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Creative Commons: A Friendlier Version of Copyright?

A brief guide outlining the key historical events leading up to the launch of Creative Commons and the state of Creative Commons today.

Founding of Creative Commons

The Founding of Creative Commons

Lessig and the other founders of Creative Commons believed the following to be true:

  1. Copyright is automatic, whether a creator wants it or not. Some creators want all of their rights while others do not.
  2. The digital revolution has provided new opportunities to share information, culture, and knowledge production. Note: See "A Shared Culture" video in the left navigation pane for an overview of the founding values of Creative Commons.
  3. A new way of bridging the gap between existing copyright laws and the realties of the digital world was necessary.

What is the Creative Commons?

The Creative Commons has grown immensely since founding in 2002 when it was housed in the basement of Stanford Law School, and today can be viewed as the following:

  1. An organization
  2. A set of licenses
  3. A global movement

Creative Commons Website