Creative Commons (CC) is an American nonprofit organization founded in 2001 with the goal of promoting the sharing and use of creative works through free licenses.
These licenses allow authors to grant some rights to their works while retaining control over other aspects.
Creative Commons Licenses
CC licenses provide a standardized means for authors to grant the public permission to use their creative works.
There are six main types of Creative Commons licenses, based on a combination of four conditions:
- Attribution (BY): The work may be used freely, but must be attributed to the original author.
- Non-derivative works (ND): The work may be used but not modified.
- Non-commercial (NC): The work may be used only for non-commercial purposes.
- Share alike (SA): Derivative works must be shared under the same license as the original.
The six Creative Commons licenses are:
- CC BY: Allows the work to be distributed, remixed and modified, even for commercial purposes, as long as it is attributed to the original author.
- CC BY-SA: Similar to CC BY, but requires that derivative works be shared under the same license.
- CC BY-ND: Allows redistribution, including commercial, but without modification.
- CC BY-NC: Allows remixing and editing of the work, but only for non-commercial purposes.
- CC BY-NC-SA: Permits remixing and modifying the work for non-commercial purposes, with the same license for derivative works.
- CC BY-NC-ND: The most restrictive, allowing only downloading and sharing of the original work, without modification and for non-commercial purposes.
Advantages of Creative Commons licenses
The use of CC licenses offers several advantages:
- Increases visibility and collaboration: Works are available for free online, encouraging sharing and publicity.
- Promotes innovation: Enables the development and improvement of works, especially in areas such as academic research or open-source software.
- Retains copyright ownership: The author retains copyright, setting the conditions for sharing and use.
- Guarantees attribution: Users must always provide credit to the original author.
Creative Commons vs. Traditional Copyright
While Creative Commons licenses encourage sharing and collaboration, traditional copyright is more restrictive.
CC licenses allow authors to grant permission in advance, without the need for individual agreements. However, this may mean that the author may not profit directly from the use of his or her work.
Impact and dissemination
Since 2002, when the first licenses were released, Creative Commons has had a significant impact on the culture of online sharing.
As of 2019, it was estimated that there were nearly 2 billion works under CC licenses. Platforms such as Wikipedia, Flickr, YouTube and many others use these licenses to facilitate the sharing of content.
Creative Commons has helped rethink the role of the “common good” in the information age, offering alternatives to the traditional copyright model and promoting a culture of sharing and collaboration.
This approach is particularly relevant in areas such as education, scientific research and cultural production, where the free circulation of ideas and works can lead to significant advances and innovations.
In conclusion, Creative Commons represents an important tool for balancing authors’ rights with the needs of an increasingly interconnected society based on knowledge sharing.
By offering flexibility and clarity in the use of creative works, CC continues to play a crucial role in shaping the future of intellectual property in the digital age