CC Licenses & Copyright

Creative Commons licenses are built upon copyright as opposed to replacing copyright. Copyright allows creators or licensors (and only creators or licensors) to license their works with CC licenses.

Exceptions to copyright such as fair use still apply to Creative Commons licensed works. Thus if a situation falls within the four factors, a user may implement a CC licensed work in way that would usually be prohibited by the license.

Creative Commons licenses cannot limit users access any further than traditional copyright.