by usage rights so that you can limit your search results according to the particular CC license you seek. For example, if you are looking for a photo to adapt, you can filter your search to return photos that have a CC license that permits creation of adaptations. You can generally find this search feature on the advanced search page of your selected search engine.  You can also use [http://search.creativecommons.org CC Search], which offers a convenient interface to search and a list of those content providers that support searches for content based on usage rights.
  
====Is Creative Commons against copyright?====
+
Please note, however, that you should always double check to make sure that the work you locate through a search is licensed as you wish.
  
Not at all. Our licenses help you retain your copyright and manage your copyright in a more flexible, open way. In fact, our licenses rely upon copyright for their enforcement. The justification for intellectual property protection (under U.S. law, at least) is the "promot[ion of] the progress of science and the useful arts." We want to promote science and the useful arts, too, and believe that helping creators or licensors fine-tune the exercise of their rights to suit their preferences helps do just that.
+
<span id="I_want_to_give_users_of_my_site_the_option_to_choose_Creative_Commons_licensing.3B_how_do_I_do_that.3F"></span>
 +
<span id="How_can_I_use_Creative_Commons_metadata_in_my_program.3F"></span>
  
====Is Creative Commons building a database of licensed content?====
+
====How do I give users of my site the option to use CC licensing like Flickr does?====
  
Absolutely not. We believe in the Net, not an information bank controlled by a single organization. We are building tools so that the semantic web can identify and sort licensed works in a distributed, decentralized manner. We are not in the business of collecting content, or building databases of content.
+
Creative Commons provides tools for integrating license selection with your site. You can find an overview at the Web Integration article on the [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Web_Integration CC wiki]. The [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Partner_Interface Partner Interface] is a good way to get started and will always have the most up-to-date license versions and translations. However, there is also an [http://api.creativecommons.org/docs/ API] available if you want more control.  
  
Now, to give you an idea of the sorts of uses that can be made of our licenses and metadata, we've provided some examples on our site for [http://creativecommons.org/text/ text], [http://creativecommons.org/audio/ audio], [http://creativecommons.org/image/ images], [http://creativecommons.org/video/ video] and [http://creativecommons.org/education/ educational works]. It's by no means a comprehensive catalog of everything being done with Creative Commons licenses today, nor is it the beginnings of a database. They are simply illustrations of some works, in a variety of media, that have been Creative Commons licensed so far.
 
  
====Will works that use Creative Commons licenses be in the "public domain"?====
+
====How can I change or remove the Creative Commons search option built into the Firefox browser?====
  
No, because the licensor does not give up all rights to his or her work. The Creative Commons licenses are only copyright licenses that enable you to control how other people use your work.
+
Mozilla has included the Creative Commons search function in many versions of Firefox along with search options for Google, Amazon and other popular sites. Please take a look at the [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Firefox_and_CC_Search Firefox article on the CC wiki] for an explanation of how to change these features.
  
If you want to put your work in the public domain -- the realm of creative material unfettered by copyright law – you can use our public domain dedication, [http://creativecommons.org/license/zero CC0]. By dedicating your work to the public domain, you are effectively relinquishing all copyright interests you may otherwise have in the work. See the [[CC0 FAQ]] for further details.
+
If you want to add or remove a particular search option, click on the logo in the search box (for example, the CC logo or the Google logo). This will open the pull down menu, which will allow you to select different search providers. If you choose “Manage Search Engines,” you will be able to add or remove search engines. You can also alter the order in which the search providers appear on the pull down menu.  
  
====What is Creative Commons?====
+
====Is Creative Commons involved in digital rights management (DRM)?====
 
 
Structurally, Creative Commons is a Massachusetts, US, US charitable corporation . Also working to promote the idea of Creative Commons are volunteer project leads in each of the jurisdictions to which Creative Commons licenses have been ported. Creative Commons International and the volunteer [http://creativecommons.org/worldwide/ project leads] are independent and separate entities although both work in collaboration to promote the adoption of Creative Commons licenses and tools. 
 
 
 
The idea underlying Creative Commons is that some people may not want to exercise all of the intellectual property rights the law affords them. We believe there is an unmet demand for an easy yet reliable way to tell the world “Some rights reserved” or even “No rights reserved.” Many people have long since concluded that all-out copyright doesn't help them gain the exposure and widespread distribution they want. Many entrepreneurs and artists have come to prefer relying on innovative business models rather than full-fledged copyright to secure a return on their creative investment. Still others get fulfillment from contributing to and participating in an intellectual commons. For whatever reasons, it is clear that many citizens of the Internet want to share their work -- and the power to reuse, modify, and distribute their work -- with others on generous terms. Creative Commons intends to help people express this preference for sharing by offering the world a set of licenses on our Website, at no charge.
 
  
====Who started Creative Commons?====
+
No. CC licenses are a form of digital rights expression, not management. CC provides tools to make it easier for creators and owners to say what rights they reserve and permissions they grant. This is different from digital rights management (or “DRM”), which uses technological protection measures to prevent people from using the work in a way that the owner has not permitted.
  
Cyberlaw and intellectual property experts James Boyle, Michael Carroll, and Lawrence Lessig, MIT computer science professor Hal Abelson, lawyer-turned-documentary filmmaker-turned-cyberlaw expert Eric Saltzman, and public domain Web publisher Eric Eldred founded Creative Commons in 2001. Fellows and students at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School helped get the project off the ground and, for the first couple of years of its existence, Creative Commons was housed at and received generous support from Stanford Law School and the Center for Internet & Society.  
+
CC licenses contain language prohibiting licensees from the use of technological protection measures to prevent access to works: “''You may not impose any effective technological measures on the Work that restrict the ability of a recipient of the Work from You to exercise the rights granted to that recipient under the terms of the License''.
  
====What problem does Creative Commons intend to solve?====
+
==General Legal Information==
  
With the advent of the digital revolution and the Internet, it is suddenly possible to distribute works in a variety of formats of a high, often professional quality; to work collaboratively across contexts; and to create new, derivative or collective works—on a global level, in a decentralised manner, and at comparatively low cost.
+
====What is copyright and why does it matter?====
  
This presents an opportunity for an enormous and unprecedented stimulation of creativity and production of knowledge. As more and more people are interconnected and communicating, it becomes easier to obtain exactly the content one needs or want and to complete tasks and solve problems by the cooperation this interconnection enables. The convergence of technologies and media also create multiple new possibilities for creating derivatives of existing works -- for example, remixes and mashups.  
+
Copyright law grants exclusive rights to creators of original works of authorship.  National laws usually extend protections to such works automatically once fixed in a tangible medium, prohibiting the making of copies without the righstholder’s permission, among other things. On the Internet, even the most basic activities involve the making of copies. As content is increasingly uploaded, downloaded and shared online, copyright law is becoming more relevant to more people than it was 20 years ago. Unfortunately, infringing copyrights - even unintentionally or unknowingly - can lead to liability. Successful navigation of the Internet requires some understanding of copyright law.
  
Another notable aspect is that globalization is not only happening on the corporate level, its effects can also be observed in the areas of science and education and in other sectors of society where new models of fruitful cooperation have appeared. The free encyclopedia Wikipedia and the free and open source software community are examples of these sociological and economic phenomena. The activities of many contributors to projects in these areas are not motivated by the desire to gain (immediate) financial benefit but by the desire to learn, to get recognition, and also to help others.
+
====What is the public domain?====
  
The downside of these exciting new developments and possibilities is that the new technologies can also be used to violate the rights of copyright owners as they are currently defined. In turn, major right holders have reacted to this by a fourfold strategy: (a) by trying to prevent the deployment of technologies that can be put to infringing uses; (b) by developing tools that enable them to manage their rights with an amount of precision hitherto unknown and unthinkable: digital rights management and technological protection measures against unauthorised copying; (c) by successfully lobbying for support of these technological measures through legal restrictions; and, (d) by starting huge publicity campaigns designed to teach young people that they must keep their hands off copyrighted material - or else.  
+
The public domain of copyright refers to the aggregate of those works that are not restricted by copyright within a given jurisdiction. A work may be part of the public domain because the applicable term of copyright has expired, because the rightsholder surrendered copyright in the work with a tool like CC0, or because the work did not meet the applicable standards for copyrightability.  
  
These responses are understandable, if regrettable. Our concern is that their combined effect will be to stifle the opportunities for digital technologies to be used widely to encourage creativity and for the problem-solving and collaboration discussed above. If creators and licensors have to negotiate not only complicated legal rules, but also burdensome technical barriers, many will either ignore the rules or not create.
+
Because the public domain depends on the copyright laws in force within a particular territory, sometimes a work may be considered “in the public domain” of one jurisdiction, but not in another. For example, [http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#105 U.S. government works are automatically in the public domain under U.S. copyright law], but might be restricted by copyright in other countries.
  
