Table of Contents
Creative Commons Licensing
Creative Commons (CC) — international nonprofit founded by Lawrence Lessig in 2001. Provides free, standardized copyright licenses for creative works: writing, photos, music, art.
License Components
| Symbol | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| BY | Attribution | Credit must be given to the creator |
| SA | ShareAlike | Derivatives must use the same license |
| NC | NonCommercial | Only non-commercial uses allowed |
| ND | NoDerivatives | No modifications allowed |
Common Combinations
| License | Code | Allows |
|---|---|---|
| Attribution | CC BY | Any use, with credit |
| Attribution-ShareAlike | CC BY-SA | Any use with credit; derivatives must use same license |
| Attribution-NonCommercial | CC BY-NC | Non-commercial only, with credit |
| Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike | CC BY-NC-SA | Non-commercial + ShareAlike |
| CC0 | CC0 | Public domain dedication — all rights waived |
Why Not NC?
The NonCommercial restriction sounds reasonable but is notoriously vague in practice:
- Does a site with banner ads count as commercial?
- What about a creator with a Patreon?
- A nonprofit selling merchandise?
The ambiguity creates legal uncertainty for anyone who might legitimately want to use your work.
Recommended: CC BY-SA
The copyleft equivalent for creative works. Parallel to AGPL for software:
- Anyone can use, share, and adapt your work
- They must credit you (BY)
- Derivatives must carry the same license (SA)
- No ambiguity about commercial use — it's allowed, but the openness is preserved
Wikipedia is built on CC BY-SA. Work published under CC BY-SA can be incorporated into Wikipedia and remain there permanently.
Remix Culture
Culture has always been built on remixing: folk tales retold across generations, hip-hop sampling, fan communities creating transformative works. Copyleft licenses make this legally safe and explicit.
Notable CC-licensed communities: