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Copyright guide

This is a companion guide to the RMIT Copyright webpages for staff and students.

Creative Commons - Using and sharing content

A must watch for understanding Creative Commons and using content under Creative Commons licenses.

BrickPress (2012), Creative Commons License and how it helps us share digital content. YouTube viewed 19/05/2012 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKfqoPYJdVc>

Creative Commons Licences

Creative Commons are licence themes that are used to licence works (music, artistic, literary, and video works), under the terms of each license. Creative Commons works are free to use as long as the licence terms are followed.

Creative Commons offers the following licenses:

  • Attribution (BY) - this licence requires the work be attributed
  • Non-commercial (NC) - the work can only be used for non-commercial purposes
  • No-derivatives (ND) -  no adaptations, modifications, or alterations allowed, the work must be used as is.
  • ShareAlike (SA) - if you adapt or modify the work you must release the new work under a creative commons licence.

Each creative commons licence theme has a specific icon.

 BY - Attribution 

 ND - No Derivatives 

 NC - Non-commercial 

 SA - Share Alike 

Images source: Creative Commons Website

If you require any assistance with Creative Commons licenses contact copyright@rmit.edu.au

Creative Commons Attribution guide

Attribution is a core condition in all six Creative Commons licences. 

Creative Commons Attribution Builder generates attribution automatically.

Attribution of Flickr images 

Creative Commons Attribution Tool generates attribution for Flickr images automatically. 

Search for Creative Commons Works

CC Search can be searched in three easy steps:

1. Enter your search terms

2. Tick the option to modify, adapt or build upon

3. Select where you would like to search. For example Google images

 

Image Source: Creative Commons.org. Creative Common Search Logo. http://search.creativecommons.org/. This work is licensed under a creative commons attribution 4.0 international licence 

Searching for Creative Commons Works on Flickr and YouTube

There is a large range of images on Flickr are made available under Creative Commons licenses and each license has differing terms of use. A Creative Commons image on Flickr must be used according to the terms of the Creative Commons licence. Before using a Creative Commons licensed image ensure you read and understand the licence terms.

There are also images on Flickr that could be considered a breach of copyright ensure the image(s) you wish to use are legal copies.

 What you need to consider before using flickr images:

  • If the image is of a copyright work such as a famous painting or artistic work make sure the photographer has obtained permission from the copyright owner of the original work [painting etc] to photograph the work and to distribute the photograph to others.
  • You may need to contact the rights holder to gain permission to use the work.

Galleries and museums sometimes allow photography of the works within the gallery for personal purposes this means for your own home library of photographs. Galleries and museums don't usually hold copyright on works they exhibit. 

Flickr & Creative Commons

Flickr Commons Photostream

Using YouTube and Flickr to find Creative Commons Licensed material, video missmelodysmelodies YouTube viewed 3rd September 2015, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYcTFq9wrNk>.