Creative Commons

In our current climate, most people think of copyright as the thing that protects a person’s intellectual property.  That’s partially right.  There’s more to it though.  Culture is built on creative effort, and creativity inspires more creativity. If you read the excerpt to the US Constitution’s “Copyright Clause”  printed below (in blue) you’ll see that the author(s) of this clause were just as concerned with making sure that individual and collective creativity was not squelched as it is with the proprietary rights of creators.

We’ve come a long way from the days of 14 year copyrights that had to be applied for.  Now, anything you create is automatically copyrighted and that copyright survives your death by 70 years. I don’t know aobut you – but that seems effectively, if not literally, limitLESS to me!

What can we do about it?  Well, we can attempt to change the laws, but production companies with deep pockets are likely to win that battle. OR we can choose the degree to which we share our creations, allow them to be used by others: altered, enhanced, or as-is, it’s up to you.  Copyright legislation which became effective January 1, 1978, states that a work is automatically protected by copyright when it is created.  “Created” is defined as produced in some fixed form.

There are advantages to the creator and our culture when some less extreme “limit” is placed on  creative work.   Collaboration may take creative forms, enhancing the final product.  Inspiration flows. New authors, com[posers, etc . . . may get more exposure and still maintain at least partial control, and receive income from, their work.  Unlike registration with the US Copyright Office licensing your work through Creative Commons is free, flexible, and fast.

• The copyright clause of the US Constitution states that the purpose of copyright is : “To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.” In other words, the original intent was to LIMIT the exclusive right to creative property.

Creative Commons offers a number of alternative licenses. My presentation will give and overview of how these are used and why one would choose a particular license. Creative Commons also offers custom licensing which allows an author to specify exactly how, and under what circumstances, her work may be used by others.

Creative Commons is more than an alternative copyright process. It is a way of reclaiming creativity as a cultural, social process as well as an economic one. Most ideally, it is an ethical platform which reminds us that creativity is a means of contributing to our culture, not simply control ideas and amass wealth.

Because we have the right to share our own intellectual property as we see fit, creative commons is a legal, and effective way clarify to the pubic exactly to what degree you are willing to share your creations. Options include, but are far from limited to, a copyright in the spirit and model of the original US copyright limit of 14 years, followed by an automatic rollover into the public domain.

I’m doing my term presentation on Creative commons, and it will be available online.  Until then, check the Creative Commons Website for more details.  Our culture will be more exciting for it!