Guide to the CC licenses

Guide to the CC Licenses

Learn more about the power and exceptions of the creative commons licenses and public domain tools. To learn more about each section, click on the circle. To return to the main screen, hit home on the bottom right of each page. Sources are available as a tool on each page. For more information, click on the + sign or CC logos or images on each screen. All images are restricted by copyright unless indicated otherwise.

THE 6 CC LICENSES

LAYERS OF A CC LICENSE

CC LICENSE ELEMENTS

Public Domain Tools

CC LICENSES AND COPYRIGHT EXCEPTIONS

Guide to the Licenses by Krista Jacobson is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.

Layers of a CC License

LEGAL

Click on the + sign to learn more about each layer

CC LICENSE

COMMONSDEEDS

SOURCEs

MACHINEREADABLE

Four License Elements

The 6 CC licenses are a combination of these 4 elements. Click on each logo to learn more about them.

SOURCEs

Images Supplied by Creative Commons under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license

The 6 CC Licenses

The four elements combine to create six licenses. Click on the images to the right to learn more about each one.

SOURCEs

Images Supplied by Creative Commons under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license

Public Domain Tools

TCreative Commons licenses work with copyright and help the original creator main copyright. The two public domain tools are used when there are no copyright restrictions (public domain mark) or when a creator would like to share with as few restrictions as possible (Public Domain 0). Learn more about each one by clicking on the logo.

SOURCEs

Images Supplied by Creative Commons under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license

CC Licenses and Copyright Exceptions

CC licenses work in tandem with copyright. CC licenses exist to facilitate sharing when copyright might otherwise restrict it. However, copyright law often already has exceptions in it to facilitate sharing such as with fair use, fair dealing and accessibility accommodations in line with the Marrakesh Treaty. If a use falls under those exceptions, a Creative Commons license isn’t necessary. Those copyright exceptions take precedence. It is still recommended that credit be given even in situations where a copyright exception renders following a Creative Commons license unnecessary.

SOURCEs

CC0 1.0 DEED CC0 1.0 Universal

When a creator would like to dedicate their work to the public domain, or share their work with no restrictions placed on it, they may elect to use the CC0 tool. This tool indicates a creator allows users to adapt, copy, share, and distribute their work however they'd like and with no attribution requirement that is normally standard with CC licenses. It also serves as a "fallback license" in jurisdictions where there are restrictions on creators dedicating their work to the public domain. The fallback license indicates the creator will not assert copyright. However, this tool doesn't cover trademark, patents or other legal protections the original content may have. Use of the original work does not constitute an endorsement of the adaptations by the original creator.

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CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

This license allows the user to adapt, remix, copy and share the original content as long as attribution rules are followed (See CC BY), it is not being used for commercial purposes (See CC BY NC) and any changes are shared under the same CC license (See CC BY SA).

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CC BY 4.0 Attribution 4.0 International

This licenses allows the user to remix, adapt, share, distribute and reuse the content for any purposes, including commercially as long as the user gives credit to the original creator, links to the original work and indicates whether any changes were made. Use of this license does not indicate approval or an endorsement of any adaptations or future use by the original creator.

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PDM 1.0 DEED Public Domain Mark 1.0 Universal

Another tool developed by Creative Commons is the Public Domain Mark. Unlike CC0, the Public Domain Mark doesn’t change the copyright status of a creation. Instead, it is used on objects known to already exist free of copyright restrictions and can be reused, remixed and shared. This mark should not be used on items under any existing copyright restrictions in the world. Moral rights may still apply. This mark does not make an indication about its status under trademark or patent law.

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CC BY-ND 4.0 Attribution-NoDerivs 4.0 International

Content may be reused and shared, even commercially, as long as attribution rules are followed (see CC BY). If any adaptations or changes are made to the content, it may not be shared.

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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International

This is the most restrictive of licenses. A user may reuse and share content as long as attribution rules are followed (CC BY), it is not being used commercially (See CC BY NC) and if any adaptations or derivatives are created, it is not shared (See CC BY ND).

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CC BY-NC 4.0 Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International

This license allows content to be remixed, adapted, and shared as long as the attribution rules are followed (See CC BY) and it is not being used for commercial purposes. For determining whether something is being used for commercial purposes, look to the nature or purpose of the work rather than who is reusing the content. Even if used by a school or not-for-profit, it becomes commercial once money changes hands.

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CC BY-SA 4.0 Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

This license allows the user to remix, adapt, reuse, distribute and share the content, including commercially, as long as attribution rules are followed (See CC BY) and the new derivative is shared under the same license as the original content.

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