Creative Commons is different. People who create things can choose a Creative Commons license for their work, which means you're legally allowed to use it for free as long as you follow a few simple rules (which vary depending on the license they pick).
What is the Creative Commons?
The Creative Commons came about as an alternative to traditional copyright. They developed several legal licenses (below). While each license has its own set of rules, they also give a lot more freedom than traditional copyright, and they're written in plain language, so they're easier to understand.
Attribution (CC BY) This license lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. This is the most accommodating of licenses offered. Recommended for maximum dissemination and use of licensed materials.
Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work even for commercial purposes, as long as they credit you and license their new creations under the identical terms. This license is often compared to “copyleft” free and open source software licenses. All new works based on yours will carry the same license, so any derivatives will also allow commercial use. This is the license used by Wikipedia, and is recommended for materials that would benefit from incorporating content from Wikipedia and similarly licensed projects.
Attribution-NoDerivs (CC BY-ND) This license allows for redistribution, commercial and non-commercial, as long as it is passed along unchanged and in whole, with credit to you.
Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, and although their new works must also acknowledge you and be non-commercial, they don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA) This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, as long as they credit you and license their new creations under the identical terms.
Attribution-NonCommercial-NonDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)This license is the most restrictive of our six main licenses, only allowing others to download your works and share them with others as long as they credit you, but they can’t change them in any way or use them commercially.
Public Domain (CC0)Items come into the public domain in a variety of ways. One option is for creators to "dedicate" their items to the public domain. This simply means they choose to waive their copyrights. The CC0 license refers to items that have been "dedicated" to the public domain.
Pictures
You can find Creative Commons Licensed pictures on a number of sites.
- Wikimedia CommonsEverything here is licensed for others to use with some restrictions. Click on the More Details link for each image to read about use restrictions.
- FlickrLets you narrow a search by Creative Commons license. First do a search, then click on Any License at the top of your results. From there you can select different options for how narrow you want your results.
- Google Image SearchYou can filter Google Image search results by license type. Do a search, then click "Tools at the top of your results. Then click on the Usage Rights drop-down menu to select a license.
- The Noun ProjectA great source for icon-like images. Everything on the site is either Creative Commons Attribution licensed or public domain.
- PixabayFree public domain photos that can be used without copyright restrictions.
- UnsplashAll photos on Unsplash are free to use for any purpose and have no additional legal requirements, though attribution is appreciated by the photographers who upload their work.
- Getty MuseumThe Getty makes available digital images for which they hold the rights or that are in the public domain to be used for any purpose. No permission is required.
- New York Public Library Digital CollectionsGood source for historical photos, maps, manuscripts, book art, and more. When you do a search, check the Show only public domain box that restricts your results to images you can use.
Video
YouTube
To find CC-licensed videos on YouTube, enter your search term, and click the Filters dropdown menu. In the fourth column (Features), you should see an option for Creative Commons:
If you want to download one of these videos, you can use ClipConverter or a similar tool.
Vimeo
Vimeo hosts many Creative Commons videos, too. Search for a video on your topic, and then select More Filters on the left. You'll then be able to limit your results by CC license. If the original uploader has allowed it, these videos will include an option to download.
Some videos can be downloaded - look for the Download button below the video:
Music and Sound
Creative Commons has an excellent list of places that offer music under their licenses. Here are some of our favorites:
- Free Music ArchiveContains free music in a wide variety of genres (hip hop, electronic, and many more).
Once you find an album or song you want to use, look for the License & More Info link in the right column:
License & More Info - FreesoundFree sound effects, offered with three different Creative Commons licenses (including Public Domain).
After you search, you can filter by license on the right:
- SoundcloudMusic uploaded directly by music creators. (Note: Not everything is CC licensed. The link above will search tracks that can be used commercially.)
- MusOpenPublic domain recordings of classical music.
- JamendoEverything on this site uses a Creative Commons license.
- IncompetechRoyalty Free music (What does Royalty Free mean?).
- SoundbibleCreative Commons and Royalty Free sound effects.
- World Hip Hop BeatsJust beats. Provides an option to support their artists, but the download is free.
