Creative Commons Releases Facebook App: Choose a License for Your Photos, Videos, and Status Updates
Thanks to a new Facebook application from Creative Commons that launched today, Facebook users can now place a Creative Commons license badge on their Facebook profile pages. The badge explains the type of license users have chosen for their photos, videos, and/or status updates. Installing the app and choosing a license is about as easy as it gets, though it is important to note that this is a blanket license and that it is currently not possible to choose a CC license for specific photos or videos.
As Creative Commons' Fred Benenson explains, until Facebook itself integrates CC licenses as a choice in its applications, users won't be able to choose licenses on a per-item basis (which is possible on services like Flickr, for example).
According to Facebook's own Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, users own all the content and information they post on Facebook, but, Facebook's users also grant Facebook a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook ("IP License"). We are not quite sure how Facebook's own license (which has created its share of controversy in the past) would play together with some of the more restrictive and open Creative Commons licenses.
Given that Creative Commons and its licenses are probably still relatively unknown outside of the small world of those who regularly follow copyright issues, it would probably be good if the application explained the different license choices in a bit more detail. The application links to the Creative Commons FAQ, but the information there is probably a bit too abstract for most users who just want a good idea of what license to choose - and why they might want to do that in the first place.
Maybe a link to this video from the Creative Commons or this slideshow would explain the purpose behind Creative Commons a bit better for new users.
Share
Facebook
Comments
Subscribe to comments for this post OR Subscribe to comments for all ReadWriteWeb posts
Thanks for the write up, and good idea about explaining the licenses, Frederic.
I quickly added a link to an explanation of the licenses to the main install page but also added a more thorough explanation to the Suggested Features on our wiki.
any way to add the license to a facebook page?
currently facebook users do not "own all the content and information they post on Facebook."
jonathan
status updates?
this is like a joke. and just like lawyers trying to move in and complicate everything for no reason.
i wonder how many people are going to steal photos of babies so they can wrap their product in it to sell more; how about 0 :)
that's a good idea!
so good!
This is interesting. I'd install it, but I don't want to invite others to publish some of the vulgar garble I'm sure I've posted in the past as my status. What really needs to happen here is a more item-specific application or setting. Hopefully, Facebook will eventually respond to the call for CC on FB, or that the call will grow loud enough.
Funny that lactation photos can draw millions of protesting voices, but the right to license the vast trove of content users post as the individual user sees fit is still very much under the radar.
Oops! Check that. You can choose to license videos or photos or status updates, or any combination of the three categories in bulk; you just can't select individual pieces of content for specific licensing.
i cant get used to the new facebook. its very confusing. i keep on trying but still no joy. wish we could have the old one back. it was much easier to use.