Our alternative is to provide creators and licensors with a simple way to say what freedoms they want their creative work to carry. This in turn makes it easy to share, or build upon creative work. It makes it possible for creators and licensors to reserve some rights while releasing others. This, at its core, is our mission. Copyright gives authors certain rights. We want to make it simpler for authors to exercise those rights in ways others can understand.  
+
The [http://publicdomainmanifesto.org/ Public Domain Manifesto], the [http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter8/Stanford University Libraries] page, and the [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/CC0_FAQ CC0 FAQs] all contain additional information about the public domain.
  
====Does it cost me anything to use the Creative Commons licenses & tools?====
+
<span id="Do_I_need_a_copyright_notice_to_protect_my_work.3F"></span>
 +
<span id="How_do_I_register_my_copyright.3F"></span>
  
Nope. They're free.
+
<span id="Do_I_need_to_register_my_copyright.3F"></span>
 +
<span id="#How_do_I_register_my_copyright.3F"></span>
 +
====What do I need to do to get a copyright?====
  
====Who funds Creative Commons?====
+
Copyright in most jurisdictions attaches automatically without need for any formality once a creative work is fixed in tangible form (i.e. the minute you put pen to paper, take a photo, or hit the “save” button on your computer).
  
Creative Commons was built with and is sustained by the generous support of organizations including the Center for the Public Domain, Omidyar Network, The Rockefeller Foundation, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, as well as members of the public. We continue to seek donations from other sources, including foundations, individuals, and government grants. If you would like to support Creative Commons, feel free to do so at our [http://support.creativecommons.org support page].
+
In some jurisdictions, creators may be required to register with a national agency in order to enforce copyright in court. If you would like more information, please consult the [http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/berne/trtdocs_wo001.html Berne Convention] or [http://www.wipo.int/clea/en/ your jurisdiction's copyright law].
  
====Whom does Creative Commons serve or represent?====
+
Although you do not have to apply a copyright notice for your work to be protected, it may be a useful tool to clearly signal to people that the work is yours. It also tells the public who to contact about the work.
  
Creative Commons serves creators and users of creative works and the public interest that benefits from greater collaboration using creative materials. We help people who want to license their work on generous terms, people who want to make creative uses of those works, and people who benefit from this symbiosis. We hope that teachers, scholars, scientists, writers, photographers, filmmakers, musicians, graphic designers, Web hobbyists -- as well as listeners, readers, and viewers -- gain from the use of our tools.
+
<span id="What_is_a_derivative_work.3F"></span>
  
====Where is Creative Commons based?====
+
====What is an adaptation?====
  
Creative Commons Corporation is a Massachusetts corporation that draws on the work of geographically distributed staff and volunteers. Our main office is in Mountain View, CA in the United States. See our [http://creativecommons.org/contact contact page].
+
An adaptation, referred to in pre-3.0 licenses as a derivative work, is a work based on one or more pre-existing works.  What constitutes an adaptation depends on applicable law, however translating a work from one language to another or creating a film version of a novel are generally considered adaptations.
  
====Does Creative Commons host or own any content?====
+
In order for an adaptation to be protected by copyright, most national laws require the creator of the adaptation to add original expression to the pre-existing work. However, there is no international standard for originality, and the definition differs depending on the jurisdiction. Civil law jurisdictions (such as [http://www.wipo.int/clea/en/text_html.jsp?lang=EN&id=1034 Germany] and [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/html/codes_traduits/cpialtext.htm France]) tend to require that the work contain an imprint of the adapter's personality. Common law jurisdictions (such as the [http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#103 U.S.] or [http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/C-42/index.html Canada]), on the other hand, tend to have a lower threshold for originality, requiring only a minimal level of creativity and “independent conception.” Some countries approach originality completely differently. For example, [http://www.wipo.int/clea/en/text_html.jsp?lang=EN&id=514 Brazil's] copyright code protects all works of the mind that do not fall within the list of works that are expressly defined in the statue as “unprotected works.” Consult [http://www.wipo.int/clea/en/ your jurisdiction's copyright law] for more information.
  
Our primary mission is to help you license your work, offer you tools to more easily publish your works, and point to examples of CC-licensed content from our featured works. We also offer ways for users to find licensed works and easily understand their license terms.
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<span id="What_are_moral_rights.2C_and_how_could_I_exercise_them_to_prevent_uses_of_my_work_that_I_don.E2.80.99t_like.3F"></span>
  
====Is Creative Commons involved in digital rights management (DRM)?====
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====What are moral rights?====
  
No. We are in the business of digital rights expression, not management. Our tools make it easy to say what rights an author is reserving. But we do not provide tools for enforcing the rights the author reserves. Digital rights management (or “DRM”) does. In addition to digitally expressing rights, a DRM system provides technology for enforcing those rights.  
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Copyright laws in many jurisdictions around the world grant creators “moral rights” in addition to the economic or commercial right to exploit their creative works. Moral rights protect the personal and reputational value of a work for its creator. Moral rights differ by country, and can include the right of attribution, the right to have a work published anonymously or pseudonymously, and/or the right to the integrity of the work. The moral right of integrity may provide creators with a source for redress if an adaptation represents derogatory treatment of their work, typically defined as “distortion or mutilation” of the work or treatment that is “prejudicial to the honor, or reputation of the author.
  
Why don’t we use technology to enforce rights? There are too many reasons to describe here. Perhaps the most familiar is the fact that technology cannot protect freedoms such as “fair use.” Put differently, “fair use” can’t be coded. But more importantly, we believe, technological enforcement burdens unplanned creative reuse of creative work. We want to encourage such use. And we, along with many others, are concerned that the ecology for creativity will be stifled by the pervasive use of technology to “manage” rights.  
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Not all jurisdictions provide for moral rights. CC offers some additional information on [[#Do_Creative_Commons_licenses_affect_my_moral_rights.3F | how CC licenses may affect your moral rights]].
  
Copyrights should be respected, no doubt. But we prefer they be respected the old fashioned way — by people acting to respect the freedoms, and limits, chosen by the author and enforced by the law.
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====What are neighboring rights?====
  
====What happens if someone tries to restrict a CC-licensed work with digital rights management (DRM) tools?====
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Copyright provides an incentive to create works by providing exclusive rights to creators. However, the distribution or exploitation of a work often involves more than just the creator. For example, if someone writes a song, someone else may perform the song, and another may produce the recording of the song.  Some jurisdictions extend copyright to the contributions made by these persons; other jurisdictions extend such exclusive rights in the form of neighboring rights. Neighboring rights may include performers' rights or broadcasters' rights. The [http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/rome/summary_rome.html Rome Convention] sets forth some guidelines on the scope of neighboring rights. Not all jurisdictions recognize neighboring rights.
  
If a person uses DRM tools to restrict any of the rights granted in the license, that person violates the license. All of our licenses prohibit licensees from "impos(ing) any effective technological measures on the Work that restrict the ability of a recipient of the Work from You to exercise the rights granted to that recipient under the terms of the License."
 
  
Encryption or an access limitation is not necessarily a technical protection measure prohibited by the licenses. For example, content sent via email and encrypted with the recipient's public key does not restrict use of the Work by the recipient. Likewise, limiting recipients to a set of users (e.g., with a username and password) does not restrict use of the Work by the recipients.
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====What are collecting societies?====
  
In the cases above, encryption or an access limitation is not incompatible with the prohibition on DRM because the recipient is not prevented from exercising all rights granted by the license (including rights of further redistribution). If, however, encryption is implemented in such as way as to prevent the recipient from exercising any right granted by the license, then that would constitute a violation of this provision.
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[http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Version_3#International_Harmonization_.E2.80.94_Collecting_Societies Collecting societies] are copyright management organizations. Some examples of collecting societies include ASCAP and BMI (United States), BUMA/STEMRA (Netherlands), PRS (United Kingdom), and APRA (Australia). These societies license works on behalf of their owners and process royalty payments from parties using the copyrighted works.
  
====I love what Creative Commons does. How can I help?====
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CC offers additional information on [[#Can_I_use_a_Creative_Commons_license_if_I_am_a_member_of_a_collecting_society.3F | how collecting societies might affect your rights and your ability to apply CC licenses to your work]].  CC has several [http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Collecting_Society_Projects pilots] underway with collecting societies that have chosen to allow their members to use CC licenses on a limited basis.  
  
We would be very grateful for your help. You are welcome to support Creative Commons Corporation by [http://support.creativecommons.org making a donation at our Support page]. In exchange for your donation, you'll receive a variety of items, depending on level. Donations and shipping addresses are handled by Paypal.
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<span id="When_are_publicity_rights_relevant.3F"></span>
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====What are publicity and privacy rights?====
  
You can also give us feedback directly at info@creativecommons.org. Alternately, you can participate in our [http://creativecommons.org/discuss email discussion lists].
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In some jurisdictions, publicity rights allow individuals to control the use of their voice, image, likeness, or other identifiable aspect of their identity. Similarly, in some jurisdictions privacy rights exist that restrict others' ability to publish information about them without their permission. Whether and to what extent these rights exist varies depending on the jurisdiction.
  
