1. General FAQ
2. Contributors FAQ
3. Users FAQ
4. Legal FAQ (below)
5. Technical FAQ
6. Miscellaneous FAQ

4. Legal FAQ

Why is Creative Commons the default license on Ourmedia?

You may choose any kind of license — or even traditional copyright, if you wish. But copyright law is murky doctrine in cyberspace, and Creative Commons nicely spells out what may or may not be done with your work on the Internet. YouTube doesn't give you this choice. We do.

Can I change my decision, or choose a different Creative Commons license for my material later on?

Yes. At any time. Change the license directly on the item’s media page, or withdraw it from Ourmedia with our Deletion requests form.

Do you obey copyright laws?

Of course! Although we are a global carrier, Ourmedia’s servers are located in the United States, and we abide by U.S. copyright law. If you see that someone has published material belonging to you on our site, let us know and we will remove it.

May I record a TV or radio program and upload it if it concerns an issue of surpassing public importance?

Not unless you own the copyright, have the permission of the copyright holder, or the material is in the public domain.

Can I publish a long clip of Jon Stewart on the Daily Show on Ourmedia if I blog about it?

Sorry, but posting entire segments of the Daily Show to give context for your next Donald Rumsfeld joke is not a fair use.

I podcast, but I often include copyrighted music in my show. Can I post my shows on Ourmedia anyway?

You might want to consider paying a modest licensing fee to ASCAP and BMI to keep the copyright cops at bay. If you derive any income from your podcast, this is a must.

I took video or photos of recognizable figures. Can I share them on Ourmedia?

Generally speaking, yes. However, there are always legal, social and ethical issues involved in capturing images of private citizens without their permission and publishing them on the Web. If in doubt, exercise restraint. The rules for sharing personal media in cyberspace are not yet firmly established. See our Learning Center's copyright and the law section for more.

Didn’t find an answer to your question? Try our Help pages, or contact us.

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