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Copyright and Fair Use

Understanding copyright, fair use, and your rights as a creator, educator, and researcher.

What is Creative Commons?

Creative Commons (CC) provides free licenses that creators can use to let others reuse, remix, or share their work—legally and clearly.

  • Works with copyright—not instead of it

  • Promotes open sharing and reuse

  • Used by educators, artists, researchers, and more

🔗 creativecommons.org

Types of Licenses

All CC licenses require attribution (BY), but other terms may apply:

License Allows Adaptation? Allows Commercial Use?
CC BY ✅ ✅
CC BY-SA ✅ (must share alike) ✅
CC BY-ND ❌ ✅
CC BY-NC ✅ ❌
CC BY-NC-SA ✅ (must share alike) ❌
CC BY-NC-ND ❌ ❌

📌 Choose a License Tool

How to Find CC-Licensed Works

Search for openly licensed images, music, and more:

Always double-check license terms before use.

How to Give Credit (TASL Format)

When using a CC-licensed work, include:

Title – Author – Source – License
Example:
"Foggy Coast" by Jane Doe via Flickr, licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

🔗 Attribution Best Practices

Share Your Own Work

Want to share your academic materials, photos, or videos?

  • Use CC License Chooser

  • Pick a license that fits your goals

  • Add a license badge or text to your work

⚠️ CC licenses are irrevocable—be sure you’re ready to share!

Things to Keep in Mind

  • Creative Commons works with copyright—it doesn’t replace it

  • Licenses don’t cover:

    • Privacy rights

    • Trademark law

    • Moral rights (in some countries)

  • Not all parts of a CC work may be licensed (e.g., images inside an article)