Can I make money from Creative Commons videos on YouTube?

Creative Commons has made it possible to earn money online without infringing copyright laws. The organization offers free content and licenses that let users do what they want with that content, including selling or modifying it. In this article we will discuss whether you can legally upload your creative commons-licensed works on Youtube and how exactly you would go about doing so. We'll also talk about how much money you might be able to earn from such material if done correctly.

If there's one thing that seems clear in all these discussions about using open video platforms like YouTube for commercial purposes, it's that the law isn't very well established right now. So until further notice, don't even think twice before uploading any CC videos anywhere -- unless you're sure that you know everything involved perfectly.

But first things first...

What does "creative commons" mean anyway?

The term "creative commons" refers to four different types of licensed content which allow users to modify, remix, distribute, etc., provided the resulting derivative media still carries the same license (e.g. Attribution). There are several organizations which offer legal solutions based on these standards. A few examples include Wikimedia Commons, Flickr, and DeviantArt. However, it should be noted that many other websites have been caught hosting illegal copies of copyrighted materials under their own terms. As such, it may not always be safe to assume that something uploaded to those sites is 100% original and legitimate.

So why care about Creative Commons then? Because as long as you aren't violating anyone else's copyrights, you shouldn't run into too many problems yourself. And since most major social networking services support user generated content, you could potentially become an overnight success simply by uploading your footage onto popular channels. But remember, while a lot of stuff on the web falls under the category of fair use, some doesn't. For instance, taking someone's photo and displaying it over your background image without permission is probably considered stealing. Similarly, recording audio clips from TV shows or music tracks without permission is usually against the rules.

In short, if you plan on monetizing your creations via these channels, check out our guide on how to get started with YouTube advertising. It details how to set up targeted ads and banners on your channel page, plus explains how to measure results. With enough patience and luck, you just might start seeing more than $5 per month coming in through AdSense. If you'd rather avoid Google altogether, try looking at ways to advertise your channels elsewhere instead.

Now that we've got the basics covered, here comes the million dollar question: Can you actually make money from Creative Commons videos on youtube? Well, yes and no. Yes because there's definitely potential for revenue generation when it comes to certain cases, but no because it depends entirely upon who owns the rights to whatever media you happen to be sharing. Here's what I mean...

Can you sell Creative Commons work?

This is perhaps the simplest way to answer the above question: if you create a piece of art that relies solely on Creative Commons licensing, you can absolutely sell that artwork. You won't need any additional permissions from either artists or publishers. This applies to both tangible products like prints and paintings, plus digital downloads.

For example, photographer Daniel Zeller sells his photos exclusively under a Creative Commons attribution license. He doesn't require any extra approvals from photographers whose shots he uses in his work. Likewise, you can download Zellers' photographs directly off his website, and use them however you wish.

However, keep in mind that if you're going to take advantage of this option, you must ensure that your works remain consistent across various mediums. That means if you post your pictures on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Dribbble, Behance, or any other site where you share your work publicly, you should stick to using the exact same version everywhere. Otherwise, you risk getting sued by the owners of those sites.

Even though Zellers doesn't ask for approval from others, you cannot redistribute his photography outside of Creative Commons itself. While you certainly wouldn't want strangers peering at your bedroom wall every time you walk past a museum exhibit, having your work appear on random websites without proper credit is kind of annoying, especially considering how easy it is to find stolen content online. Just look at how often news articles are taken verbatim from wire sources without giving due credit!

Can you use Creative Commons for profit?

As mentioned earlier, it's pretty difficult to turn a profit from Creative Commons projects alone. Even if you manage to attract millions of viewers to your channel, your earnings will likely stay below $100/year. However, there are two exceptions worth mentioning. First, if you were lucky enough to stumble upon a truly exceptional creation, you could conceivably charge a fee for access to said masterpiece. Second, if you happened to discover a particularly lucrative loophole within the system, you could theoretically exploit it full force to generate cash flow.

Let me explain myself better. When discussing the topic of using Creative Commons for profit, we're referring specifically to creating new content under a specific type of license. Unfortunately, the only exception to that rule is if you come across a pre-existing work that hasn't been properly attributed yet. That being said, you could quite easily build your own collection of unique pieces and publish a book of sorts containing them. This would be great for aspiring creatives who haven't found notoriety yet, but it requires serious research and planning beforehand.

