Online Life
Public Domain
Ever wondered why some songs, photos, or stories can be used freely while others can’t? This video explains how copyright laws work, why they expire, and what happens when a creative work enters the public domain. Learn how public domain content becomes a free, shared resource for creators everywhere—and how you can use it, too.
What's About
This video introduces the concept of the public domain by walking viewers through a simple story: imagine writing a hit song and owning the rights to it. Copyright law gives you control and the ability to earn money from your creation—but only for a limited time.
As time passes, especially across generations, the need to control and profit from that work may fade. That’s where the public domain comes in. The video explains that once a copyright expires, the work enters the public domain, meaning anyone can use, remix, or share it without asking permission or paying a fee.
It also points out that creators and organizations can choose to release their work into the public domain—like artists, authors, or even the U.S. government, whose publications are often automatically uncopyrighted.
From music and art to statistics and old books, the public domain is packed with free-to-use content. Viewers are shown how public domain resources can be found easily online and used creatively, without legal complications.
By the end, the message is clear: the public domain is more than just expired copyrights—it’s a growing, open library of creative potential that belongs to everyone.
As time passes, especially across generations, the need to control and profit from that work may fade. That’s where the public domain comes in. The video explains that once a copyright expires, the work enters the public domain, meaning anyone can use, remix, or share it without asking permission or paying a fee.
It also points out that creators and organizations can choose to release their work into the public domain—like artists, authors, or even the U.S. government, whose publications are often automatically uncopyrighted.
From music and art to statistics and old books, the public domain is packed with free-to-use content. Viewers are shown how public domain resources can be found easily online and used creatively, without legal complications.
By the end, the message is clear: the public domain is more than just expired copyrights—it’s a growing, open library of creative potential that belongs to everyone.
What it Matters
Understanding the public domain empowers creators, educators, and anyone online to make smarter, more confident use of existing works. This video helps you recognize how copyright limitations evolve over time and how public domain materials offer incredible opportunities for creative projects.
You’ll be able to:
- Understand how copyright gives creators control over their work.
- Explain why copyrights expire and how works enter the public domain.
- Identify what types of content are free to use without permission or payment.
- Recognize how individuals and organizations contribute to the public domain.
- Find and use public domain resources for personal, creative, or educational projects.
You’ll be able to:
- Understand how copyright gives creators control over their work.
- Explain why copyrights expire and how works enter the public domain.
- Identify what types of content are free to use without permission or payment.
- Recognize how individuals and organizations contribute to the public domain.
- Find and use public domain resources for personal, creative, or educational projects.
Standards Aligned
- ISTE Standard: Digital Citizen Indicator 2c
- ACRL Info Literacy Frame: Information Has Value
Part o the course: Media Online
Understand the platforms, licenses, and communities shaping the future of media — from podcasts and Mastodon to public domain and fair use.
View course