The internet, at its simplest, allows us to share content across multiple platforms. But how do we share content without breaking copyright laws?
When something is created it is automatically protected by copyright. You must always obtain permission before sharing or reusing someone else’s work, even when it’s posted online.
Creative Commons allow content creators to share media and information with the rest of the internet, for free. Creators can apply licences to their work that refine their copyright, depending on how they choose to give permission.
Creative Commons licences are made up of “license elements”, or rules, and each element has its own icon. These elements allow the content creator to customise how, for lack of a better word, ‘available’ they want to make their work. For example, a creator can allow a user to share their content, as long as they are credited as the photographer. They can specify that no money can be made by another individual who shares/uses their original content. They can allow user to share their images on other websites, but the secondary party must seek permission before retouching the original image.
Until now, my knowledge of Creative Commons was very, very basic. My understanding was that if it’s on Creative Commons, it’s a free for all. Yes, Creative Commons allow content makers to share media and information across the other platforms with ease, but there’s still rules (elements) that secondary parties must comply with.