Another possibility involves setting up your own Creative Commons membership club. Such clubs exist today already, although they tend to focus primarily on providing members exclusive discounts on goods and services. Still, if you managed to strike a deal with the right company, you could essentially establish a similar arrangement whereby paying customers receive special deals on quality merchandise related to your niche. After all, Amazon Prime subscribers received early access to certain items prior to public release.

Lastly, you could try offering premium accounts to regular contributors. This approach tends to draw less attention towards individual creators, but it allows them to maintain control over their intellectual property. One notable service of this kind exists called Patreon.com, which lets its community fund projects that interest them. Creators can choose to enroll themselves into the scheme once their project gains momentum. Once enrolled, patrons gain access to exclusive updates, behind the scenes footage, custom rewards, subscriber perks, and more.

If you decide to pursue this strategy, please note that you will need to follow guidelines stipulated by each creator's particular preferences. Some prefer to retain complete ownership of their work after contributing funds, whereas others merely desire exposure to said content. Either way, tread carefully, and never forget to give credit wherever necessary.

Can I sell Creative Commons Zero images?

Yes, you can. At least according to Richard Stallman, founder of the Free Software Foundation. He believes that anything published under Creative Commons 0 ("CC0") retains full freedom to be used, shared, modified, and built upon. As such, you can use CC0 imagery freely, regardless of whether it was originally intended for commercial usage. Of course, you need to attribute the source whenever applicable.

Keep in mind that CC0 is meant mainly for software development, graphic design, film editing, writing, etc. Although it covers plenty of topics, it's far from comprehensive. Therefore, you should consult official documentation whenever unsure about its applicability. Fortunately, Creative Commons provides extensive resources for interpreting their policies.

You can learn more about CC0 and other noncommercial restrictions here.

Can I use Creative Commons commercially?

Unfortunately, the answer is still no. According to Creative Commons Director Lawrence Lessig, "We’ve tried to provide tools for creativity, innovation, expression, and learning," adding that "we believe strongly in supporting everyone." Nevertheless, if you ever encounter issues with another party, we recommend reaching out to the relevant parties and asking questions about their intentions regarding your work. If they attempt to infringe on your rights, contact us immediately.

On top of that, if you intend to use Creative Commons content for direct monetary compensation, you'll need written consent from the originator(s) to do so. Additionally, you'll need to submit evidence of such authorization along with any future sales, and pay royalties accordingly. Finally, keep in mind that your contributions to the internet economy add value to society as a whole, meaning you should consider donating back to the communities you grew attached to during your initial involvement.

That being said, Creative Commons remains an invaluable resource for countless individuals seeking to expand their artistic horizons. Whether you're trying to express yourself creatively or hoping to promote a business venture, chances are that you can find a solution for your situation somewhere in the library of available options. All you have to do is spend a little bit of time researching your needs thoroughly. Good luck!

Creative Commons has always been known to be one of the most popular platforms where content creators can share their work and earn royalties from it, but over time it’s also become a very lucrative source of income if you know how to leverage its assets properly. It's not just movies that you can convert into cash here – even music artists have managed to get big bucks out of this service.

But what about all those video clips we shoot with our smartphones or DSLRs, which we post online (without any kind of attribution) because we don't want others to profit off them? Well, there’s now another option in town. You can repurpose these unlicensed videos and upload them to YouTube under your own account, while retaining full ownership of the actual footage itself. This way, anyone who views the final clip will still see your name at the end credits. But more importantly, they'll also see your logo next to the CC-BY 3.0 License that appears below every clip. That means you can start monetizing your creative commons videos right away! Here’s everything you need to know.

How do you use Creative Commons videos on YouTube without copyright claims?

If you're new to Creative Commons licenses, let us first quickly explain what exactly they are. These digital rights management tools allow users to decide whether someone else should be able to reuse certain parts of their works, such as photos, audio recordings, etc., after giving credit to the original creator of said asset. In layman terms, this basically allows creators to "license" other people's creations so long as they follow specific guidelines. The best part is, once you've chosen to release your creation under a particular license, you actually retain complete control over it, including the ability to block reusers altogether.

Now, back to the topic at hand. A lot of amateur videographers often upload their videos onto YouTube without attributing them correctly. As mentioned earlier, this doesn't help much when trying to build up brand recognition. However, thanks to Creative Commons, you no longer have to worry about being sued by major media companies like Disney due to unauthorized usage of copyrighted material. Instead, you can simply add the appropriate attribution information (such as the Creator's username) along with the relevant CC-by link whenever possible.

