How do I attribute a video?
Include the creator's name, the exact license and version, a link or reference to the license, and an indication of any changes you made. This matches the 4.0 legal text, not the TASL mnemonic alone.
Under Creative Commons 4.0 licenses, attribution is mandatory. The license condition says you must retain, when the licensor supplied them: identification of the creator and designated attribution parties, a copyright notice, a notice referring to the license, a warranty disclaimer, and a URI or hyperlink to the material where reasonably practicable. You must also link or refer to the license and indicate modifications, keeping earlier modification notices. You can do this in any reasonable manner for the medium.
The decisive exception: if you rely on an exception or limitation to copyright such as fair use or fair dealing, the license conditions do not apply to that use. Their scope varies by jurisdiction, so you cannot assume an exception covers your video reuse without checking local law. The safest next step after confirming the license allows your intended use is to build a copyable attribution block that includes the four elements above, embed it in the video's credits and description, and preserve the original source page as evidence.
Where To Place The Attribution In A Video
End Credits And Consolidated Cards
For a video, attribution can appear in at least three places: the end credits scroll, the description text below the player, and embedded metadata such as closed captions or the video file's info fields. The 4.0 legal text requires a reasonable manner for the medium. An end-credit card that shows the creator name, source URL, exact license and version, and a change notice is reasonable. A consolidated credits page, one card listing multiple works, is also reasonable if the mapping from each segment to its credit is clear and the credits remain readily accessible.
Description Field Pitfalls
The description field is the most common failure case. A plain URL or a short phrase like "music by Artist" does not satisfy the license condition. Restate the license name in the description and link to the deed. YouTube's built-in CC option has historically been CC BY, but verify its current help page. Do not assume music, clips or other components share the video's license. Content ID is a private platform system; proof of a valid license supports a dispute but does not guarantee the platform's outcome.
Embedded Metadata As Backup
Embedded metadata in the video file itself, such as creator, copyright and description tags, adds durability. If the video is downloaded and re-uploaded, the metadata travels with the file in some formats. Platforms often strip or ignore these fields, so use credits and description as your primary locations.
What The Licence Actually Requires Versus TASL Good Practice
TASL (title, author, source, license) is a useful mnemonic, not the complete legal text. The 4.0 attribution clause does not separately require the work's title, although including it is good practice. Older versions of the licenses may require the title when the licensor supplied it. The mandatory elements under 4.0 are: identification of the creator and designated attribution parties, a copyright notice, a notice referring to the license, a warranty disclaimer, and a URI or hyperlink to the material where reasonably practicable. You must also link or refer to the license and indicate modifications.
Version 4.0 does not require a separate copyright symbol or a specific phrase. "Licensed under CC BY 4.0" is sufficient for the license notice. The creator's name alone is not enough if the licensor also designated attribution parties. If the licensor requests that attribution information be removed where reasonably practicable, you must do so. Attribution must not imply endorsement.
| Element | Source | Where To Place In Video | Failure Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creator and designated parties | Licensor provides | End credits card | Omitting the creator name |
| Copyright notice | Licensor provides | End credits or description | Using no copyright notice |
| License name and version | Must link or refer | Description and credits | Linking to the wrong version or no link |
| Modification indication | Your own changes | Description or end credits | Failing to mark edits or claiming work as original |
How To Handle Changes And Adapted Video
What Counts As Adapted Material
If you edit a video, cutting scenes, adding narration, synchronising music with moving images, you create Adapted Material under 4.0. Music synchronisation is expressly Adapted Material. Translation of a video's audio track is normally an adaptation. Cropping, excerpting and editing may or may not create an adaptation depending on applicable copyright law; do not declare a universal boundary. Format-shifting alone, such as converting an MP4 to WebM, does not create Adapted Material.
Applying The Adapter's License
When you share adapted video, you must apply the adapter's license. The adapter applies the license named by the applicable SA clause or an officially designated compatible license. Do not assume two SA licenses are compatible. The official compatibility list controls. Creative Commons lists one-way compatibility from BY-SA 4.0 to GPLv3 for adapted material; this does not turn a CC license into a software license or create compatibility in the reverse direction.
Writing The Change Notice
The change notice must identify what you changed. A simple line such as "Changes: trimmed to 90 seconds, added voiceover" meets the requirement. Retain earlier modification notices from the original licensor.
Common Questions
Do I need to credit the creator if I use a CC0 video?
No. CC0 removes all copyright and related-right conditions as far as the affirmer is legally able. Credit is not a legal condition. However, research integrity, community norms and avoidance of false authorship can still make credit proper.
What if the video is under CC BY-ND 4.0?
You may share the video unchanged, including commercial sharing. You may not share adapted material under the license. Creating adapted material for private use is permitted, but you cannot distribute it. Attribution is still required.
Can I put the attribution in the description only and skip the end credits?
Yes, if the description is readily accessible and the mapping from the video to its credit is clear. A reasonable manner for the medium does not require a specific placement. Avoid making the description hard to find.
What happens if I fail to attribute correctly?
Under 4.0, the license terminates automatically on breach. It is automatically reinstated from the date the violation is cured if cured within 30 days of discovery. Cure does not erase possible liability for the period of violation.