Open AccessThe Creative Commons and Copyright Protection in the Digital Era: Uses of Creative Commons Licenses
Author(s) -
Kim Minjeong
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of computer‐mediated communication
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.15
H-Index - 119
ISSN - 1083-6101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00392.x
Subject(s) - copying , commons , enforcement , copyright law , public domain , business , intellectual property , order (exchange) , digital millennium copyright act , digital rights management , law and economics , internet privacy , political science , law , computer science , sociology , philosophy , theology , finance
As digital technology thrusts complexity upon copyright law, conflict has escalated between copyright holders desperate to institute a vigorous enforcement mechanism against copying in order to protect their ownership and others who underscore the importance of public interests in accessing and using copyrighted works. This study explores whether Creative Commons (CC) licenses are a viable solution for copyright protection in the digital era. Through a mixed‐methods approach involving a web‐based survey of CC licensors, a content analysis of CC‐licensed works, and interviews, the study characterizes CC licensors, the ways that CC licensors produce creative works, the private interests that CC licenses serve, and the public interests that CC licenses serve. The findings suggest that the Creative Commons can alleviate some of the problems caused by the copyright conflict.