The process looks pretty straightforward, and since you're only dealing with text anyway, you won't face too many technical complications either. All you need to do is go through the official documentation provided by Creative Commons, read some basic licensing rules, then figure out which license would suit your needs best. We recommend checking out this quick guide created specifically for folks looking to learn about using Creative Commons with YouTube.

Once you've selected a suitable license, you can go ahead and create your account. While it may take a little bit of trial and error before figuring out the perfect combination, it shouldn't be too hard if you stick to the same formula consistently. Once again, refer to the aforementioned blog post for detailed instructions on setting up your profile correctly.

Finally, remember to keep track of copyright issues within your channel. If you run into trouble, contact support@creativecommons.org immediately to request assistance.

Can you sell something licensed under Creative Commons?

As far as selling goes, things aren't quite as easy as they seem. While it might feel intuitively obvious that you could choose to offer products or services under a Creative Commons license, it turns out that doing so isn't really legal unless you happen to be offering items related to art, architecture, or literature. For example, if you were thinking of making a product review website powered by user submissions, you'd better think twice about going down that path. Not only did I already write an entire article explaining why this approach fails miserably, but I'm sure you probably agree with me by now.

Instead, try taking advantage of your existing inventory instead. If you owned stock photography, for instance, you could easily turn around and sell images licensed under a Creative Commons license. Just make sure to provide proper attribution wherever possible. Alternatively, you can also ask your customers to send in pictures taken with their phones or cameras that you can then use as wallpapers (or whatever else). Make sure to check out this list of websites showcasing Creative Commons-licensed artwork and graphics to find inspiration.

Is licensed under a Creative Commons license?

When asked directly, most people usually assume that yes, absolutely you can. Unfortunately, this isn't true anymore. To quote the following statement made by Creative Commons Director Rebecca Sheir last year, “We used to say [that] anything goes, but that was never the position." So technically speaking, Creative Commons licenses apply only to artistic materials.

This is especially evident given recent events surrounding a couple of high-profile incidents involving prominent streamers. On Christmas Day 2017, popular Twitch streamer MattheosBarras posted a screenshot of his wife having sex with her yoga instructor, whom he later found out was married herself. He later apologized for posting the image, saying that he didn’t realize that she wasn’t consenting to the scene. Even though both parties agreed to remove the post themselves, the damage had already been done.  A few months later, in January 2018, streamer Tyler Blevins got caught editing gameplay footage of Counter Strike players during tournaments. Although he claimed that he edited the clips solely to improve broadcast quality and performance, several viewers took issue with him allegedly showing a match between two teams that eventually lost $60,000 worth of prize money. Both cases ended badly, and neither party came out clean.

While both situations involved violations of antiharassment policies, it’s clear that streaming sites like Twitch and Youtube are starting to crack down harder than ever before on streamers who violate their community standards. And although the chances of getting penalized for harassment or abuse are slim to none, this hasn’t stopped streamers from feeling intimidated enough to stop producing controversial streams altogether. When the consequences of risky behavior outweigh the benefits of sticking to the status quo, sometimes common sense dictates that everyone gets punished equally.

In short, if you plan on putting together a professional portfolio featuring your latest creative projects, make sure you avoid sharing nude or explicit content publicly. Otherwise, you risk landing yourself in hot water sooner rather than later.

What does Licensed under Creative Commons mean?

Let's say you shot a video with your phone and uploaded it to YouTube. Then, upon viewing it, you realized that it doesn't meet your expectations and wish to delete it entirely. Before you do that, however, consider asking yourself whether you'd be okay with allowing others to edit, remix, or otherwise alter the raw footage. After all, the whole point of Creative Commons is to give creators the freedom to express themselves creatively.

For this reason, uploading your videos under a Creative Commons license is extremely important. By adding a license file alongside each clip, you essentially state that you intend to grant others permission to redistribute your content freely. More importantly, the presence of a license indicates that you accept the possibility of receiving negative feedback from viewers. Which brings me to my next point…

Remember, when choosing to license your videos under Creative Commons, always bear in mind that not everybody understands the concept behind intellectual property laws. Some individuals may falsely believe that when they watch a clip on YouTube, they automatically gain access to the underlying footage. Of course, this couldn't be further from the truth. Since almost nothing beats direct experience, you should ideally show visitors to your page examples of the kinds of edits you're capable of performing.

