Copyright and Licensing
Copyright law protects the creators of original work, and licences say how others may use it.
▶ Interact
Play with the controls to see the idea in action.
📘 Learn
Copyright law protects the creators of original work, and licences say how others may use it.
- Do not copy without permission
- Creative Commons offers flexible licences
- Open source code can be shared and changed
🧠 Quick quiz
Three questions. Score 2 or more to complete the topic.
What is Copyright and Licensing?
Within Computer Science, which covers algorithms, programming, data, networks, hardware and safe, responsible use of technology, this topic explains Copyright and Licensing. Computing topics explain how software, hardware and data work, with diagrams and models that show each step in order.
Check that you can explain Copyright and Licensing in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.
Understanding Copyright and Licensing helps you design, test and explain programs, websites and systems, from small projects to exam questions.
Copyright and Licensing in detail
Copyright is the legal right of creators to control how their work, such as music, films, images, writing and software, is copied and used. Using someone's work without permission may be illegal, and it includes piracy (illegal copying and sharing).
Licences state how the work can be used. Creative Commons licences let creators share work with certain conditions, such as giving credit. Open-source software can be used and modified under its licence, and proprietary software needs payment. Always acknowledge your sources, and check licences before using images and content. Plagiarism, passing off someone else's work as your own, is also wrong.
How the interactive helps you understand Copyright and Licensing
Click a card to flip it and reveal the answer, then move on to the next one.
Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of Copyright and Licensing.
Real-life uses and examples
- Trace through a process that uses Copyright and Licensing to check what it does step by step.
- Recognise Copyright and Licensing in an app or device you use every day.
- Apply Copyright and Licensing when you design a small program, website or spreadsheet.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Testing only the normal case and forgetting the edge cases.
- Using the term without being able to say what the computer actually does.
- Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.
Frequently asked questions about Copyright and Licensing
What is Copyright and Licensing?
Copyright law protects the creators of original work, and licences say how others may use it.
What are the most important points about Copyright and Licensing?
The main points are: Do not copy without permission; Creative Commons offers flexible licences; Open source code can be shared and changed.
Why is Copyright and Licensing useful?
Understanding Copyright and Licensing helps you design, test and explain programs, websites and systems, from small projects to exam questions.
How can I practise Copyright and Licensing?
Open the interactive at the top of this page and change the controls one at a time. Predict the result before each change, then take the three-question quiz. A score of two or more marks the topic as complete on this device.
Which topics are related to Copyright and Licensing?
Related topics in Computer Science include Artificial Intelligence, Databases, Data Representation of Images.