Creative Commons fundraising campaign

By Cory Doctorow at 12:55 pm Thursday, Oct 6

Creative Commons has just launched its first fundraising campaign. In 2.5 years, over 50,000,000 works have been licensed under CC licenses (including mine, I'm proud to say). CC licenses promote a free and open Internet, undermine the arguments for technology mandates and DRM, and benefit the developing world, disabled people, and educators and archivists (as well as creators). There are CC projects in dozens of countries around the world, which means that soon everyone will be able to play, no matter what legal system you live under.

The goal is to raise a very modest $225,000 by December 31. That's so do-able. CC is a charity, and you'll get a tax-receipt, but you also get to strike a blow for a digital future that expands our rights and freedoms.

The alternative is a future in which every click and every use and every innovation requires permission and payment. A pay-per-use, pay-per-second, ask-first world. I'll do anything to stop that world from coming to pass. My $250 donation is cheap insurance. Link