To summarize, whether you want to sell stuff, hire freelancers, or promote your talents via social channels, there's plenty of room for creativity. Take advantage of this fact to explore different ways to generate passive income, and above all else, stay vigilant against potential threats posed by copyright trolls. Remember, the internet is wild west, and nobody cares until somebody loses.

Are you interested in learning more about leveraging Creative Commons to boost revenue? Check out this extensive resource guide. Or perhaps you want to discover how to maximize profits from your personal portfolios? Read this overview of how to showcase your skills professionally. Finally, if you're looking for advice on how to prevent copyright infringement, I highly suggest reading this informative piece detailing how to protect yourself against DMCA takedown notices.

Have questions regarding Creative Commons? Feel free to reach out to us at tips@gizmodo.com, via Twitter DM, or Google+. We look forward to hearing from you.

Are you thinking about posting your own video content online and earn some additional bucks in the process? If yes, then consider using Creative Commons (CC) copyright-free material. The open source license CC allows users to download or modify its licensed materials without infringing any rights. It also gives creators a set of guidelines that can help them protect their intellectual property rights while allowing others to reuse the copyrighted works.

The most popular licenses like GNU FDL & GPL allow anyone to copy, distribute, display, perform, etc., with proper credit attribution. While these licenses offer more freedom, they may not be suitable for all types of media. So if you want to explore other options apart from copyrights, try out CC. Here's how...

Creative Commons is a non-profit organization founded way back in 2001. Its mission statement says - "To promote sharing knowledge, creativity and skills." As per the latest data released by Creative Commons, there are over 2 million registered members who have contributed nearly 20 billion pieces of approved content. Now let us take a look at what exactly this means for you.

Is Creative Commons work free to use?

Yes! Creative Commons does not charge anything for creating digital assets. You only need to pay when someone else uses those resources and credits you. In short, it gives you permission to do something but asks somebody else to give thanks. Let's say Alice creates text files under the CC BY 4.0 license. She wants to share her research papers with peers and instructors. However, she has no intention of publishing her findings.

So why should we bother with Creative Commons usage licenses? Well, here are few reasons which will convince you further.

1. Protect Your Ideas

You may think that your ideas belong to you alone. But as soon as you publish your thoughts publicly, your intellectual property becomes vulnerable to plagiarism. This happens because many students lack adequate training to understand licensing terms and conditions properly. That's where Open Educational Resources come into play. OER provides access to high quality educational and cultural content produced by universities, museums, libraries, governments and private organizations worldwide.

2. Build Reputation

In today's world, reputation plays a vital role in building brand recognition. For example, if you have written a book and wish to sell copies online, you must ensure that your book title shows up in search engine results pages so that potential readers find it easily. Similarly, having your original articles published on reputed websites helps gain credibility and attracts traffic.

3. Boost Productivity

If you are working towards completing a project, you would definitely prefer to get feedback from collaborators right away than wait until after completion. Also, collaborative projects require active participation from end users. And one of the easiest ways to achieve this is through social platforms. With Creative Commons, you can collaborate effectively with your team members even if they live thousands of miles away.

4. Reduce Costs

While hiring professional writers and editors, you might incur hefty costs. On the contrary, Creative Commons offers ample opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce expenses. When you choose to create and edit documents according to certain licenses, you don't necessarily need to hire experts. Instead, you can get in touch with community writers, freelancers, researchers, professors, teachers, etc., whose services are available online.

5. Create Opportunities

When you post your creations on Creative Commons sites, you attract new audiences. Many such communities provide a friendly environment for discussion and collaboration amongst peers. Moreover, you can leverage these spaces to build long term relationships with customers and business partners.

6. Improve Credibility

With increasing number of blogs appearing every day, bloggers often face difficulty in crafting catchy titles and headlines. They also struggle with coming up with fresh topics regularly. To tackle these problems, you can choose to publish your blog posts on Creative Commons. By doing so, your audience gets to read interesting stories and stay updated about current affairs.

7. Attract More Clients

By choosing Creative Commons licenses, you can showcase your expertise and increase conversion rates among prospective clients. At present, many companies are looking for freelance workers who know their stuff well and have experience of handling complex situations professionally. By offering solutions within the stipulated time frame, you can impress employers and prove yourself worthy of getting hired.

