Ch.8 Copyright, Licensing and Creative Commons Fact 223 words

CC BY-SA: the 'viral' share-alike rule

ShareAlike means any adaptation must use the same licence; the exam trap is mixing CC BY-SA with a more restrictive licence in a composite work.

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ShareAlike (SA) forces anyone who remixes, tweaks, or builds on your work to release their version under the identical licence. This is the 'viral' clause: it prevents someone from taking a CC BY-SA image, adding their own content, and then slapping a more restrictive 'All Rights Reserved' label on the whole thing. Contrast this with CC BY, where adaptations can use any licence as long as the original creator is credited.

A common trick in EPSO questions is to present a composite work that mixes a CC BY-SA photo with a CC BY-NC-ND video. Because the SA element demands the same licence for the whole adaptation, the more restrictive ND (no derivatives) or NC (non-commercial) terms clash and make the composite impossible to license legally. To eliminate wrong answers, remember that SA only applies to adaptations, not to mere collections: if you just put a CC BY-SA image alongside other works without altering them, the SA rule does not kick in.

To test yourself, ask: 'If I modify a CC BY-SA song and add my own lyrics, what licence must the new song carry?' The answer is CC BY-SA, no exceptions. This single rule is the core of the SA element, and the exam will try to trick you by offering a different licence or claiming you can choose any Creative Commons option.

Related flashcard

What does the SA element in a Creative Commons licence mean?

ShareAlike: adaptations must be shared under the same licence.

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