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Rationale of Common Licensing
- Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization founded in 2001 that works to expand the range of copyright licenses available to people who create music, paintings, videos and other works of art. The organization has released several variations on the standard copyright license, which provide more flexibility to the artist as to which rights they wish to retain, and which they prefer to waive.
- Creative licenses differ from traditional copyright licenses in both their brevity and flexibility. Creative common licenses are typically one page long, whereas most copyright licenses can be many pages in length and filled with fine print. Creative commons licenses also allow an artist to select if the licensee can reproduce the work verbatim, in a derivative form, and for commercial or noncommercial use.
- YouTube remixes and music remixes are protected under a Creative Common license as long as they are for noncommercial use. Many remixes of existing music are released online for free. The benefit for the original artist is that it gives their existing work more popularity, while the remixer benefits from the popularity of the newer work. Visual artist Shepard Smith used a Creative Commons license for his iconic image of Barack Obama that was widely used during the 2008 presidential election.
- Arguments against common licensing include a desire to protect both the original artist and artwork. Many creators support the need for the licensee to obtain explicit written permission from the original artist before using or manipulating the original work of art.
Creative Commons
Differences From All Rights Reserved Copyright
Usage of Common Licensing
Arguments Against Common Licensing
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