CC licenses,CC licenses,

Off-web works,Off-web works,

[embedded] metadata[embedded] metadata

Sharing media...Sharing media...

• Download from a web siteDownload from a web site

Provenance is a problemProvenance is a problem

• Download from a “geocities” web siteDownload from a “geocities” web site

Provenance is a serious problemProvenance is a serious problem

Sharing media...Sharing media...

• Email attachmentEmail attachment• P2P File shareP2P File share• Beam from wireless deviceBeam from wireless device• CD/DVD RWCD/DVD RW• IM file transferIM file transfer• Memory stickMemory stick• Hard driveHard drive• ......

Provenance, what provenance?Provenance, what provenance?

Let's make things as good as they Let's make things as good as they are on the webare on the web

• Web sites can be taken downWeb sites can be taken down

• The more egregious and higher profile a The more egregious and higher profile a violation, the more likely the web site will be violation, the more likely the web site will be taken downtaken down

• Some sites are more trustworthy than othersSome sites are more trustworthy than others

Let's say Anita wants to license her song, "Volcano Let's say Anita wants to license her song, "Volcano Love," with a Creative Commons license, and Love," with a Creative Commons license, and release it as an MP3. Here's what she'd do...release it as an MP3. Here's what she'd do...

First, Anita would put a "Some Rights Reserved" First, Anita would put a "Some Rights Reserved" button on the site where her song could be button on the site where her song could be downloaded — along with a link to a license, downloaded — along with a link to a license, some metadata, and an assertion about the some metadata, and an assertion about the copyright status of the work. Nothing new here: copyright status of the work. Nothing new here: this is what Creative Commons licensors do this is what Creative Commons licensors do now.now.

With file embedding, though, this page will now With file embedding, though, this page will now serve the added function of verification. Here's serve the added function of verification. Here's how: Anita would insert the URL to that web how: Anita would insert the URL to that web page in the copyright field of the MP3 file, along page in the copyright field of the MP3 file, along with a short, plain description of the work's with a short, plain description of the work's license status. We call this the license license status. We call this the license verification link because it points back to a page verification link because it points back to a page that Anita herself controls.that Anita herself controls.

Next, imagine Anita puts the MP3 on a file-sharing Next, imagine Anita puts the MP3 on a file-sharing network. A user comes across her MP3 and can network. A user comes across her MP3 and can follow the verification link to Anita's page. In the follow the verification link to Anita's page. In the future, we hope that file-sharing networks, future, we hope that file-sharing networks, media players, and other applications will build media players, and other applications will build tools that read the verification link automatically tools that read the verification link automatically and inform users of the copyright assertions like and inform users of the copyright assertions like Anita's.Anita's.

Embedding this kind of "verification link" in MP3s, Embedding this kind of "verification link" in MP3s, as opposed to merely the license metadata, is a as opposed to merely the license metadata, is a measure of protection for artists against the measure of protection for artists against the incorrect or fraudulent labeling and sharing of incorrect or fraudulent labeling and sharing of their work.their work.

Take this example:Take this example:

Honeysuckle is a popular commercial singer. She Honeysuckle is a popular commercial singer. She likes her songs "all rights reserved." likes her songs "all rights reserved."

John decides to license a Honeysuckle song under John decides to license a Honeysuckle song under a Creative Commons license, to fool people into a Creative Commons license, to fool people into thinking she's gone "some rights reserved." He thinking she's gone "some rights reserved." He makes a fake Honeysuckle site on to his makes a fake Honeysuckle site on to his website, adds a Creative Commons license and website, adds a Creative Commons license and metadata to it, and embeds a phony metadata to it, and embeds a phony "verification link" to his page in the Honeysuckle "verification link" to his page in the Honeysuckle MP3. Then he puts the song on a file-sharing MP3. Then he puts the song on a file-sharing network.network.

Honeysuckle visits the file-sharing network and Honeysuckle visits the file-sharing network and sees copies of her song circulating. She finds sees copies of her song circulating. She finds this suspicious, given that she didn't put the this suspicious, given that she didn't put the song on the network and always claims "all song on the network and always claims "all rights reserved.rights reserved.

She follows the verfication link, finds John, and She follows the verfication link, finds John, and forces him to take the fake page down.forces him to take the fake page down.

With the phony verification page gone, users of With the phony verification page gone, users of the file-sharing network will see that the the file-sharing network will see that the verification link is broken, or they will follow it to verification link is broken, or they will follow it to a page explaining that John fraudulently tried to a page explaining that John fraudulently tried to license the song.license the song.

An added benefit of the verification link is that An added benefit of the verification link is that licensors, or the companies who do their licensors, or the companies who do their hosting, can use them to draw traffic to their hosting, can use them to draw traffic to their websites.websites.

Ravi is an amateur photographer. He hosts his Ravi is an amateur photographer. He hosts his photos at SNAP, a website devoted to photos at SNAP, a website devoted to photography. Each time Ravi uploads his photos photography. Each time Ravi uploads his photos to the SNAP website, the SNAP software offers to the SNAP website, the SNAP software offers Ravi an opportunity to use Creative Commons Ravi an opportunity to use Creative Commons licenses, and the tools to embed his webpage on licenses, and the tools to embed his webpage on SNAP with the appropriate RDF. Next, SNAP's SNAP with the appropriate RDF. Next, SNAP's software automatically inserts the verification software automatically inserts the verification link into his photo files' copyright fields.link into his photo files' copyright fields.

Ravi circulates the photos among his schoolmates, Ravi circulates the photos among his schoolmates, whose photo-viewing software reads the whose photo-viewing software reads the copyright fields and takes them to the SNAP copyright fields and takes them to the SNAP website, where they can see Ravi's whole website, where they can see Ravi's whole catalog of photography and links to other SNAP catalog of photography and links to other SNAP services.services.

Let's make things as good as they Let's make things as good as they are on the webare on the web

• Web sites can be taken downWeb sites can be taken down

• The more egregious and higher profile a The more egregious and higher profile a violation, the more likely the web site will violation, the more likely the web site will be taken downbe taken down

• Some sites are more trustworthy than othersSome sites are more trustworthy than others

Some sites are more trustworthy Some sites are more trustworthy than othersthan others

Sites with known curation and takedown policies Sites with known curation and takedown policies are more likely to host accurate license are more likely to host accurate license metadata. Examples in the CC music space:metadata. Examples in the CC music space:

• JamendoJamendo

• MagnatuneMagnatune

• archive.orgarchive.org

• ccMixterccMixter

CC content discovery methodsCC content discovery methods

• Feeds and data dumps from trusted sitesFeeds and data dumps from trusted sites

• Embedded metadata – 1) with verification link Embedded metadata – 1) with verification link and 2) at a trusted siteand 2) at a trusted site

CC content feedsCC content feeds

• http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Syndication – – specifications for license metadata accompanying specifications for license metadata accompanying feedsfeeds

• http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Content_curators – selection of curators of CC licensed content, – selection of curators of CC licensed content, many with feedsmany with feeds

CC embedded metadataCC embedded metadata

• http://wiki.creativecommons.org/MP3 – http://wiki.creativecommons.org/MP3 – specification for license metadata embedded in specification for license metadata embedded in MP3 files with verification linkMP3 files with verification link

• http://wiki.creativecommons.org/XMP – http://wiki.creativecommons.org/XMP – specification for license metadata embedded with specification for license metadata embedded with XMP, an embedded metadata format supporting XMP, an embedded metadata format supporting PDF, JPEG, and many other formats.PDF, JPEG, and many other formats.