Will CC0 become the ultimate vision of NFT decentralization?
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On August 1, the well-known encryption artist XCOPY releasedtweetsWhy NFT Creators Should Embrace CC0
On August 3, the encryption agency a16z issued a document "Why NFT Creators Should Embrace CC0", to further discuss CC0 NFT;
official announcementofficial announcementMoonbirds will also be converted to a CC0 license, allowing the public domain to use and create Moonbirds without threshold.
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Article directory
1. What is CC0?
• Traditional CC0 license
• When NFT adopts CC0 license
2. How do various NFT projects deal with their copyright issues?
• no statement
• Grant clear restrictions and permissions
• Open copyright of works to the public domain
3. How is the development of NFT projects using CC0 licensing?
• Nouns cross-border cooperation on the big screen
• Moonbirds' defection draws controversy
4. What are the considerations of NFT projects for CC0?
• High-end brands need to maintain scarcity
• Betting on the positive flywheel of meme self-propagation
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5 Conclusion
What is CC0?
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CC0'sofficial pageThe most striking is "no rights reserved"
CC0 is a copyright digital licensing license launched by the non-profit organization Creative Commons (Creative Commons, CC) in 2009 to give up copyright and put works into the public domain. Strictly speaking, CC0 is not a license contract involving two parties, but a unilateral statement from the copyright owner.
In simple terms, once the copyright owner declares the CC0 license, it means that the copyright of the works adopting the declaration is waived to the maximum extent permitted by law on a global scale, and then anyone can Unconditionally use the work for commercial/non-commercial purposes without any application, and the right holder or owner has no right to pursue responsibility.
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When NFT adopts CC0 license
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Moonbirds2The transaction volume once exceeded the original series, and was later taken off the shelves due to trademark infringement, but it did not infringe copyright
Take Moonbirds, which just announced the adoption of CC0 license, as an example. Even if you do not hold a Moonbirds NFT, you will not be accused of infringement even if you do these things:
• Modify and re-create the image of Moonbirds NFT, both original works and new creations can be sold;
• Print any Moonbirds NFT image on clothes for sale, and the proceeds will not belong to the project party or the holder, but 100% to you;
• Re-link the original or second creations of all the images in the entire Moonbirds NFT as a new NFT project for sale, as long as you do not use the name of Moonbirds (in fact, many new NFT projects have already done this, such asBoonmirds、3DBirds、Rug Birds）。
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How do various NFT projects deal with their copyright issues?
2. Grant express restrictions and licenses, usually for commercial and non-commercial use of the work, respectively;
1. There is no statement that allows NFT holders to have a vague default license;
2. Grant express restrictions and licenses, usually for commercial and non-commercial use of the work, respectively;
3. Open the copyright of the work to the public domain, that is, adopt the CC0 license.
Without any statement, NFT holders have a vague default license
At present, most NFT projects adopt this scheme, which is caused by many factors:
• Some NFT projects are not large enough in scale and influence in the initial stage, and lack consideration for copyright, trademark rights, patent rights, etc., or in other words, individual infringement incidents have little impact on their brands;
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The total market value of CryptoPunks once exceeded 3.4 billion US dollars
The biggest controversy over the adoption of this scheme began when CryptoPunks, a subsidiary of Larva Labs, was at the time.A snapshot of the CryptoPunks launch on June 10, 2017Judging by the fact that the entire site does not have any notices about copyright.
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to report
according toto report, in 2019 Larva Labs co-founder Watkinson announced in the CryptoPunks Discord channel that they will use theNFT licensingimage description
Image of CryptoPhunks' work
"I have the ownership of NFT, but I don't have its copyright. Who does it belong to?"
"I have the ownership of NFT, but I don't have its copyright. Who does it belong to?"
This dramatic scene aroused dissatisfaction and heated discussions among holders. Opponents believed that its approach was contrary to the vision of anti-censorship and decentralization. Many holders chose to leave CryptoPunks at that time.
The omission of the copyright statement at the beginning has become a "historical issue", and Larva Labs is like a thorn in the back, and is in a dilemma.
grant express restrictions and licenses, usually for commercial and non-commercial use of the work, respectively
Most well-known blue chips adopt this scheme, that is, only "partial rights" are granted, such asBAYC、Meebits、CloneX、Azuki、DoodlesThere are clear and strict instructions on copyright.
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China Li Ning x BAYC#4102 (Source:China Li Ning）
BAYC holders are allowed to use the purchased NFT works to create and sell derivative products for commercial purposes, but cannot use BAYC's brand LOGO and name.
For example, people who have purchased BAYC NFT can print the BAYC pattern on clothes and sell them, and 100% of the profits will belong to the holder. Take "China Li Ning x BAYC#4102" as an example, you can use "Bored Ape #4102" and "BAYC #4102" have NFT images and name numbers, but the words "Bored Ape Yacht Club" and the official LOGO cannot be used. In addition, there are many successful commercial use cases, such asUniversal Music Group, a top music distribution company, announced the formation of KINGSHIP, a digital metaverse band composed of BAYC and MAYC，BAYC#6045 Signs with Major League Soccer to be a forward on a virtual fieldetc.
fill in the formfill in the formApply and the company must not be too large (less than 1,500 employees and less than $40 million in annual revenue).