8. Promote Interaction

On social networks, you can interact directly with your followers via comments and discussions. These interactions encourage conversation and engagement between you and your target audience. Plus you can also ask questions related to your products and services.

9. Gain Trust

According to a recent study conducted by Harvard Business Review, 70 percent of consumers trust recommendations made on Facebook rather than traditional advertising. Therefore, by giving credence to third party endorsements on social media, you can establish positive feelings around your company name.

10. Increase ROI

Since Creative Commons makes your work accessible for free, you save money on marketing campaigns. Apart from this, you can also utilize numerous tools including Google AdWords, Bing Ads, etc., to advertise your products and services. All this translates to higher returns on investment.

11. Get Paid

As mentioned earlier, Creative Commons doesn't demand payment from contributors. But it encourages webmasters to add resource box links whenever possible. Such boxes show information regarding the creator of the article along with a link to his/her website. Hence, publishers receive compensation for displaying ads alongside relevant content.

12. Make Money Quickly

Many marketers believe that big ticket items take months to launch. But things change when you start promoting smaller deals instantly. According to a survey carried out by Harris Poll, 92% of US adults said they were interested to buy discounted items offered by retailers.

13. Drive Traffic

Once you become familiar with the different licenses, you can post your work on various platforms to drive targeted visitors to your site. Once your content goes viral, lots of people visit your page and boost your sales.

14. Be An Author

Nowadays, millions of people across globe enjoy reading books. Some authors write novels whereas others pen bestsellers. Either case, you can earn extra income by self-publishing your literary masterpieces on Amazon Kindle Store. Also, you can market eBooks created under the same store.

15. Become A Researcher

Researchers spend hours searching for specific information on the internet. But instead of wasting time surfing random sites, why not just go straight to sources where you'll discover useful facts and figures? You can simply put together reports based upon the content shared on Creative Commons.

16. Spread Knowledge

As discussed above, many users employ Creative Commons images and videos in presentations or lectures. Other learners exploit such content to enhance their learning processes. Since everyone benefits from such content, it certainly opens doors of opportunity for spreading education and awareness.

17. Earn Extra Income

Apart from contributing to society, Creative Commons also enables individuals to generate passive incomes. There are several ways through which you can monetize your work. One method involves selling premium versions of your edited videos on DVD format. Another strategy entails charging fees for editing and encoding videos. Yet another approach requires you to submit your work to stock photography sites.

18. Start Blogging

Blogging is a great way to express personal opinions and insights. Whether you're writing a diary entry or launching a campaign against government corruption, blogging can really help spread the word. Although you won't earn much initially, it pays off later since your presence gains momentum overtime.

19. Learn How to Use Licenses Properly

Although Creative Commons is pretty simple to grasp, you still need to learn the basics before jumping into the fray. Otherwise, it could turn into a nightmare if you fail to follow the rules correctly.

20. Stay Safe From Lawsuits

Even though Creative Commons was established years ago, many unscrupulous entities continue exploiting loopholes in the system. Recently, two California residents filed a lawsuit against Twitter claiming that tweets posted by celebrities infringed their privacy.

21. Ask Questions Before Posting Content

Before uploading your first piece of content, it's essential to conduct thorough research. Read the entire license carefully and check whether you've adhered to the requirements accurately.

22. Choose Right Platform

After checking the conditions of each license, select the correct medium to publish your work. Ensure that the channel permits cross-platform compatibility.

23. Monitor Legal Issues

It's important to note that although the Creative Commons website is easy to navigate, you shouldn't assume everything is okay. Often times, you run into trouble due to improper implementation.

24. Avoid Being Penalized

Sometimes, users upload content that violates the terms of service by violating copyright laws. When this occurs, the user can expect to see his account restricted temporarily or permanently.

25. Don't Go Overboard

Some users tend to misuse Creative Commons too. Sometimes they intentionally mislabel their submitted content as public domain. Then again, some people upload content which falls outside the boundaries of the specified license. Both cases result in legal battles between licensors and assignees.

26. Understand Fees

Depending on the type of content, you can either contribute freely or pay royalties. But remember, the latter option applies to large corporations. Smaller businesses usually opt for the former choice.

27. Publish Original Work Only