Anyone know anything about Creative Commons?

Are Creative Commons Licenses actually enforceable or do they rely on there being an actual Copyright connected to a product? ie if a item/design is registered with Creative Commons but DOES NOT also have a Copyright connected to it, does Creative Commons actually have a claim?

if a item/design is registered with Creative Commons but DOES NOT also have a Copyright connected to it, does Creative Commons actually have a claim?

AFAIK, no. in the UK, copyright is essentially by default anyway: if you took the photo or made the tune, you own the copyright (assuming you haven’t signed a contract stating otherwise). Creative Commons licenses allow people to use your copyrighted material in specific ways…

Anyone know anything about Creative Commons?

Is it where tennis-hating, artistic Wombles paint pictures and make sculptures?©

Shit joke – Copyright perchypanther 2017

ie if a item/design is registered with Creative Commons but DOES NOT also have a Copyright connected to it

Copyright doesn’t need to be stated / registered / declared it – exists from the moment the work is authored. Registration / declaration is just steps taken to defend that copyright but the copyright is there regardless. Stating copyright is nothing more just stating who the person to approach to license copies is.

If you didn’t author the work or the work wasn’t made for you then you have no right to make copies without a license. A Creative Commons gives you a ready-made license to use the work under certain predetermined conditions without actually having to negotiate it. But if you’re intended use is out side the scope of the CC then you need to approach the author / rights holder and agree a license with them.

Is it where tennis-hating, artistic Wombles paint pictures and make sculptures?

Such depressing subject matter though. Tragedy of the Commons.

Are Creative Commons Licenses actually enforceable

Depends how rich you are, no one will enforce copyright on your behalf, you’d have to go to court off your own back to enforce it; which costs money.

Are Creative Commons Licenses actually enforceable

They’re most commonly used online and in the display of interesting content to drive traffic. A site with more original, interesting content will have a more traffic and more satisfied visitors. CC allows for a mutual exchange of interesting stuff in return for an exchange of audience – its using content with clear attribution and direct links for traffic to follow so if you use someones content – and your audience likes it – you pay for that use of content in traffic.

What makes them ‘enforceable’ is the viral nature of the internet and the rough-music you can easily have pointed your way for breaking the spirit of the deal. An audience enjoys seeing fresh, new ideas but they’re pretty arsey about people passing fresh, new ideas off as their own.

If the reason for using content is to build your / your business’s / your client’s reputation then you can do a lot of reputational damage when everyone later call shenanigans on you.