{{Translations
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Creative Commons licenses do not waive or otherwise affect rights of privacy or publicity to the extent they apply. If you have created a work or wish to use a work that might in some way implicate these rights, you may need to obtain permission from the individuals whose rights may be affected.
| articles = Hr:FAQ, Pt:FAQ, Ru:ЧАВО
 
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[[Category:FAQ]]
 
[[Category:FAQ]]

Revision as of 20:47, 14 October 2011

These FAQs are designed to provide a better understanding of Creative Commons, our licenses and our other legal and technical tools. They provide basic information, sometimes about fairly complex topics. These FAQs will often link to more detailed information. Please note that several of our tools have their own in-depth FAQs, including our CC0 Public Domain Dedication and Public Domain Mark. If you have any questions about CC that are not covered here or elsewhere on our website, please email info@creativecommons.org.

Regarding terminology used in these FAQs, Creative Commons designs and stewards licenses and legal tools that allow copyright holders to offer their works to the public on conditions expressed in the selected license or tool. The holder of the copyright may be referred to in these FAQs as the licensor, rightsholder, owner or creator. All of those terms are used interchangeably to refer to the person or entity that at the time the CC license or tool is applied has the right to do so. Additionally, unless otherwise specified, information about our licenses provided below is made with reference to the version 3.0 license suite, and is not necessarily the same for earlier license versions.

Please Note: Creative Commons does not provide legal advice. This FAQ is designed to be helpful in raising awareness about Creative Commons and the use of our licenses and other tools. It is not a substitute for legal advice. It may not cover important issues that affect you. You should consult with your own lawyer if you have questions.

Questions

Most Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Can Creative Commons give legal advice about its licenses or other tools, or help with CC license enforcement?
  2. Who gives permission to use works offered under Creative Commons licenses?
  3. How do I properly attribute a work offered under a Creative Commons license?
  4. What if CC licenses have not been ported to my jurisdiction (country)?
  5. Does my use constitute an adaptation?
  6. Does my use violate the NonCommercial clause of the licenses?
  7. Can I apply a Creative Commons license to software?
  8. How can I change or remove the Creative Commons search option built into the Firefox browser?

About CC

  1. What is Creative Commons and what do you do?
  2. Is Creative Commons against copyright?
  3. Can Creative Commons give legal advice about its licenses or other tools, or help with CC license enforcement?
  4. Who gives permission to use works offered under Creative Commons licenses?
  5. Does Creative Commons collect or track works licensed under a CC license?
  6. May I use the Creative Commons logo and buttons?
  7. I love Creative Commons. How can I help?
  8. Why does Creative Commons run an annual fundraising campaign? What is the money used for and where does it go?

General License Information

  1. What are Creative Commons licenses?
  2. How do the CC licenses operate?
  3. Which is the latest version of the licenses offered by Creative Commons?
  4. Why should I use the latest version (currently 3.0) of the Creative Commons licenses?
  5. Do Creative Commons licenses affect exceptions and limitations to copyright, such as fair dealing and fair use?
  6. What does "Some Rights Reserved" mean?
  7. Are Creative Commons licenses enforceable in a court of law?
  8. What happens if someone applies a CC license to my work without my knowledge or authorization?
  9. Which Creative Commons ShareAlike license versions are compatible with each other?
  10. What are the international (“unported”) Creative Commons licenses, and why does CC offer “ported” licenses?
  11. What if CC licenses have not been ported to my jurisdiction (country)?
  12. What do the Creative Commons buttons do?
  13. Can I include a work licensed with CC BY in a Wikipedia article even though they use a CC BY-SA license?

For Licensors

NB: You should never apply a CC license to a work unless you have all the permissions you need to do so.

  1. What things should I think about before I apply a Creative Commons license to my work?
  2. How should I decide which license to choose?
  3. Should I choose an international license or a ported license?
  4. What if I change my mind?
  5. Can I use a Creative Commons license if I am a member of a collecting society?
  6. Can I still make money from a work I make available under a Creative Commons license?
  7. How do Creative Commons licenses affect my moral rights, if at all?
  8. Can I change the license terms or conditions?
  9. What happens if I offer my work under a Creative Commons license and someone misuses my work?
  10. What can I do if I offer my work under a Creative Commons license and I do not like the way someone uses my work?
  11. What do I do if someone tries to restrict my work with digital rights management (DRM)?
  12. Do I need to register with Creative Commons before I obtain a license?
  13. How do I apply a Creative Commons license to my work?
  14. Why should I use the license chooser? What if I don’t?
  15. May I apply a Creative Commons license to a work in the public domain?
  16. Can I insist on the exact placement of the attribution credit?
  17. Can I apply a Creative Commons license to software?
  18. Can I apply a Creative Commons license to data or a database?
  19. Can I place a trademark on a work and offer the work under a CC license without also licensing or otherwise affecting rights in the trademark? If so, how?

For Licensees

  1. What should I think about before using a work offered under a Creative Commons license?
  2. Are all the licenses at the same version level identical? What should I know about differences between the international licenses and the ported licenses?
  3. Does a Creative Commons license give me all the rights I need to use the work?
  4. How do I properly attribute a work offered under a Creative Commons license?
  5. Do I need to be aware of anything else when providing attribution or credit?
  6. What happens if I want to use the work in a way that is not permitted by the license?
  7. Does my use violate the NonCommercial clause of the licenses?
  8. Does my use constitute an adaptation?
  9. Can I combine works that use different Creative Commons licenses into my work?
  10. If I derive or adapt a work offered under a Creative Commons license, which CC license(s) can I apply to the resulting work?
  11. If I create a collective work that includes a work offered under a CC license, which license(s) may I choose for the collection?
  12. Where can I find material offered under a CC license?

Technical Questions

  1. How do Creative Commons licenses and public domain tools work technically?
  2. What does it mean that Creative Commons licenses are "machine-readable"?
  3. What is RDFa?
  4. What is CC REL and why does Creative Commons recommend it?
  5. What does it mean for a search engine to be CC-enabled?
  6. How do I give users of my site the option to use CC licensing like Flickr does?
  7. How do I change/remove the Creative Commons search options built into the Firefox browser?
  8. Is Creative Commons involved in digital rights management (DRM)?

Legal Background

  1. What is copyright and why does it matter?
  2. What is the public domain?
  3. What do I need to do to get a copyright?
  4. What is an adaptation?
  5. What are moral rights?
  6. What are neighboring rights?
  7. What are collecting societies?
  8. What are publicity and privacy rights?

About CC

What is Creative Commons and what do you do?

Creative Commons is a global nonprofit organization that enables sharing and reuse of creativity and knowledge through the provision of free legal tools. CC has affiliates all over the world who help ensure our licenses work internationally and who raise awareness about our work. Our legal tools help those who want to encourage reuse of their works by offering them for use under generous, standardized terms, those who want to make creative uses of works, and those who want to benefit from this symbiosis. Our vision is to help others realize the full potential of the internet.

Although Creative Commons is best known for licenses, our work extends beyond just providing copyright licenses. CC offers a number of other legal and technical tools that also facilitate sharing and discovery of creative works. Unlike other public legal tools, Creative Commons' licenses and tools were designed specifically to work with the web, which makes content that is offered under their terms easy to search for, discover and use. CC also offers other legal tools, such as CC0, a public domain dedication for rightsholders who wish to put their work into the public domain in advance of the expiration of applicable copyright, and the Public Domain Mark, a tool for marking a work that is in the worldwide public domain. Additionally, Creative Commons makes available tools used by scientific communities, such as standard materials transfer agreements.

For more information about CC, our main website contains in-depth information about the organization, its staff and board of directors, its history and its supporters. You can also read CC case studies to learn about some of the inspiring ways CC licenses and tools have been used to share works and support innovative business models. You can also find up-to-the-minute information about CC by visiting the blog.

Is Creative Commons against copyright?

Absolutely not. CC has responded to claims to the contrary. CC licenses are copyright licenses, and depend on the existence of copyright to work. CC licenses are legal tools that creators and other rightsholders can use to offer certain usage rights to the public, while reserving other rights. Those who want to make their work available to the public for limited kinds of uses while preserving their copyright may want to consider using CC licenses. Others who want to reserve all of their rights under copyright law should not use CC licenses.

Can Creative Commons give legal advice about its licenses or other tools, or help with CC license enforcement?

No. Creative Commons is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or legal services. CC is similar to a self-help service that offers free, form-based legal documents for others to use. CC also provides a jurisdiction database where you can compare the international licenses (formerly known at the "unported licenses") and ports (adaptations of the international licenses for particular jurisdictions), and a license versions page where you can compare the differences between license versions.

The CC wiki has a list of lawyers and organizations who have identified themselves as willing to provide information to others about CC licensing issues. However, please note that CC does not provide referral services, and does not endorse or recommend any person on that list. CC's Affiliate Network may also be a good resource for information about the licenses in a particular jurisdiction, though they should not be contacted for legal advice, at least in their capacity as a member of our CC Affiliate Network.

Who gives permission to use works offered under Creative Commons licenses?

Our licenses and legal tools are intended for use by anyone who holds copyright to the work. This is often, but not always, the creator or author. Creative Commons has no authority to grant permission on behalf of those persons, nor does CC manage those rights on behalf of others. CC offers licenses and tools to the public free of charge and does not require that creators or other rightsholders register with CC in order to apply a CC license to a work. This means that CC does not have special knowledge of who uses the licenses and for what purposes, nor does CC have a way to contact authors beyond means generally available to the public.

