Creative Commons licenses provide a standardized way for copyright owners to grant permission to reuse their creative work. Part of the vision is to provide a range of options for creators who are interested in sharing their works with the public rather than reserving all rights under copyright. The four license elements—BY, NC, SA, and ND—combine to make up six different license options.

Image: Choosing a license. (n.d.). CC Australia. Retrieved February 7, 2025, from http://au.creativecommons.net/choose-a-licence/ CC-BY

• Attribution (BY): Requires that users give proper credit to the creator of the work.
• Non-Commercial (NC): Restricts the use of the work to non-commercial purposes only, meaning it cannot be used for profit or commercial gain.
• ShareAlike (SA): Allows users to remix, adapt, or build upon the work, but requires them to distribute the new work under the same license as the original.
• No Derivatives (ND): Allows others to download and share the work, but prohibits creating adaptations or modifications of it.^[1]