Sharing with Creative Commons: A Business Model for Content Creators

Abstract

Creative Commons (CC) is often seen as a social movement, dismissed by critics as a tool for hobbyists or academics who do not sell their creations to make a living. However, this paper argues that the licensing of creative copyright works under a CC license does not preclude commercial gain. If used wisely, CC licenses can be a useful tool for creators in their quest for commercial success. In particular, this paper argues that the sharing of creative works online under a CC license allows creators to circumvent traditional distribution channels dominated by content intermediaries, whilst maintaining a level of control over their copyright works (i.e. explicitly reserving some rights but not all rights). This will be illustrated by case studies on how CC is being used by content creators and intermediaries respectively, and how successful their respective methods are in harnessing this tool.

Keywords: creative commons, business model. commercial, licensing, copyright, open content, open access