Can a creator ask me to remove their name?
Yes. A creator can ask you to remove their name, and under version 4.0 of the Creative Commons licenses you must do it where reasonably practicable. This is not a polite suggestion. It is a binding condition of the permission you received. The decisive exception: the ask does not apply when the credit implies endorsement, a separate rule that runs through the entire license. If you receive that message, act promptly. Remove the credit from wherever it appears, keep a dated record of the correspondence and your action, and do nothing further with the work until you have confirmed the license still covers the use you are making.
The 4.0 Request-Removal Provision and the No-Endorsement Rule
What The License Text Requires
Section 3(a)(2) of the version 4.0 legal code states that, to the extent reasonably practicable, you must remove the required credit if the licensor asks. “Reasonably practicable” means you do not have to destroy the only copy of a physical object or break a platform’s technical constraints. You must do what a sensible person in your position would do. For a website, that is editing the credit line, stripping the name from the metadata, or deleting the attribution page. For a video, it may mean editing the credits or taking the video down until you can edit.
The No-Endorsement Rule
The same section of the 4.0 legal code is explicit: your credit must not imply the licensor endorses you or your use. You cannot place the creator’s name next to the work in a way that suggests they approve of your product, your politics, or your advertising. The creator can ask you to remove their name to prevent that implication, even if you are otherwise complying with every license term.
A Copyable Credit in Context
Here is a copyable example of what to include when you credit a work under a 4.0 license. This example uses a hypothetical photograph by Jane Doe under CC BY 4.0, modified by you.
“Photo by Jane Doe / CC BY 4.0 / Modified by [Your Name], changes: cropped, colour-adjusted.”
Place that line directly beneath the work on a website, or in a credits section clearly linked from the work. Do not hide it behind a tiny link or bury it in a footer. The license requires the credit to appear in a reasonable manner for the medium. A line that is invisible or demands scrolling without a visible anchor is not reasonable.
Legal Requirements Versus TASL Good Practice
What TASL Covers
Many reuse guides recommend the TASL mnemonic: Title, Author, Source, Licence. TASL is a memory aid, not the full legal text. Under version 4.0, the legal requirement is to retain, when supplied by the licensor, the 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, retaining earlier modification notices. Version 4.0 does not separately require the work’s title, though including it is useful and older versions may require it when supplied.
When A Creator Asks For Removal
The difference matters. The request-removal provision applies only to the credit information the license requires you to keep. If you have added your own commentary or extra credits, those are not covered unless the licensor specifically asks for them. The license does not require you to remove the work itself, only the credit. Remove the credit and you are no longer complying with that license condition. The permission for that use terminates automatically. Keep using the work without the required credit and you are infringing copyright.
Change Notices and Their Role
When you adapt a Creative Commons work, you must indicate that changes were made. The 4.0 legal code requires you to retain earlier modification notices and add your own. A change notice can be a simple statement: “Cropped from original,” “Translated from French,” “Remixed with [other work title].” Do not rely on a vague “Adapted by” label. The change notice is separate from the credit. The creator can ask you to remove their name, but that does not cancel your obligation to mark your own changes if you continue to use the adapted material. Remove the creator’s name. Keep your change notice if you keep using the work under the license.
What Most Often Goes Wrong
A common failure is ignoring the message. A creator sends a polite email asking you to remove their name. You delete it or do nothing, assuming the ask is unreasonable. Under the 4.0 license, that puts you in breach. The license terminates automatically from the date you knew or should have known of the violation. You then have a 30-day cure window from the date you detect the breach. If you ignore the correspondence, the clock does not start. Comply immediately. Document everything.
Common Questions
What if I cannot reasonably remove the credit because the work is embedded in a physical object?
The license requires removal where reasonably practicable. For a physical sign, a sculpture, or a printed book, removal may not be reasonably practicable if it would destroy the object or require a significant physical alteration. Stop using the work as soon as you are notified. A dated record of the correspondence and your inability to remove the credit is your best protection if a dispute arises.
Does the creator need to give a reason for asking me to remove their name?
No. The license does not require a reason. The creator can ask for removal for any reason or no reason at all. The condition is a simple ask, not a justification. The only limit is that the license itself cannot be withdrawn from anyone who already received it while complying with its terms, but the removal provision is a separate right within the license.
What should I do if the creator asks me to remove their name but I am using the work on a platform that does not allow me to edit the credits?
If the platform prevents you from removing the credit, you cannot comply with the license condition. Stop using the work on that platform. Remove the work entirely if needed. The license permission terminates automatically when you cannot cure the violation. File a dated record of the platform limitation and your removal of the work.
Can the creator ask me to remove their name after I have already credited them correctly?
Yes. The request-removal provision applies regardless of the quality of your original credit. A correct credit does not insulate you from a later removal ask. The creator may change their mind, want to disassociate from the work, or have a new reason unrelated to your use.
What is the difference between a removal request and a takedown request under the DMCA?
A removal request under the CC license is a contractual condition of the permission. A DMCA takedown is a statutory copyright-enforcement process with legal penalties and deadlines. A removal request does not trigger the DMCA. If the creator wants the work removed entirely, they would need to use the DMCA or a similar process in your jurisdiction. The CC request-removal provision only removes the credit, not the work itself.