Wattpad, the online writing and reading community, has upgraded its copyright protection to Creative Commons (CC) 4.0 licensing options, offering fans the ability to search millions of stories and remix them into new content with permission.
Creative Coommons is a nonprofit organization that works to enable the sharing and use of creative content though free legal tools. To date more than 300,000 stories on Wattpad are shared under CC licensing options. The integration of CC 4.0 will provide improved licensing options to the global Wattpad community.
Science Fiction author, blogger and tech activist Cory Doctorow, who has shared five stories on Wattpad under CC licenses, said, the move makes sense. "The biggest question facing new writers today isn't how to protect their work; it's how to find a readership for it. It makes complete sense that so many Wattpad writers are gravitating toward Creative Commons licenses: by giving others permission to share your writing, you can open doors to new audiences and new creative opportunities."
Wattpad co-founder and CEO Allen Lau echoed Doctorow's sentiment. He said: "From day one Wattpad has been about self-expression and creativity. With the integration of CC 4.0 creators from around the world will be able to search millions of stories on Wattpad and use them for their own artistic pursuits. Licensing creative works under CC 4.0 makes total sense in today’s remixing culture."
