Free Alternatives to Illegal Copying

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1. Using Works in the Public Domain.  Files you're allowed to use because they are no longer protected by copyright are those in the "public domain," meaning that either a.) the copyright has expired on the work, or b.) no one has claimed a copyright on that work and it is free for everyone to use.

2. Using Works with a "Creative Commons" License.  With most things you find on the net, you'd have to get permission from the author or creator to use their work, which would entail emailing or writing a formal letter and waiting for a response. Creative Commons licenses make this process easier by stating what rights the author allows you to have for copying and using their work. All types of multimedia files: images, audio, and video, are available with a Creative Commons license.

How Creative Commons Works:  An original creator or artist visits creativecommons.org/choose and selects which rights they want to give to others for using that work. The site then generates an html code which the creator adds on to the work they upload online. 

All Creative Commons licenses require "attribution," meaning if you use that file, you must name and give credit to the person who created the work.

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Where to Find Multimedia You Can Use

Search Sites for Finding Files with a Creative Commons License:

• search.creativecommons.org
• Flickr Creative Commons search: searches just within Flickr
•   at the bottom of the screen, click on  "Date, Usage Rights, Numberic Range, and More." Pull down the box under "Usage Rights" and choose the license that applies to your needs.

Audio Collections:

• Freesound  When needing sound effects or background music for a multimedia project, Freesound allows you rights via a  Creative Commons Sampling Plus 1.0 license  to use the files for non-commercial purposes provided you give credit to the original creator.
• SoundBible.com  Offers free sound effects - be sure to use only those in the public domain or a CC Attibution 3.0 license.
• Free Music Archive   Contemporary and continuously updated music - browse by Genre in the menu at top. Most are licensed CC Attribution or have been put in the public domain.
• opsound  Contributors upload their works under Creative Commons licenses for sharing and remixing. Click on "genres" in the left column menu.
• soundtransit  A searchable archive of field recordings from all over the world. Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
• pdsounds.org  Consists of sounds from our daily environment and are in the public domain for free use. Search for something specific or browse the catalog of public domain sounds.
• Community Audio  One subsection of the Internet Archive collection, the open source audio section is primarily full of reusable Creative Commons-licensed sound files.

Image Collections:

• Stock.XCHNG  A community of photographers who share their work free of charge for use as stock imagery.
• MorgueFile  Using its own specially-adapted "morgueFile Free License," this site offers free photos without any attribution requirement as long as you don’t claim ownership or resell unaltered works.
• PDphoto  Thousands of royalty free and public domain images are searchable here, but some high-resolution versions will charge a fee.
• Openphoto.net  Photos with a Creative Commons license focusing on animals, nature, landscape, architecture, still life, and technology.
• Everystockphoto  A search engine for free photos. Licensing information for each image is available on the search results pages below the photo.
• PicFindr  Another search engine for free stock images from some of the above sites and mor. It compiles the search results into a single page with linked thumbnails.

Video Collections:

• Vimeo   Browse these videos tagged with Creative Commons or use a complex search query to search for videos tagged both “creativecommons” and the keyword you’re looking for.
• Flickr  In Flickr’s Advanced Search, scroll down and choose "Only search within Creative Commons-licensed content."

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