Original Creative Commons image via Kristina Alexander’s Flickrstream (Licensed under the Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic, CC BY-SA 2.0)
Most people who regularly use or create images, videos or music available online are familiar with Creative Commons, the California-based nonprofit organization that provides licensing options for building on, sharing or just keeping control over a user’s creative works. Creative Commons recently announced Version 4.0 of their licenses, which enables more anonymity, international translation options, and opportunities to regain rights if they’ve been inadvertently violated.
In Version 4.0, anyone who inadvertently violates a license can have their rights reinstated if the problem is corrected within 30 days. This option was not available in Version 3.0, which did not offer an opportunity to reinstate. In the new version, however, don’t expect to be completely off the hook for damages to copyright infringement during periods of non-compliance. The new version also now covers sui generis database rights that exist in the European Union, and in governments and publishers of public sector information.
Over time, the 4.0 license will become more global as Creative Commons introduces more official translations of the licenses. This will avoid possible misuse due to issues that were perhaps lost in translation. Users who want to stay with older versions may do so; in order to have licensing under 4.0, users must update on their own.
Read the full story on Hyperallergic: http://hyperallergic.com/96592/creative-commons-goes-more-global-with-version-4-0/
