Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
The Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) is a public copyright license that allows for the free distribution and modification of a creative work. Under this legal framework, anyone may use, share, and adapt the work, even for commercial purposes, provided they give appropriate Attribution (BY) to the original creator and distribute any derivative works under the same or a compatible ShareAlike (SA) license.
Rationale / Basis
The rationale for this license is to create a balanced "some rights reserved" model that stands between restrictive traditional copyright and the complete freedom of the public domain. The license is designed to foster a self-perpetuating digital commons where knowledge and creative works can be shared and built upon legally and freely.
The Attribution requirement ensures that creators receive credit for their contributions, establishing a chain of provenance. The ShareAlike provision enacts a "copyleft" mechanism, which mandates that any new creations based on the original work must be released under a similar open license. This prevents derivative works from being enclosed in proprietary models and ensures that the commons continues to grow, benefiting the entire community. This structure is particularly effective for building collaborative ecosystems around educational materials and open-source projects.
Implementation / Methodologies
Compliance with and application of the CC BY-SA 3.0 license follows specific procedures for both licensors and licensees.
- Applying the License: To license a work under CC BY-SA 3.0, a creator must simply indicate this fact clearly on the work itself. This is typically done by including the license name, a link to the license deed, and the official Creative Commons icon.
- Providing Attribution: When using a work licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0, a user must provide proper attribution. A complete attribution should ideally include:
- Title: The title of the original work, if one was provided.
- Author: The name of the creator and any other parties designated for credit.
- Source: A link to the original work's location (e.g., the URL).
- License: A link to the CC BY-SA 3.0 license deed.
- Modifications: If the work was modified, a notice of the changes must be included.
Context / Considerations
The "Unported" designation in version 3.0 signifies that the license was written to align with international copyright treaties rather than being "ported" or adapted to the specific laws of any single country. For new works, Creative Commons now recommends using the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license, which is considered more user-friendly and robust globally.
It is critical to understand that once a work is released under a Creative Commons license, that grant of permission is irrevocable. This means the licensor cannot rescind the rights granted, even if they later decide to offer the work under different terms.