If you would like to obtain additional permissions to use the work beyond those granted by the license that has been applied, you should contact the rightsholder.

Does Creative Commons collect or track works licensed under a CC license?

CC does not collect content or track works except by way of example. CC builds technical tools that help the public search for and use works licensed under our licenses and other legal tools.

For instance, the CC Network allows creators and users to express their support for Creative Commons, and also provides a tool for creators to authenticate ownership of their works.

CC also offers tools like CC Search to help the public discover works offered under Creative Commons licenses on the Internet via CC-aware search engines and repositories.

May I use the Creative Commons logo and buttons?

You may download high resolution versions of the Creative Commons logos and use them in connection with your work or your website, provided you comply with our policies. Among other things, if you use the logos on a website or on your work, you may not alter the logos in any respect -- such as by changing the font, the proportions or the colors. CC's buttons, name and corporate logo (the “CC” in a circle) are trademarks of Creative Commons. You cannot use them in ways not permitted by our policies unless you first receive express, written permission. This means, for example, that you cannot (without our permission) print your own buttons and t-shirts using CC logos, although you can purchase them in CC’s store.

I love Creative Commons. How can I help?

Please support CC by making a donation through our support page. You can choose to receive a variety of cool merchandise in exchange for your donation, depending on the amount donated. Donations and shipping information can be handled through Google Checkout or PayPal. You can also support CC by visiting our store.

CC always welcomes your feedback, which you can provide by emailing info@creativecommons.org. Alternately, you can participate in CC's email discussion lists and share feedback and ideas in one of those forums.

Why does Creative Commons run an annual fundraising campaign? What is the money used for and where does it go?

Creative Commons is a global nonprofit organization that enables sharing and reuse of creativity and knowledge through free legal tools, with affiliates all over the world who help ensure our licenses work internationally and raise awareness about our work. Our tools are free and our reach is wide. In order to:

  • continue developing our licenses and public domain tools to make sure they are legally and technically up-to-date around the world,
  • help creators implement these tools on websites through best practices and individual assistance,
  • enable CC licensing on major content-sharing platforms,
  • enhance CC-licensed resource search and discovery,
  • advocate for CC licensing and open policies in education, science, and culture, and myriad other activities we’re forgetting to mention--such as all the everyday, boring but essential operations that go into running an organization--we need $ to make it all happen!

Creative Commons has always relied on the generosity of both individuals and organizations to fund its ongoing operations. It is essential we have the public’s support because it is the creators and users, neither mutually exclusive, that make our tools relevant in this digital age. They depend on the tools and services CC provides through their reuse and remix of the rich and open resources available on Wikipedia, Flickr, SoundCloud, Vimeo, Europeana, MIT OpenCourseWare, the Public Library of Science, Al Jazeera, and YouTube--just to name a few. Many of these people donate $10, $25 or $50 to CC, to help keep it up and running so we can continue to provide our tools and services for free, as a nonprofit organization. The more people who donate to CC, the more independent it will remain.

General License Information

What are Creative Commons licenses?

Creative Commons licenses provide an easy way to manage the copyright terms that attach automatically to all creative works under copyright. Our licenses allow those works to be shared and re-used under terms that are flexible and legally sound. Creative Commons offers a core suite of six copyright licenses. Because there is no single "Creative Commons license," it is important to identify which of the six licenses you are applying to your work, and which of the six licenses has been applied to a work you intend to use.

All of our licenses require that users provide attribution (BY) to the original creator and licensor (where those are different) when the content is used and shared. Some licensors choose the BY license, which conditions reuse only on that condition. The other five licenses combine BY with one or more of three additional conditions: NonCommercial (NC), which prohibits commercial use of the work; NoDerivatives (ND), which permits reuse provided the work is not modified; and if modifications are allowed, ShareAlike (SA), which requires modified works be released under the same license.

CC licenses may be applied to any type of work, including educational resources, music, photographs, databases, government and public sector information and many other types of creative content. The only categories of works for which CC does not recommend its licenses are computer software and works that are no longer protected by copyright or are otherwise in the public domain.

How do CC licenses operate?

CC licenses take effect and are operative only when applied to a work in which a copyright exists, and even then only when a particular use of the work is prohibited by copyright. This means that CC license terms and conditions are not triggered by uses of a licensed work that are permitted under a use permitted under any applicable exceptions and limitations to copyright, nor do license terms and conditions apply to elements of a licensed work that are in the public domain. This also means that CC licenses do not contractually impose restrictions on uses of a work where there is no underlying copyright. This feature (and others) distinguish CC licenses from some other open licenses like the ODbL and ODC-BY, both of which are intended to impose contractual conditions and restrictions on the reuse of databases in jurisdictions where there is no underlying copyright or sui generis database right.

All CC licenses are non-exclusive -- creators and owners can enter into additional, different licensing arrangements for the same work at any time, a practice known as dual-licensing. Note, however, that once granted, CC licenses are not revocable in the absence of a breach, and even then the license is terminated only as to the particular licensee.

There are videos and comics that offer visual descriptions of how CC licenses work.

Which is the latest version of the licenses offered by Creative Commons?

In 2007, Creative Commons published the version 3.0 license suite. These licenses are the most up-to-date licenses offered by CC, and are recommended over all prior versions. You can see how the licenses have been improved over time on the license versions page. The process of porting the 3.0 international licenses to individual jurisdictions started in 2007. As of 2011, CC is no longer approving new porting projects while preparations are made for beginning version 4.0.

If CC offers only a pre-version 3.0 ported license for your jurisdiction, or has never offered a ported license for your jurisdiction, consider using a 3.0 international (unported) license, all of which are intended to operate around the world.

Why should I use the latest version (currently 3.0) of the Creative Commons licenses?

You should always use the latest version of the Creative Commons licenses in order to take advantage of the improvements described on the license versions page. In addition, version 3.0 ShareAlike licenses are not backwards compatible, so users cannot license a work that incorporates or remixes a work offered under a BY-SA 3.0 license (like Wikipedia articles) under an earlier version of BY-SA.

Do Creative Commons licenses affect exceptions and limitations to copyright, such as fair dealing and fair use?

No. All of CC's licenses include language that accounts for exceptions and limitations, similar to the following: “Nothing in this license is intended to reduce, limit, or restrict any rights arising from fair use, first sale or other limitations on the exclusive rights of the copyright owner under copyright law or other applicable laws.”

The laws of all jurisdictions allow at least some uses of copyrighted material without permission of the creator, and may include uses such as quotation, current-affairs reporting, or parody in some jurisdictions. These exceptions vary depending on the jurisdiction. Fair use and fair dealing are two exceptions to copyright that may be relevant to your use of a CC licensed work depending on your jurisdiction.

What does "Some Rights Reserved" mean?

Copyright grants to creators a bundle of exclusive rights over their creative works, which generally include the right to reproduce, distribute, display, make adaptations, perform, sell and so on. The phrase “All Rights Reserved” is often used by owners to indicate that they reserve all of the rights granted to them under the law. When copyright expires, the work enters the public domain, and the rightsholder can no longer stop others from engaging in those activities under copyright, with the exception of moral rights reserved to creators in some jurisdictions. Creative Commons licenses offer creators a spectrum of choices between retaining all rights and relinquishing all rights (public domain), an approach we call "Some Rights Reserved."

Are Creative Commons licenses enforceable in a court of law?

Creative Commons licenses are drafted to be enforceable around the world, and have been enforced in court in various jurisdictions. To CC's knowledge, the licenses have never been held unenforceable or invalid.

Please note that CC licenses contain a “severability” clause. This allows a court to eliminate any provision determined to be unenforceable, and enforce the remaining provisions of the license in question.

What happens if someone applies a Creative Commons license to my work without my knowledge or authorization?

CC alerts prospective licensors they need to have all necessary rights before applying a CC license to a work. If that is not the case and someone has marked your work with a CC license without your authorization, you should contact that person and tell them to remove the license from your work. You may also wish to contact a lawyer. Creative Commons is not a law firm and cannot represent you or give you legal advice, but there are lawyers who have identified themselves as interested in representing people in CC-related matters.

Which Creative Commons ShareAlike license versions are compatible with each other?

Version 1.0 of the CC licenses containing the ShareAlike provision are not compatible with later versions of the ShareAlike licenses. If you wish to make an adaptation of a work licensed under BY-SA 1.0, for example, then the resulting adaptation must also be licensed under BY-SA 1.0.

All of the ShareAlike licenses starting from version 2.0 are compatible with future versions of the ShareAlike licenses. If you want to make an adaptation using a photograph that is licensed under a BY-SA 2.0 license, you can apply BY-SA 3.0 to the adaptation. The licenses are not backward compatible, however. You cannot create an adaptation of a work licensed under BY-SA 3.0 and license the derivative under BY-SA 2.0.

Visit the license versions page to compare the versions of the licenses on this point and others.