Azuki: The holder's NFT works are allowed to be used for commercial purposes, but trademarks cannot be used. For collaborative works and third-party works, the consent of the official and the holder is required.
Doodle: The holder's NFT work is allowed to be used for commercial purposes, but the Doodle image needs to be used in its entirety, that is, the characteristics of its creation cannot be split. And for derivative products that sell for more than $100,000, you need to communicate with the team.
Open the copyright of the work to the public domain, that is, adopt the CC0 license
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How are NFT projects using CC0 licensing faring?
Some NFT projects such as Mfer and Nouns are "Born with CC0", while others like Moonbirds "turned back" to join in the middle. Will their fate be the same?
Nouns cross-border cooperation on the big screen
Nouns is a CC0 NFT project based on Ethereum, which generates avatars based on nouns, that is, people, things and places. Nouns DAO is responsible for the governance of the project. A Nouns NFT is generated and auctioned every day. Up to now, a total of 401 NFTs have been generated, and the floor price is maintained at a high price of 98 ETH.
It is worth mentioning that the founder of Nouns4156image descriptionCryptoPunks#4156。
to report
according toto report, the beer brand Bud Light used Nouns' glasses LOGO in its 2022 ad. This partnership further gives Bud Light credibility in the NFT space, while the Super Bowl ad will introduce Bud Light to millions of consumers. When it comes to the latest products, Nouns NFT will also be introduced to them. This kind of cross-border cooperation is the advantage of CC0.
People don't care whether Bud Light actually holds Nouns NFT, CC0 gives it the right to copy, spread, and use for commercial purposes. In a way, this reinforces the self-propagating effect, and as spinoffs like Bud Light x Nouns are created, attention shifts to the original, further cueing brand awareness.
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After Moonbirds announced the switch to CC0 license, the floor price fell all the way
As for the Moonbirds who "turned back" halfway, the advantages of CC0 seem to have not yet been reflected, but it has caused many problems:
• The sudden announcement of CC0 caught many people off guard. Many holders believed that the team's decision-making was too hasty and centralized, and they did not communicate with the community in advance, which was contrary to the spirit of decentralization of Web3;
• "It seems to be delegating power, but it is actually a violation of rights." Many NFT holders do not want their NFT to be used by others for commercial purposes or to make derivatives, and they are changed to CC0 midway to deprive NFT holders of "exclusivity" s right;
• The team was questioned about Soft Rug. In the inherent impression of many people, too much decentralization may mean that the team no longer wants to manage the brand with heart. "Freedom to let savage growth" has become a shield for Soft Rug.
What are the considerations of NFT projects for CC0?
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Tiffany and CryptoPunks collaboration pendant
to reportto report, American jewelry brand Tiffany & Co. announced the launch of the "NFTiffs" NFT series. The series is limited to 250 pieces, priced at 30ETH, and can only be purchased by CryptoPunk holders. At the same time, "NFTiffs" holders will receive Tiffany's custom-designed physical pendants based on the characteristics of the CryptoPunk provided by the holder.
Rareness is the most precious thing. CryptoPunks is the "NFT Wright Brothers Aircraft". Scarcity is its natural moat. If its status wants to match the top luxury brands in the real world, it is understandable to restrict copyright. Luxury goods do not win by quantity, but by the value-added of the brand. The value-added of the brand comes from the sense of exclusivity created by the luxury brand. "Cannot be obtained easily", this is a class ladder that needs to be maintained to maintain scarcity. CryptoPunks protects its own brand by restricting copyright, so that it can cooperate with other companies and brands to obtain greater benefits.
"Do you think NFTiffs selling 30ETH is expensive? Sorry, maybe you are not its target customer."
Betting on the positive flywheel of meme self-propagation
Combining CC0 and meme, there is no doubt that the first thing that comes to mind is Mfer.
Founder of Mfersreadmeimage description
Mfer's secondary creation allows it to spread more widely
Its image naturally determines that it is suitable for dissemination as a meme, and when people spread the meme, it is not for profit, but just for fun. CC0 also liberates the restrictions on copying, dissemination, and secondary creation. The self-propagation effect allows the project party to enjoy the traffic bonus without hard promotion, and quickly accumulates a large amount of attention, funds, and talents. The more people join, the more people will be inspired More creations, eventually forming a positive flywheel. This is why most grassroots projects chose CC0 in the Free Mint market a while ago. In the bear market environment, in the fight for stock funds in the NFT market, only betting on the positive flywheel of meme self-propagation can Get a place.
The Ultimate Vision of Decentralization
In announcing Moonbirds' transition to a CC0 license, Kevin Rose wrote: "Intuition is to protect what you create, but Web3 is an opportunity to re-examine everything from first principles. It's a more inclusive and opportunities open to all.”
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epilogue
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At present, the relevant laws and regulations on NFT are not perfect. As an "imported product", CC0 is also "unacceptable" in the process of adapting to the laws of various countries. Whether to choose CC0 at the moment still needs to be considered in many aspects.
"I haven't seen the summer of CC0 yet, but I believe it will come," said XCOPY.
It is still unknown whether CC0 will be the final solution to NFT copyright in the future, but at least, this scene of "contention among schools of thought" makes us look forward to the future.
