What is the TASL attribution method?
Record Title, Author, Source and Licence from the source page before you use a Creative Commons work. That is the TASL attribution method. A designer posts a photo under CC BY 4.0 and adds a credit line: 'Photo by Jane Doe, CC BY 4.0, Flickr.' A travel site copies the photo and writes 'Image: Flickr user' on the page. That is a breach, not an attribution. TASL exists to prevent exactly this mistake. Under the official licence terms of version 4.0, three of those four elements are mandatory when the licensor supplies them. Title is not a legal requirement under 4.0, even though including it remains good practice. A licence grant is only as good as the evidence you keep.
What TASL Stands For
TASL stands for Title, Author, Source, Licence. Each letter corresponds to one piece of information a reuser should provide. The mnemonic was created by the Creative Commons community to make attribution simple. It covers the practical information a reader needs to locate the original work and understand the permissions that apply to it. It is not the complete legal text of the licence conditions.
Under version 4.0, a reuser must retain, when supplied by the licensor: identification of the creator and designated attribution parties, a copyright notice, a notice referring to the licence, a warranty disclaimer, and a URI or hyperlink to the material where reasonably practicable. The reuser must also link to or refer to the licence and indicate modifications, retaining earlier modification notices. TASL captures the core of this obligation in a memorable format. It does not replace reading the actual deed or legal code.
The Title Exception Under 4.0
Version 4.0 does not separately require the work's title. If the licensor supplies a title, include it. If they do not, you are not obliged to invent one. Older CC versions and some jurisdiction-specific ports may require the title when it is supplied. Always check the exact licence version on the source page before reusing a work. For a work labelled CC BY 2.0, for example, the title may be mandatory. For a 4.0 work it is recommended but not required.
Copyable Attribution in Context
Below is a correctly formatted attribution that meets the 4.0 requirements for the example photo. It includes all four TASL elements plus a modification notice. You must include that notice under 4.0 when you adapt the work.
'Sunset Over the Bay' by Jane Doe, licensed under CC BY 4.0, from Flickr. Cropped from original.
Legal Requirements Versus TASL Good Practice
The licence conditions under 4.0 are the legal requirements. TASL is a good-practice mnemonic that maps to those conditions but is not identical to them. The table below compares what the licence demands with what TASL recommends.
| Element | Mandatory Under 4.0? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Title | No, unless supplied by licensor and required by older version | Recommended but not required under 4.0 |
| Author | Yes, when supplied | Includes designated attribution parties |
| Source | Yes, a URI or hyperlink where reasonably practicable | Must be to the material itself, not a landing page |
| Licence | Yes, a notice referring to the licence | Must link to or name the exact licence and version |
What Changes When You Adapt
Under 4.0, a reuser must indicate modifications. This is a separate requirement from the four TASL elements. Add a short phrase such as 'Modified from original' or 'Cropped' after the attribution line. The modification notice preserves the chain of permissions and helps downstream reusers understand what version of the work they are looking at. Whether cropping, excerpting or combining counts as an adaptation depends on the applicable copyright law. Translation is normally an adaptation. Synchronisation is expressly Adapted Material in 4.0. Format conversion alone is not.
When Attribution Is Not Needed
Exceptions and limitations such as fair use or fair dealing operate separately from the licence. If an exception authorises the use, the licence conditions do not apply to that use. Their scope varies by jurisdiction. In some countries and under some circumstances, you may not need to attribute at all. Do not rely on this without checking the specific law that applies to your use. The boundaries are jurisdictional. When in doubt, attribute as the licence requires.
Common Questions
Is TASL the official CC attribution requirement?
No. TASL is a community mnemonic, not the legal text. The official requirement under version 4.0 is set out in Section 3 of the legal code. TASL covers the main practical points but omits the modification notice and the obligation to preserve supplied notices.
Do I always need to include the Title?
Under version 4.0, no. The title is not separately required. If the licensor supplies it, include it for clarity. Older licence versions may require it, so check the exact version on the source page.
What happens if I attribute incorrectly?
A breach of the licence conditions terminates the rights under the licence automatically. Under 4.0, rights are automatically reinstated from the date the violation is cured, provided it is cured within 30 days after discovery. Express reinstatement by the licensor is a separate route. Cure does not erase possible liability for the period of violation.
Can I put attribution on a separate credits page?
Yes. A consolidated credits page can be reasonable if the work-to-credit mapping is clear and the credits remain readily accessible. Academic citation and licence attribution serve different purposes. Do both when both apply.
Does the licence affect how I handle moral rights?
Moral, privacy and personality rights are handled only to the limited extent stated in the legal code and may still matter. Version 4.0 does not license or waive moral rights in most jurisdictions. Respect the creator's moral rights independently of the licence.