Glossary
What is Creative Commons?
By the KeyMo team · Updated
Creative Commons is a set of public copyright licenses that let a creator say in advance how others may reuse a work. Each license combines conditions such as credit (BY), noncommercial (NC), no derivatives (ND) and share-alike (SA). It is permission with terms, not a release of all rights.
The six licenses at a glance
Creative Commons says that without its licenses, copyright offers only two extremes: all rights reserved or no rights reserved. Its licenses give a standard "some rights reserved" option, so a creator can grant permission in advance without negotiating each request. CC lists six license types, from most to least permissive.
| License | Commercial use | Remix or adapt | Other condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| CC BY | Yes | Yes | Credit the creator |
| CC BY-SA | Yes | Yes | Credit; share adaptations under the same or a compatible license |
| CC BY-ND | Yes | No, unadapted copies only | Credit the creator |
| CC BY-NC | No | Yes | Credit; noncommercial only |
| CC BY-NC-SA | No | Yes | Credit; noncommercial; share-alike |
| CC BY-NC-ND | No | No, unadapted copies only | Credit; noncommercial only |
CC says noncommercial means not primarily intended for or directed towards commercial advantage or monetary compensation. Public domain tools such as CC0 are separate from these six licenses.
What it means when you cut a clip
A clip is not a plain copy. You trim, crop to 9:16, add captions and change the music or sound. That fits the idea of an adaptation, so treat any ND license as a no for clips unless the license text clearly allows what you are doing. Read the actual license, not only the badge.
- BY or BY-SA: you may clip and monetize, with credit. Under SA, what you make has to carry the same or a compatible license.
- BY-NC or BY-NC-SA: clipping is allowed but not on a channel or campaign whose aim is money. If you post to a monetized channel, assume NC is a problem.
- ND licenses: do not clip or reframe. Ask the creator for permission instead.
Attribution that holds up
The CC BY deed says you must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made, in any reasonable manner but not in a way that suggests the licensor endorses you. YouTube's help page for reusing CC BY work lists the title, author, source URL and license.
Limits people overlook
- The license covers what the licensor owns. CC's deed warns that publicity, privacy or moral rights may still limit your use, and a podcast can hold music or footage owned by someone else.
- YouTube says you can monetize Creative Commons content only if the license grants commercial rights. YouTube also says a video with a Content ID claim cannot be marked CC BY.
- The license is not a pass on platform rules. YouTube's reused content policy applies even with the original creator's permission, so a channel of CC clips still needs meaningful added value.
- The licensor cannot revoke the freedoms while you follow the terms, but the terms are not optional.
Near neighbours and where KeyMo fits
Creative Commons is not the same as fair use, which is a legal defence a court weighs, or royalty-free, which describes how a license is priced. A CC license is a grant you can show. If you import with KeyMo, you confirm that you own the video or have permission, and a license whose terms you meet is one form of permission. Keep the license link with the project. See also clipping for money.
This is general information, not legal advice. When the terms are unclear, ask the creator.
Sources: Creative Commons: The CC licenses (checked 11 October 2026); Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 International deed (checked 11 October 2026); YouTube Help: Creative Commons and the standard license (checked 11 October 2026); YouTube Help: Copyright myths (checked 11 October 2026); YouTube Help: Reused content policy (checked 11 October 2026).