What Are They Anyway?
We have thrown the terms “copyright” and “creative commons” around a fair amount this semester, but we have never actually defined what they mean and why these concepts are important to us.
Take a few minutes to watch the above video. The video should help explain what copyright is and why Creative Commons exists. Then check out the Creative Commons website. Here you can find information about exactly what licenses are available to you and what each one means. Here is also where you will apply for your own Creative Commons license for your video.
As you begin filming and/or composing your video, use the following resources:
- PSU Copyright Perspectives. A comprehensive site for information on copyright, fair use, public domain and more. This site even has a page where current copyright issues are in the news.
- Media Commons Free Media Library. Images, music and video you can use for free.
- Dan Hickey’s Free Media and Copyright Handout.doc. More free stuff, plus how to download, document, etc.
Copyright in the News
Though copyright is law, it is often a controversial one. Challenges to copyright law are frequently in the news, especially with the advent of cloud computing, remixing and technology that enables us to copy and transmit electronically.
Your Assignment: Watch the above video and check out the above websites and links. Then read a recent news article about copyright issues and comment below. I am interested in your response – introduce the part of the article that seemed interesting to you and state your reaction. (Here are two articles: one about a student who resold textbooks and another about MegaUpload – read these and/or find your own).