Creative Commons

It is totally normal to feel overwhelmed by this at first. But thanks to Creative Commons (CC), everything is regulated in a sensible and neat way. The aim of Creative Commons is to make it easy for the user to access and use online content without getting into legal predicaments.

If you want to protect yourself from potential legal battles, products (pictures, video, audio) falling under the creative commons license are your solution. But don’t think of CC products as a free pass. You cannot just use them for anything, always check if you are acting according to the site’s or authors’ terms.

There are many possible options, for example:

• You are allowed to reproduce, alter and make money with something falling under CC.
• You are allowed to reproduce, alter and make money with something falling under CC as long as you credit the author.
• The author allows you to reproduce and alter the product, as long as they are credited, but you are not allowed to make money off of it.
• The author allows you to use the product if you credit them. Anything else is not allowed.

Make sure to check in with the author or look at the terms on the website if you don’t want to risk breaking the law. These factors depend on whatever license the product is published under.

Step 1: Finding a picture

Here are some ways to make the process of finding a suitable picture simpler.

• Don’t start by searching for a picture via Google pictures without using the advanced search settings.
• Alternatively use the free image databases from the first unit in chapter 1.
• Starting the search for pictures well prepared will help avoid stress.