What are the international (“unported”) Creative Commons licenses, and why does CC offer “ported” licenses?

One of Creative Commons’ goals is ensuring that all of its legal tools work globally. To this end, CC offers a core suite of six international copyright licenses (formerly called the "unported") that are drafted based on various international treaties governing copyright. CC offers these international licenses so that anyone, anywhere in the world can share their work on globally standard terms.

Creative Commons also offers ported versions of its six, core licenses for many jurisdictions (usually jurisdiction = country, but not always). These ported licenses are based on the international license suite but have been modified to reflect any local nuances in the expression of legal terms and conditions, drafting protocols and, of course, language. The ported licenses and the international licenses are all intended to be legally effective everywhere. However, if the ported licenses in your jurisdiction have not yet been versioned to 3.0 (launched in 2007), CC recommends that you consider using the equivalent international license instead and take advantage of the improvements in the 3.0 suite explained on the license versions page.

There are considerations you may wish to take into account before choosing an international or a ported license.

What if CC licenses have not been ported to my jurisdiction (country)?

All CC licenses are intended to work worldwide. If the licenses have not yet been ported to your jursidiction, or if your jurisdiction's ported licenses have not yet been versioned to 3.0, we suggest you consider using one of the international licenses.

Please note that as of 2011 CC no longer approves new license porting projects -- though we very much continue to encourage new jurisdiction projects! We are dedicating resources to preparing for version 4.0. Porting is a demanding process that requires a lot of resources and time by both CC and the porting team, and we need those resources and time for the 4.0 process.

What do the Creative Commons buttons do?

The CC buttons are a shorthand way to convey the basic permissions associated with works offered under CC licenses. Creators and owners who apply CC licenses to their works can download and apply those buttons to communicate to users the permissions granted in advance. When the work is offered online, the buttons should usually link out to the human-readable license deeds (that are in turn linked to the license itself).

Can I include a work licensed with CC BY in a Wikipedia article even though they use a CC BY-SA license?

Yes. Works licensed under CC BY may be incorporated into works that are licensed under CC BY-SA. For example, you may incorporate a CC BY photograph into a Wikipedia article so long as you keep all copyright notices intact, provide proper attribution and otherwise comply with the terms of CC BY. Learn more about the licenses.

Can anyone use a CC license? What about governments and intergovernmental organizations ("IGOs")?

Anyone may use CC licenses for works they own, including governments and IGOs, and are frequently used to license copyrightable works. The reasons for doing so vary, and often include a desire to maximize the impact and utility of works for educational and informational purposes, and to enhance transparency.

Creative Commons licenses have desirable features that make them the preferred choice over custom licenses. CC licenses are standard and interoperable, which means works published by different authors using the same type of CC license can be translated, modified, compiled and/or remixed depending on the particular license applied. Creative Commons licenses are also machine-readable, allowing CC-licensed works to be easily discovered via search engines such as Google. These features maximize distribution, reuse and impact of works published by governments and IGOs.

Read more about how governments and IGOs use and can leverage CC licenses and legal tools, considerations for using our licenses and how they operate in the IGO-context.

For Licensors

What things should I think about before I apply a Creative Commons license to my work?

Applying a Creative Commons license to your work is a serious decision. When you apply a CC license to your work, you give permission to anyone to use the work for the full duration of applicable copyright, absent a violation of the license.

CC has identified some things that you should consider before you apply a CC license to your work, some of which relate to your ability to apply a license at all. Here are some highlights:

  • Is the work copyrightable? CC licenses do not apply to ideas, facts, or content that is otherwise not copyrightable. Different countries have different standards for what is and is not copyrightable or in the public domain.
  • Do you own the work? Are you otherwise authorized to license the work under the specific CC license you are interested in using? You should not apply a license to a work that you do not own or that you are not authorized to license.
  • Are you aware that CC licenses are not revocable? You are free to stop offering the work under a CC license at any time, but this will not affect the rights associated with any copies of your work already in circulation absent a breach by a particular licensee (which does not affect continual use of the work by other licensees).
  • Are you a member of a collecting society? If you are, you should make sure that you are able to use CC licenses for your works.
  • Always read the terms and conditions of the specific license you plan to apply to your work. Some of the ported licenses contain specific provisions that may impact your choice, such as a choice of law provision. You may also want to access the jurisdiction database to search for licenses that contain choice of law and/or other terms and conditions that you may find relevant to your license selection.

How should I decide which license to choose?

There are plenty of resources to help rightsholders choose the right CC license. CC Australia has developed a flow chart that may be useful in helping you settle on the right license for your work.

If you are unsure which license best suits your needs, Creative Commons offers several other tools that may help. Our case studies offer great examples of how CC licenses have been applied to text, audio, images, video and educational works. The CC community can also respond to any questions, and may have already addressed issues you raise. The CC community email discussion lists and discussion archives may be useful resources.

Finally, you may also want to consult with a lawyer to obtain advice on the best license for your needs.

Should I choose an international license or a ported license?

That depends. There are several reasons why the international licenses may be preferable for a rightsholder, even if the licenses have been ported to his or her jurisdiction. For example, CC licenses all of its own content under an international license because, among other reasons, the international licenses are essentially jurisdiction-neutral while remaining effective globally. The neutral nature of the international licenses appeals to many people and organizations, particularly for use in connection with global projects that transcend political borders, a common characteristic of digital culture today.

In addition, the ported licenses for some jurisdictions have not yet been versioned to 3.0, which means licensors using those licenses do not have the benefit of the improvements made in the 3.0 license suite. Moreover, the 3.0 ShareAlike licenses are not backwards compatible, so a user cannot create adaptations of works offered under 3.0 ShareAlike licenses (like Wikipedia pages) and offer the new works under earlier license versions. Finally, it is important to know that some of the ported licenses contain a choice of law provision, which may be undesirable for your licensing needs.

Notwithstanding these benefits, some rightsholders still choose a license ported to their local jurisdiction because there are nuances in local law that are not explicitly addressed by the international licenses. For example, in the European Union, some licensors prefer to use ported licenses because all version 3.0 EU licenses account for the European Database Directive as implemented in national laws. The international licenses do not. If the licenses have been ported to your jurisdiction and you feel that your jurisdiction's ported licenses better account for some aspect of local legislation, then you may want to consider a ported license.

Use our jurisdiction database to compare international licenses and ports on these issues and others, such as whether a ported license contains a choice of law or forum selection clause.

What if I change my mind?

CC licenses are not revocable. Once a work is published under a CC license, licensees may continue using the work according to the license terms for the duration of copyright protection. Notwithstanding, CC licenses do not prohibit licensors from ceasing distribution of their works at any time. Additionally, CC licenses provide a mechanism for licensors and authors to ask that others using their work remove the credit to them that is otherwise required by the license. You should think carefully before choosing a Creative Commons license.

Can I use a Creative Commons license if I am a member of a collecting society?

Creators and other rightsholders may wish to check with their collecting society before applying a CC license to their work. Many rightsholders who are members of a collecting society can waive the right to collect royalties for uses allowed under the license, but only to the extent that their societies allow.

Collecting societies in Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Taiwan and The Netherlands take an assignment of rights (in France it is called a “mandate” of rights but has similar practical effect) from creators in present and future works and manage them, so that the societies effectively become the owner of these rights. Creators in these jurisdictions who belong to collecting societies may not be able to license their works under a CC license because the collecting societies own the necessary rights, not them. CC is working with several collecting societies and running pilot programs that allow creators to use CC licenses for their works in some circumstances.

If you are already a member of a collecting society and want to use CC licenses, feel free to encourage your collecting society to give you the option of Creative Commons licensing.

Can I still make money from a work I make available under a Creative Commons license?

Absolutely. One of our goals is to encourage creators and rightsholders to experiment with new ways to promote and market their work. CC's NonCommercial (NC) licenses allow rightsholders to maximize distribution while maintaining control of the commercialization of their copyrighted works. Choose a license with the NC condition if you want to reserve the right to commercialize your work. The NC license condition only applies to users, not the owner of the work. As the rightsholder, you may still commercially exploit your work. If someone else wants to use your work commercially and you have applied an NC license to your work, they must first get your permission.

How do Creative Commons licenses affect my moral rights, if at all?

The international licenses provide that licensees “must not distort, mutilate, modify or take other derogatory action in relation to the Work which would be prejudicial to the Original Author's honor or reputation.” This prohibits licensees from making uses that would otherwise violate authors’ moral rights of integrity where that right exists. The attribution requirement contained in all of our licenses is intended to satisfy the moral right of attribution.

The ported versions of the licenses often contain an adjusted version of this language, in part to account for moral rights legislation in a particular jurisdiction. As a general matter, all CC licenses preserve moral rights to the extent they exist (they do not exist everywhere), but allow uses of the work in ways contemplated by the license that might otherwise violate moral rights through a limited waiver or license of the moral rights where that is possible. If you are applying a ported license to your work, you may wish to review the moral rights language in the particular license. You can also compare how different jurisdictions have implemented this provision, or browse the license versions page to compare the treatment of this issue across the different versions of the CC licenses.

Can I change the license terms or conditions?

