Using Creative Commons Images

When we create new content such as a PowerPoint presentation, a poster for a history assignment or a new post for our blog, it is important to understand that we can’t just copy any images we want from the Internet and insert them into our work. Such images – whether they are photos or drawings – are protected by copyright. To use these images without permission is illegal.

Fortunately, many images can be found on the Internet that were created by people who are happy to make their work available to the public. Creative Commons is a non-profit organisation that provides authors with licences to share their work in this way. We can use images with a Creative Commons licence as long as we attribute the image. To attribute an image means adding a caption to state the name of the image’s author and the source of the image – where it comes from.

Here is an example of an image I found on FlickrCC. I might like to use this image when planning a presentation on Roman Mosaics. Notice how the image is attributed to its author in the caption.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be learning more about using Creative Common media in our work – and keeping our digital footprint positive! 🙂