In Lesson 3 you learned that the owner of a work controls how it is used. A license is how an owner says yes, on specific terms. Nearly every asset in a real project (images, fonts, music, code libraries, templates, even AI tools) arrives with a license, and the license, not the asset, tells you what you can do.
This lesson describes common license types and U.S. concepts like fair use. License terms vary and the actual text always controls, so read it. For high-value or uncertain situations, ask the rights holder or a qualified professional. This is education, not legal advice.
01Permission is a chain
Legitimate use is a chain with five links. If any link is missing, the chain is broken:
- Origin. Who actually created or owns this asset? Not who posted it or who sells a copy.
- Grant. What license or written permission exists, and who granted it?
- Scope. Does that license cover your use: commercial or not, print or web, one project or many, how many users, for how long, in which countries?
- Conditions. What must you do in return: credit the creator, share changes, keep a notice, avoid certain uses?
- Record. Can you prove all of the above later with a link, receipt or saved copy of the license?
Beginners usually check link 1 loosely and skip links 3 to 5. Most disputes happen in the gap between "I had permission" and "I had permission for this."
02The licenses you will meet
| Type | Typically lets you | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| All rights reserved (default) | Nothing without asking | No license shown does not mean free to use. |
| Stock license (images, video, audio) | Use in listed ways, often including commercial use, for a fee or subscription | "Royalty-free" means no per-use royalty, not "free." Limits on print runs, resale of the file itself, trademarks and people's likenesses. "Editorial only" images cannot be used in ads or products. |
| Creative Commons (CC) | Use under the conditions the creator chose | Each CC license has conditions. Attribution is required in most (see below). |
| Font license | Use the font in defined ways: desktop, web (webfont), app embedding, print, ePub | Separate licenses for web and app use are common. Pageview or user caps. Not transferable to clients without checking. |
| Music license | Use a recording or composition in a defined context | Using music in video generally needs rights to both the composition and the recording ("sync" and "master"). "Royalty-free" music can still have rules about monetized platforms. |
| Open-source software | Use, modify and often redistribute code under the license's rules | Permissive licenses (MIT, BSD, Apache 2.0) mostly ask for attribution. Copyleft licenses (GPL family) can require you to share your own source code when you distribute. Network-use clauses (AGPL) can apply even to hosted services. |
| Template, theme or plugin license | Use on a number of sites or projects | Single-site vs multi-site. Redistribution of the files is usually prohibited. Client transfer rules. |
| AI tool terms | Use outputs as the tool's terms allow | Rules on commercial use, ownership of outputs, restricted uses and disclosure. They can change. |
| Public domain / CC0 | Use freely | Verify the status from a reliable source. Not every "free" collection is actually public domain. |
Can you use it commercially?
03Creative Commons, decoded
Creative Commons licenses are standard, public licenses that let creators share work with clear conditions. They are built from four ingredients:
These combine into six main licenses, from the most open (CC BY) to the most restricted (CC BY-NC-ND). CC0 is a separate tool, which gives up rights as far as the law allows. Two practical points:
- NonCommercial is broader than it sounds. A blog with ads, a shop page or a paid course page is commonly considered commercial. When in doubt, ask or choose another asset.
- Attribution should be easy to verify. A good credit line looks like: "Sunrise over Ridge" by Jane Doe, https://example.com/photo, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
04Fair use: what it is and is not
Fair use is a U.S. legal doctrine that allows limited use of protected work without permission in some circumstances, often for commentary, criticism, news reporting, teaching, research or parody. It is decided case by case by weighing four factors:
- Purpose and character of the use. Is it commercial or educational? Is it "transformative," adding new meaning or purpose rather than just repackaging?
- Nature of the original. Is it factual or highly creative? Creative works get stronger protection.
- Amount used. How much, and is it the "heart" of the work?
- Effect on the market. Does your use substitute for the original or hurt the market for it?
It is not a checklist you can pass in advance, and it is often decided only after a dispute begins. These common beliefs are wrong: "Under ten seconds is always fair," "If I give credit it is fair," "If I don't make money it is fair," and "If it is for education it is always fair." Other countries have narrower rules, often called "fair dealing." For commercial products, treat fair use as a last resort, not a plan.
05How to ask for permission
Asking is normal and often works. Many creators say yes, sometimes free in return for credit. A good request is specific, so the answer can be clear and kept as a record:
Hello, I'm [name], building [project, with link]. I'd like to use your photo [link/title] on [where] for [how long] [commercial or not]. Could you let me know whether that's possible, and under what terms or fee? I'm happy to credit you as you prefer. Thank you for your time.
When someone says yes, get it in writing (email is fine) and confirm the essentials: what work, what uses, where, how long, any fee, and how to credit. Save the message with your records.
06Takedowns and the DMCA
In the United States, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) creates a notice-and-takedown system. A rights holder can send a platform a notice that content infringes their copyright. If the platform removes the content promptly, it generally keeps a "safe harbor" from liability for what its users post. The person whose content was removed can send a counter-notice if they believe the removal was a mistake.
- Strikes matter. Many platforms suspend repeat infringers. A takedown can threaten a whole account, not just one item.
- False claims have consequences. Knowingly misrepresenting that something is infringing, or that a removal was a mistake, can create legal liability.
- Never ignore a notice. Read it, take the content down if you cannot show permission, and find out how it got into your project.
Pause, don't reply in anger, save the message, check your license log, remove the content if you cannot prove permission, and contact the sender or a qualified professional before sending a counter-notice. If a client's project is involved, tell them promptly, because they may be affected.
07Your license log
A license log is a simple table you keep for every project. It takes one minute per asset and can save weeks of trouble. It lets you show that you did your due diligence, find a file's license months later, and answer a client's "where did this come from?" immediately.
Start your license log
List up to six assets from a real or imagined project. Fill in what you know. If a box is hard to fill, that asset needs checking.
| Asset | Source and link | License and limits | Credit line |
|---|---|---|---|
Tip: also save a screenshot or PDF of the license text and your receipt. Licenses on websites change.
Saved automatically Saved
08Check your understanding
Lesson 4 quiz
09Key terms
Go deeperMusic, video and "royalty-free" in more detail
Music usually involves two copyrights: the composition (the song itself, owned by writers or publishers) and the recording (a particular performance, owned by the performer or label). A video that includes a song generally needs permission for both. Music libraries sell licenses that bundle them, but may restrict monetized platforms, client work, or large audiences. Always keep the license for the specific track and use.
Go deeperUsing AI tools within license terms
AI tools publish terms covering who owns outputs, whether you may use them commercially, and what content is restricted. Terms differ and change. Screenshot the version you accepted, note which tool and date you used, and avoid prompts that ask for a specific living artist's style or a protected character to be reproduced for sale.
Key takeaways
- Permission is a chain: origin, grant, scope, conditions and record.
- Royalty-free does not mean free. Credit is not permission. A download button is not a license.
- Creative Commons licenses have conditions. NonCommercial is broader than it looks and attribution should be verifiable.
- Fair use is a case-by-case defense, not a safe harbor you can claim in advance.
- Keep a license log with source, license, limits and credit line for every asset.
- If you receive a takedown notice, act promptly and calmly, and check your records.
Official sources and further reading
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This lesson is general education, not legal advice. Laws and platform rules differ by place and change over time. For a specific situation, talk to a qualified professional and read the terms of each platform you use. Last reviewed 2026-11-02.