Have you ever wondered how awesome it is to find answers to your questions so quickly? It’s amazing that you can discover music, images, and video clips in just a few seconds. But here’s the thing: just because something is on the internet doesn’t mean you can use it however you want. Many materials like music, images, and video clips are protected by licenses. This means you can’t just copy and use them without following some rules.
When you use something from the internet, you need to give credit to the person who created it. This is similar to citing authors when you use their written work in your projects. Everything you take from the internet should be attributed, which means acknowledging the creators. Whether it’s a quote, an article, a video clip, a meme, or a photo, someone owns that content, and it might come with a cost.
Usually, you can’t change or edit someone else’s work without their permission. Before you start remixing, it’s important to know the rules about using other people’s creations. Here are some key points to remember:
There’s a way to use images and video clips legally and easily. Many creators use a system called Creative Commons (CC) to let others use their work. This system allows photographers, musicians, and video makers to share their content with everyone.
Creative Commons uses four icons to show how you can use the material:
Be careful when reviewing Creative Commons licenses, as they might combine different features. You can also add your own creations to Creative Commons and choose the license you prefer.
Another way to find free-to-use images is through an advanced Google search. For example, if you need an image of water pollution for a project, type “plastic polluting waterways” in the search box. Click on “Images,” go to “Advanced Search” in the settings menu, and select “Free to use or share” from the usage rights menu. This will show you images you can use responsibly.
When you find an image you like, check the original site for licensing icons or explanations on how you can use it. It’s not hard to do the right thing when using clips and images from the internet. Just remember to search wisely, follow licensing rules, and always give credit to your sources in your bibliography.
Explore the internet to find examples of different Creative Commons licenses. Look for images, videos, or music that use each of the four main Creative Commons icons: Attribution (BY), No Derivatives (ND), Non-Commercial (NC), and Share Alike (SA). Create a presentation to share your findings with the class, explaining what each license allows and any interesting examples you discovered.
Choose a piece of content from the internet, such as an image or a video clip, and practice writing a proper attribution for it. Make sure to include the creator’s name, the title of the work, the source, and the type of Creative Commons license it has. Share your attribution with a partner and discuss why giving credit is important.
Pair up with a classmate and role-play a scenario where one of you is a creator and the other is someone who wants to use their work. Practice asking for permission to use or modify the work, and discuss what terms you might agree on. This activity will help you understand the importance of communication and respect for creators’ rights.
Create your own piece of digital content, such as a photo, drawing, or short video. Decide which Creative Commons license you would like to apply to your work and design a poster that explains your choice. Present your work and poster to the class, explaining why you chose that particular license and how you hope others will use your creation.
Conduct an advanced Google search to find images that are free to use for a specific project, such as a report on environmental conservation. Follow the steps to filter images by usage rights and select a few that you could use. Create a short report or presentation using these images, and include proper attributions for each one.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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[Music] How amazing is it to get answers to your questions so easily? Isn’t it great that you can find music, images, and video clips in a matter of seconds? However, just because it’s on the internet doesn’t mean you can use whatever you find in any way you want. Materials such as music, images, and video clips are protected online by a license. This means that not everything you find online can be copied and used without any restrictions.
You also need to give credit to the people who created the material, just like when you cite the authors of written information that you researched and used in your own work. Everything you take off the internet for use in your own work has to be attributed. This means you must acknowledge the creators of that content, whether it’s a quote, an article, a video clip, a meme, a photo, or whatever. Just because it’s on the internet doesn’t mean it’s free for you to take; somebody owns those words, graphics, recordings, or designs, and they may have a price.
Additionally, you’re not usually allowed to modify or edit them without permission from the owners. So before you start remixing, it’s important to know the do’s and don’ts of using other people’s work. There are things that you need to keep in mind when getting material from the internet, especially when you’re using images and video clips.
Firstly, you need to be honest and act ethically and legally when you want to use someone else’s creations for free. Secondly, if you want to make changes to a clip or an image, you need to have permission to do this. Without permission from the creator, you’re not being honest, and you could be breaking the law. Your school or college library may have paid for a license to allow limited copying by students, so check with your teachers or at the library to find out what is allowed.
In some countries, you are allowed to use small sections of images and video to create new works of parody or caricature, but it is still best practice to obtain the owner’s permission. Lastly, you must include details about the image or video clip in your bibliography. Doing this proves you’re an honest and ethical researcher who acknowledges copyright owners.
There is a way to behave legally and to make your search for usable images and video clips more straightforward. Many content creators have already given you permission to copy, download, and even remix their work. The system that many people use to license others to borrow their work is called Creative Commons (CC). This is a licensing system where photographers, graphic illustrators, musicians, and video makers place their content for all to find.
There are four icons that let you know how you may use the item you’re interested in. In other words, it tells you which license the material is protected by. The attribution license icon indicates that you must cite the author whose work you have used. Creative Commons uses the abbreviation “BY” for this. The icon that tells you you’re not allowed to alter or modify the material in any way is labeled as “No Derivatives” (ND). When you see “NC,” it means you’re not allowed to make money from your use of the item, which stands for “Non-Commercial.” The “SA” icon means that if you use some content and legally alter or remix it, you agree to share your results with everyone else, which stands for “Share Alike.”
Take care when reviewing the Creative Commons licenses, as a combination of all licensed features might exist. This licensing system is available for you to use. By the way, if you draw a picture, create a film, or perform a song, you can add it to Creative Commons and attach the licensing you prefer.
There is another way that you can locate free-to-use images, and that’s by using an advanced Google search. Let’s say you want to show an example of water pollution in your assignment on marine animals. Type in “plastic polluting waterways” in the search box, click on “Images,” select “Advanced Search” in the drop-down settings menu, and choose “Free to use or share” from the usage rights menu. Your new search results will give you images that you can use with a clear conscience.
When you click through to the original site for the image you like, scroll down to find the licensing icons you’re already familiar with or further explanations of how you can use the image. It’s not hard to do the right thing when it comes to using clips and images from the internet. Remember to search using reliable methods, follow licensing requirements, and cite or attribute your sources in your bibliography.
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This version maintains the original message while ensuring clarity and professionalism.
Copyright – The legal right granted to the creator of original work to control its use and distribution. – When writing a report, make sure to respect copyright laws by not copying text directly from a book without permission.
Credit – Acknowledgment or recognition given to someone for their contribution or work. – In her presentation, Sarah gave credit to the author of the article she used for her research.
Permission – Approval or consent given by someone in authority to do something. – Before using the photo in her project, Emily asked for permission from the photographer.
Modifications – Changes or alterations made to something to improve or adapt it. – The teacher suggested some modifications to my essay to make it clearer and more concise.
Ethical – Relating to moral principles or the branch of knowledge dealing with what is right and wrong. – It is important to make ethical decisions when conducting research, such as not plagiarizing others’ work.
Legal – Permitted by law or relating to the law. – It is legal to use images from the internet in your project if they are labeled for reuse.
Creative – Having the ability to create or invent something original or imaginative. – The creative writing assignment allowed students to express their ideas in unique ways.
Commons – Resources that are shared by a community and accessible to all members. – The Creative Commons license allows artists to share their work with others while still maintaining some rights.
Images – Visual representations such as pictures or illustrations. – When designing the poster, make sure to use high-quality images to capture people’s attention.
Research – The process of gathering information and facts to learn more about a topic. – For the science project, students were required to conduct research on renewable energy sources.