While you can change our licenses -- CC does not assert copyright in the text of the licenses -- if you do so you cannot call the modified license a "Creative Commons" license or use our trademarks or logos. And even though CC will not stop you from changing our licenses, there are many reasons why you should not. Foremost, the modified license may not be compatible with CC licenses. But there are other good reasons, too, such as confusion for users and decreased re-usability because the modified license is no longer standard.

Changing the terms is different from waiving requirements or conditions in the licenses. A licensor may always grant more permissions than are granted by our licenses. The 3.0 licenses specifically contemplate a waiver or consent as long as the waiver or consent is in writing and signed.

What happens if I offer my work under a Creative Commons license and someone misuses my work?

A CC license terminates automatically upon a violation of its conditions. For example, if a user of a work distributed under a Creative Commons license fails to attribute the creator as required, then the user no longer has the right to continue using the work and may be liable for copyright infringement. The license terminates with respect to the user who violated the license, but it remains in effect for all other users so long as they are in compliance.

If you adopt a Creative Commons license and a user violates the license conditions, you have options for addressing the situation, from contacting the person and asking them to rectify the situation to consulting a lawyer to act on your behalf.

What can I do if I offer my work under a Creative Commons license and I do not like the way someone uses my work?

Creative Commons licenses do not allow licensors to control how their works can be used except as limited by the license terms they select (i.e., NonCommercial, NoDerivatives, and ShareAlike (if modifications are allowed)). As long as users abide by the selected license conditions, licensors cannot control how the work is used.

That said, CC licenses do provide several mechanisms that allow licensors and authors to choose not to be associated with their works or uses with which they disagree. First, all CC licenses prohibit using the attribution requirement to suggest that the original author or licensor endorses or supports a particular use of a work. This "No Endorsement" provision protects reputation, and its violation constitutes a violation of the license and results in automatic termination. Second, licensors may waive the attribution requirement -- choose not to be identified as the author or licensor of the work -- if they wish. Third, if a work is modified or incorporated into a collection, and the original author or licensor does not like the how the work has been modified or used in the collection, CC licenses require that the person modifying the work or incorporating the work into a collection remove reference to the original author or licensor upon notice. Finally, if the selected CC license permits modifications and adaptations of the original work, then the person modifying the work must indicate that the original has been modified. This ensures that changes made to the original work -- whether or not acceptable to the original author or licensor -- are not attributed back to the licensor.

What do I do if someone tries to restrict my work with digital rights management (DRM)?

The use of DRM tools or any technical protection measures by licensees to prevent others from exercising the rights granted by the license is prohibited. All of CC's licenses prohibit users from "impos(ing) any effective technological measures on the Work that restrict the ability of a recipient of the Work from You to exercise the rights granted to that recipient under the terms of the License."

Not all encryption or access limitations are necessarily prohibited by the licenses. For example, content sent via email and encrypted with the recipient's public key does not restrict use of the work by the recipient. Likewise, limiting recipients to a set of users (e.g., with a username and password) does not restrict use of the work by the recipients. These examples are not incompatible with the prohibition on DRM because the recipient is not prevented from exercising all rights granted by the license (including rights of further redistribution).

If you become aware of someone using technical protection measures with your CC-licensed work, you may wish to contact them directly to obtain compliance or hire a lawyer to represent you.

Do I need to register with Creative Commons before I obtain a license?

No. CC offers the licenses, code and tools to the public free of charge, without obligation. CC does not require or provide any means for creators or rightsholders to register their use of a CC license, nor does CC maintain a database of works distributed under Creative Commons licenses. CC also does not require registration of the work with a national copyright agency.

How do I apply a Creative Commons license to my work?

For online works: Select the license that is appropriate for your work from the CC license chooser and then follow the instructions to include the html code in your work. The code will automatically generate a license button and a statement that your work is licensed under a CC license. The html code will also include metadata, which allows the work to be discovered via Creative Commons-enabled search engines.

For offline works: Identify which license you wish to apply to your work and either (a) mark your work with a statement such as, “This work is licensed under the Creative Commons [insert description] License. To view a copy of the license, visit [insert url]; or (b) insert the applicable license buttons with the same statement and URL link.

To clarify, the only difference between applying a CC license to an offline rather than an online work is that the offline work will not include metadata, so users will be unable to find it through the CC-enabled search engines.

CC offers resources on the best practices for marking works and on how to mark works on different media.

Why should I use the license chooser? What if I don’t?

Licensors are not required to use the CC license chooser or provide any information about themselves or their works when applying a CC license to their works. Doing so, however, allows licensors to take advantage of the "machine readable" layer of CC licenses. Our machine readable code enhances the discoverability of your work because that code allows software, search engines and other technologies to recognize when a work is licensed under a CC license. The code also facilitates attribution -- users of your work can click on the CC badge placed on your site and link directly to html code that they can cut and paste to provide attribution.

May I apply a Creative Commons license to a work in the public domain?

No. CC licenses should not be applied to works in the public domain. All CC license deed state unambiguously: "Public Domain -- where the work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license."

A creator may apply a Creative Commons license to an adaptation of a public domain work as long as he or she holds the copyright to the adaptation. The owner of copyright in a collection of works can apply a Creative Commons license to the collection even if it contains a work from the public domain. And publishers of databases and other works that are protected by copyright (or, in the case of databases, sui generis database rights) may use a CC license even if parts of the work or content in the database is in the public domain. However, in each of these instances, the license does not affect parts of the work that are unrestricted by copyright.

If you want to dedicate your work to the public domain before the expiration of copyright or sui generis database rights, use CC's legally robust CC0 public domain dedication. If you want to mark a work that is already in the worldwide public domain, use CC's Public Domain Mark.

Can I insist on the exact placement of the attribution credit?

No. CC licenses allow for flexibility in the way credit is provided depending on the means used by a licensee to re-distribute the work. There may be differences based on the format in which the content is re-used. For example, providing attribution to the author when re-distributing information via a blog post may be different than how credit is provided to an author in a video remix. All CC licenses provide that attribution is to be provided in a manner “reasonable to the medium or means” used by the licensee, and for credit to be provided in a “reasonable manner.” This flexibility facilitates compliance by licensees – minimizing the risk that overly onerous and inflexible attribution requirements are simply disregarded.

Can I apply a Creative Commons license to software?

We do not recommend it. Creative Commons licenses should not be used for software. We strongly encourage you to use one of the very good software licenses which are already available. We recommend considering licenses made available by the Free Software Foundation or listed at the Open Source Initiative. Unlike our licenses, which do not make mention of source or object code, these existing licenses were designed specifically for use with software. Furthermore, our licenses are not compatible with the GPL, the most frequently used free software license.

Note that the CC0 Public Domain Dedication is GPL-compatible and acceptable for software. For details, see the relevant CC0 FAQ entry.

Can I apply a Creative Commons license to data or a database?

Yes, CC licenses can be used on anything that is restricted by copyright, including data and databases that are under copyright.

Note that in the version 3.0 ported licenses developed for jurisdictions where sui generis database rights exist, the license conditions are waived for uses that implicate only sui generis rights (as opposed to copyright), provided the licensee is otherwise in compliance with the license. For all of our 3.0 licenses (international or ported), the result is the same: if a particular use of a database implicates sui generis database rights (rights that exist independent of copyright law in the European Union and a few other countries) but not copyright law, the license conditions are not triggered by that particular use. Users in those situations do not need to provide attribution or comply with other relevant conditions such as NonCommercial, ShareAlike, or NoDerivatives where those apply. Many governments and others use CC licenses for data and databases.

Creative Commons is reconsidering how sui generis database rights (and other similarly-situated rights) will be treated in version 4.0. Watch this page to stay updated on the 4.0 conversation.

Can I place a trademark on a work and offer the work under a CC license without also licensing or otherwise affecting rights in the trademark? If so, how?

Yes, you may offer a work for use under a Creative Commons license that includes a trademark indicating the source of the work without affecting rights in the trademark. However, applying a CC license to such a work may create an implied license to use the trademark or otherwise suggest to licensees that use is permissible. Creative Commons recommends that licensors who wish to mark works with trademarks or other branding materials give notice to licensors expressly disclaiming application of the license to those elements of the work. This can be done in the copyright notice, but could also be noted on the website where the work is published.

The following is an example notice:

The text of and illustrations in this document are licensed by Red Hat under a Creative Commons Attribution–Share Alike 3.0 Unported license ("CC-BY-SA"). . . . Red Hat, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the Shadowman logo, JBoss, MetaMatrix, Fedora, the Infinity Logo, and RHCE are trademarks of Red Hat, Inc., registered in the United States and other countries. For guidelines on the permitted uses of the Fedora trademarks, refer to https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Legal:Trademark_guidelines.


For Licensees

What should I think about before using a work offered under a Creative Commons license?

CC offers six core licenses, each of which grants different sets of permissions. Before you use a CC-licensed work, you should review the terms of the particular license to be sure your anticipated use is permitted. If you wish to use the work in a manner that is not permitted by the license, you should contact the rightsholder (often the creator) to get permission first, or look for an alternative work that is licensed in a way that permits your anticipated use. Note that if you use a work in way that is not permitted by the applicable license and your use is not otherwise permitted by an applicable copyright exception or limitation, the license is automatically terminated and you may be liable for copyright infringement.

