Final answer:
Content creators can allow others to copy, edit, remix, build upon, or distribute their work by using Creative Commons licenses. These licenses provide legal permissions while retaining some rights to the original work.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a content creator wants to allow someone to copy, edit, remix, build upon, or distribute their work, they can do so by using a Creative Commons license. Creative Commons licenses provide a legal framework for granting permissions to others while still retaining some rights to the original work.
One of the most common Creative Commons licenses is the Attribution license, which allows others to copy, distribute, and adapt the work as long as they give appropriate credit to the original creator. Another common license is the ShareAlike license, which requires any derivative works to be licensed under the same terms as the original work.
For example, if a photographer wants to allow others to use their photos for any purpose, even commercially, they could choose an Attribution license. This would allow others to copy, edit, and distribute the photos as long as they credit the photographer. Alternatively, the photographer could choose a NonCommercial license if they only want their work to be used for noncommercial purposes.