Before using a work offered under a Creative Commons license, you should know that CC licenses only grant permissions needed under copyright law, there may be additional rights you need to use the work as intended. You should also understand that licensors do not offer warranties or guarantees about the work they are licensing. All works are licensed "AS IS" and a disclaimer of warranties applies. If you want to ask for a warranty or guarantee about rights to use the work, you should talk with the licensor before using it.

Are all the licenses at the same version level identical? What should I know about differences between the international licenses and the ported licenses?

As a licensee, you should always read and understand the relevant license legal code before using a CC-licensed work, particularly if you are using a work that is licensed using a ported license with which you are unfamiliar. Our porting process involves adapting the international licenses to the legal framework of different jurisdictions, and in that process slight adjustments may have been made that you should make yourself aware of in advance of using the work.

For example, a handful of the 3.0 ported licenses (as well as of the pre-3.0 ported licenses) contain provisions specifying which laws will apply in the event the licensor chooses to enforce the license, and one 3.0 ported license suite (the Hong Kong license suite) and a few of the ported pre-3.0 ported licenses contain forum selection clauses.

Before using a work licensed under a ported license, you are encouraged to review the legal code carefully to identify unique provisions they may contain.

Does a Creative Commons license give me all the rights I need to use the work?

It depends. All CC licenses contain a disclaimer of warranties, meaning that the licensor is not guaranteeing anything about the work, including whether she owns the copyright, has received permission to include third-party works within her work, or secured other rights such as through the use of model releases if a person's image is used in the work.

CC licenses do not affect rights other than copyright, such as the trademark or patent rights or the publicity and privacy rights of third parties. These and other rights may require clearance (i.e., permission) in order to use the work as you would like. Additionally, creative works sometimes incorporate other peoples' works (known as "third party content"). You may want to be sure that permission was obtained to use any third party content contained in the CC licensed work you want to use.

You may wish to obtain legal advice before using a CC licensed work if you are not sure whether you have all the rights you need.

How do I properly attribute a work offered under a Creative Commons license?

All CC licenses require users to attribute the original creator(s) of a work, unless the creator has waived that requirement or asked that her name be removed from an adaptation or collection. CC licenses have a sophisticated and flexible attribution requirement, so there is not necessarily one correct way to provide attribution. The proper method for giving credit will depend on the medium and means you are using, and may be implemented in any reasonable manner, although in the case of an adaptation or collection the credit needs to be as prominent as credits for other contributors. The CC website offers some best practices to help you attribute works, and the CC Australia team has developed a helpful guide to attributing works in different formats.

Do I need to be aware of anything else when providing attribution or credit?

Yes, you need to be careful not to imply any sponsorship, endorsement or connection with an author or attribution party without their permission. Wrongfully implying that an author, publisher or anyone else endorses you or your use of a work may be unlawful. Creative Commons makes the obligation not to imply endorsement explicit in all of the licenses. In addition, if the licensor of a work that you incorporate in an adaptation or collection so requests, you must remove the identifying credit.

Additionally, if you are using a work that is an adaptation of one or more pre-existing works, you may need to give credit to the author(s) of the pre-existing work(s) in addition to giving credit to the author of the adaptation. Those who create adaptations are required to "clearly label, demarcate or otherwise identify that changes were made to the original." You can often find this information as well as the URI for the underlying original work(s) where attribution is specified in the copyright notice accompanying the adaptation.

What happens if I want to use the work in a way that is not permitted by the license?

Contact the rightsholder to ask for their permission. Otherwise, unless a exception or limitation to copyright exists, your use of the work may violate the Creative Commons license, your rights to use the work will be automatically terminated, and you may be liable for copyright infringement.

Does my use violate the NonCommercial clause of the licenses?

CC's NonCommercial (NC) licenses prohibit uses that are "primarily intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or private monetary compensation." Whether a use is commercial will depend on the specifics of the situation and the intentions of the user. In CC's experience, whether a use is permitted is usually pretty clear, and known conflicts are relatively few considering the popularity of the NC licenses. However, there will always be uses that are challenging to categorize as commercial or noncommercial. CC cannot advise you on what is and is not commercial use. If you are unsure, you should either contact the creator or rightsholder for clarification, or search for works that permit commercial uses. Please note that CC's definition does not turn on the type of user: if you are a non profit or charitable organization, your use of an NC-licensed work could run afoul of the NC restriction; and if you are a for-profit entity, your use of an NC-licensed work does not necessary mean you have violated the term.

Creative Commons published results from a survey on meanings of commercial and noncommercial use generally. Note that the results of the study are not intended to serve as CC's official interpretation of what is and is not commercial use under our licenses, and the results should not be relied upon as such.

Does my use constitute an adaptation?

CC licenses define the term “Adaptation” as a “work based on the [original] Work.” Pre-v3.0 license suites used the term "Derivative Work" in the international (unported) licenses. In CC licenses, the term is tied to the corresponding definition under applicable copyright law. Copyright law reserves to an original creator the right to create adaptations of her original work. CC licenses that allow for adaptations grant permission to others to create adaptations when doing so would otherwise constitute a violation of applicable copyright law.

Whether a modification is considered an adaptation for the purpose of CC licenses depends on the applicable law. Generally, a modification rises to the level of an adaptation when the modified work is based on the prior work but manifests sufficient new creativity to be copyrightable, such as a translation of a novel from one language to another, or the creation of a screenplay based on a novel. Under CC licenses, syncing music in timed-relation with a moving image is always considered an adaptation.

Note that all CC licenses allow the user to exercise the rights permitted under the license in any format or media. Those changes are not considered adaptations even if applicable law might suggest otherwise. For example, if you are using a work that uses the CC BY-NC-ND license, you may copy a digital file to a print file as long as you do so in compliance with the other terms of the license.

Can I combine works that use different Creative Commons licenses into my work?

It depends. You may only remix works released under different CC licenses if the terms of the licenses involved permit it. The NoDerivatives licenses do not permit remixing at all. All the other CC licenses allow remixes, but may impose conditions on how the remix may be used. For example, if you create a remix with a work licensed under a ShareAlike license, you need to make sure that the remix is licensed under the same license conditions. Likewise, if you want to use the remixed work for commercial purposes, you cannot incoporate a work released under one of the NonCommercial licenses. Review the charts below for more details on whether and how differently licensed works can be combined and licensed.

If I derive or adapt a work offered under a Creative Commons license, which CC license(s) can I apply to the resulting work?

The chart below details the CC license(s) you can apply to the resulting work. Please note that this chart is not a substitute for legal advice and should not be relied upon as legal advice.

The green boxes indicate where compatibility exists between licenses. When modifying a work licensed under the license identified in the lefthand column, you may license the adaptation under one of the licenses indicated on the top row if the corresponding box is green. White boxes indicate those licenses that you may not use for the adapted work. In the absence of an applicable copyright exception or limitation, you cannot adapt works that contain the No Derivatives license element.

Compatibility chart Terms that can be used for a derivative work or adaptation
BY BY-NC BY-NC-ND BY-NC-SA BY-ND BY-SA PD
Status of original work PD              
BY              
BY-NC              
BY-NC-ND              
BY-NC-SA              
BY-ND              
BY-SA              
Abbreviation Key

Note: CC licenses do not change, alter, or modify exceptions and limitations to copyright, including fair dealing or fair use rights.

If I create a collective work that includes a work offered under a CC license, which license(s) may I choose for the collection?

All Creative Commons licenses allow the original work to be included in collections such as anthologies, encyclopedias and broadcasts. However, you still must adhere to the license conditions governing your use of the original work. For example, material under any of the Creative Commons NonCommercial licenses cannot be included in a collection that is licensed to permit commercial use. The table below indicates how you may license collections incorporating CC-licensed works.

Note that when you include a Creative Commons licensed work in a collection, you cannot change the license applicable to the original work itself.

Original Work Commercial Collection NonCommercial Collection
PD    
BY    
BY-NC    
BY-NC-ND    
BY-NC-SA    
BY-ND    
BY-SA    

Where can I find material offered under a CC license?

If you are looking for materials offered under a Creative Commons license, CC Search is a good starting point. CC also maintains a directory of organizations and individuals who use CC licenses. Some media sites, such as Flickr, have search filters for material licensed using CC's licenses.

Please note that you should not assume that your search results only contain works available under a CC license. You should verify that the works you intend to use are governed by a CC license.

Technical Questions

How do Creative Commons licenses and public domain tools work technically?

The Creative Commons licenses have three layers, as does the CC0 public domain dedication: the human-readable deed, the lawyer-readable legal code, and the machine-readable metadata. The Public Domain Mark is not legally operative, and so has only two layers: the human-readable mark and machine-readable metadata.

When a work is licensed using any CC licenses or tools, it is highly recommended that a CC badge, text, or other marker somehow accompany the work. There are many possible modes for marking. For our licenses, most commonly people use the CC license chooser to generate HTML code that can be pasted into the webpage where the licensed work is published. CC0 and the Public Domain Mark have separate choosers. Many platforms and web services such as Flickr and Drupal support CC licensing directly, allowing you to select an appropriate license. The service then properly marks the work for you.

CC has published some best practices for marking your CC-licensed work, and recommends:

  • Including a visual indicator (some combination of text and images) that the work is licensed with one of the CC licenses.
  • Including a link to the human-readable deed (which itself contains a link to the lawyer-readable legal code).
  • Embedding machine-readable metadata in the code of the license indicator or code of the licensed page.

See the marking page for more details.

What does it mean that Creative Commons licenses are "machine-readable"?

Creative Commons has specified CC REL as a way to associate machine-readable licensing metadata with objects offered under CC licenses.

Before Creative Commons developed this vocabulary, it was difficult for a machine to ascertain whether a work was marked with a CC license. There was also no standard, predictable place to house metadata about that license (for example, the source URL of the work or the required mode of attribution).

Machine-readable metadata based on well-accepted metadata standards creates a platform upon which new services and applications can be built. Software and services can detect CC licenses and the details of that license, as described by the metadata. For example, on many websites and search engines such as Google and Flickr, you can run filtered searches for works offered under specific CC licenses. In addition, CC license deeds can automatically create copy-and-paste attribution code so users may easily comply with the BY condition of the licenses. When you click on a CC license or badge from a page with license metadata, you get copy-and-paste attribution HTML within that license deed page. That HTML is based on available RDFa metadata in the original work.

All HTML provided by the CC license chooser is automatically annotated with metadata in RDFa format.

What is RDFa?

RDFa is a method for embedding structured data in a web page. For more information about RDFa, see the following resources:

What is CC REL and why does Creative Commons recommend it?

Creative Commons Rights Expression Language (CC REL) renders information about licenses and works machine-readable through standards that define the semantic web. Creative Commons wants to make it easy for creators and scientists to build upon the works of others when they choose; licensing your work for reuse and finding properly licensed works to reuse should be easy. CC recommends that you mark your licensed works with CC REL. The Creative Commons license chooser provides HTML annotated with CC REL, while the Creative Commons deeds recognize CC REL on web pages with works offered under a CC license, and use this metadata to enhance the deed for properly marked-up works, e.g., by providing copy and paste HTML that includes work attribution.

For more background information on CC REL, please refer to this paper.

What does it mean for a search engine to be CC-enabled?

Some search engines (like Google) allow people to filter their search results by usage rights so that you can limit your search results according to the particular CC license you seek. For example, if you are looking for a photo to adapt, you can filter your search to return photos that have a CC license that permits creation of adaptations. You can generally find this search feature on the advanced search page of your selected search engine. You can also use CC Search, which offers a convenient interface to search and a list of those content providers that support searches for content based on usage rights.

Please note, however, that you should always double check to make sure that the work you locate through a search is licensed as you wish.

How do I give users of my site the option to use CC licensing like Flickr does?

Creative Commons provides tools for integrating license selection with your site. You can find an overview at the Web Integration article on the CC wiki. The Partner Interface is a good way to get started and will always have the most up-to-date license versions and translations. However, there is also an API available if you want more control.


How can I change or remove the Creative Commons search option built into the Firefox browser?

Mozilla has included the Creative Commons search function in many versions of Firefox along with search options for Google, Amazon and other popular sites. Please take a look at the Firefox article on the CC wiki for an explanation of how to change these features.

If you want to add or remove a particular search option, click on the logo in the search box (for example, the CC logo or the Google logo). This will open the pull down menu, which will allow you to select different search providers. If you choose “Manage Search Engines,” you will be able to add or remove search engines. You can also alter the order in which the search providers appear on the pull down menu.

Is Creative Commons involved in digital rights management (DRM)?

No. CC licenses are a form of digital rights expression, not management. CC provides tools to make it easier for creators and owners to say what rights they reserve and permissions they grant. This is different from digital rights management (or “DRM”), which uses technological protection measures to prevent people from using the work in a way that the owner has not permitted.

CC licenses contain language prohibiting licensees from the use of technological protection measures to prevent access to works: “You may not impose any effective technological measures on the Work that restrict the ability of a recipient of the Work from You to exercise the rights granted to that recipient under the terms of the License.”

General Legal Information

What is copyright and why does it matter?

Copyright law grants exclusive rights to creators of original works of authorship. National laws usually extend protections to such works automatically once fixed in a tangible medium, prohibiting the making of copies without the righstholder’s permission, among other things. On the Internet, even the most basic activities involve the making of copies. As content is increasingly uploaded, downloaded and shared online, copyright law is becoming more relevant to more people than it was 20 years ago. Unfortunately, infringing copyrights - even unintentionally or unknowingly - can lead to liability. Successful navigation of the Internet requires some understanding of copyright law.

What is the public domain?

The public domain of copyright refers to the aggregate of those works that are not restricted by copyright within a given jurisdiction. A work may be part of the public domain because the applicable term of copyright has expired, because the rightsholder surrendered copyright in the work with a tool like CC0, or because the work did not meet the applicable standards for copyrightability.

Because the public domain depends on the copyright laws in force within a particular territory, sometimes a work may be considered “in the public domain” of one jurisdiction, but not in another. For example, U.S. government works are automatically in the public domain under U.S. copyright law, but might be restricted by copyright in other countries.

The Public Domain Manifesto, the University Libraries page, and the CC0 FAQs all contain additional information about the public domain.

What do I need to do to get a copyright?

Copyright in most jurisdictions attaches automatically without need for any formality once a creative work is fixed in tangible form (i.e. the minute you put pen to paper, take a photo, or hit the “save” button on your computer).

In some jurisdictions, creators may be required to register with a national agency in order to enforce copyright in court. If you would like more information, please consult the Berne Convention or your jurisdiction's copyright law.

Although you do not have to apply a copyright notice for your work to be protected, it may be a useful tool to clearly signal to people that the work is yours. It also tells the public who to contact about the work.

What is an adaptation?

An adaptation, referred to in pre-3.0 licenses as a derivative work, is a work based on one or more pre-existing works. What constitutes an adaptation depends on applicable law, however translating a work from one language to another or creating a film version of a novel are generally considered adaptations.

In order for an adaptation to be protected by copyright, most national laws require the creator of the adaptation to add original expression to the pre-existing work. However, there is no international standard for originality, and the definition differs depending on the jurisdiction. Civil law jurisdictions (such as Germany and France) tend to require that the work contain an imprint of the adapter's personality. Common law jurisdictions (such as the U.S. or Canada), on the other hand, tend to have a lower threshold for originality, requiring only a minimal level of creativity and “independent conception.” Some countries approach originality completely differently. For example, Brazil's copyright code protects all works of the mind that do not fall within the list of works that are expressly defined in the statue as “unprotected works.” Consult your jurisdiction's copyright law for more information.

What are moral rights?

Copyright laws in many jurisdictions around the world grant creators “moral rights” in addition to the economic or commercial right to exploit their creative works. Moral rights protect the personal and reputational value of a work for its creator. Moral rights differ by country, and can include the right of attribution, the right to have a work published anonymously or pseudonymously, and/or the right to the integrity of the work. The moral right of integrity may provide creators with a source for redress if an adaptation represents derogatory treatment of their work, typically defined as “distortion or mutilation” of the work or treatment that is “prejudicial to the honor, or reputation of the author.”

Not all jurisdictions provide for moral rights. CC offers some additional information on how CC licenses may affect your moral rights.

What are neighboring rights?

Copyright provides an incentive to create works by providing exclusive rights to creators. However, the distribution or exploitation of a work often involves more than just the creator. For example, if someone writes a song, someone else may perform the song, and another may produce the recording of the song. Some jurisdictions extend copyright to the contributions made by these persons; other jurisdictions extend such exclusive rights in the form of neighboring rights. Neighboring rights may include performers' rights or broadcasters' rights. The Rome Convention sets forth some guidelines on the scope of neighboring rights. Not all jurisdictions recognize neighboring rights.


What are collecting societies?

Collecting societies are copyright management organizations. Some examples of collecting societies include ASCAP and BMI (United States), BUMA/STEMRA (Netherlands), PRS (United Kingdom), and APRA (Australia). These societies license works on behalf of their owners and process royalty payments from parties using the copyrighted works.

CC offers additional information on how collecting societies might affect your rights and your ability to apply CC licenses to your work. CC has several pilots underway with collecting societies that have chosen to allow their members to use CC licenses on a limited basis.

What are publicity and privacy rights?

In some jurisdictions, publicity rights allow individuals to control the use of their voice, image, likeness, or other identifiable aspect of their identity. Similarly, in some jurisdictions privacy rights exist that restrict others' ability to publish information about them without their permission. Whether and to what extent these rights exist varies depending on the jurisdiction.

Creative Commons licenses do not waive or otherwise affect rights of privacy or publicity to the extent they apply. If you have created a work or wish to use a work that might in some way implicate these rights, you may need to obtain permission from the individuals whose rights may be affected.