Given there is always a kerfuffle of understanding the use of various Creative Common licenses, I am dubious about efforts to even add more to the pile (I have a sarcastic sweet spot for WTPL). But I am trying to at least be aware of stuff like TakeNode).

I came across this via some stuff I am doing with the folks at the Free Music Archive who have been very gracious and even granted me access to experiment with a Curators area for OEGlobal. This all began when I emailed trying to understand why my playlist I made for the FMA tracks I use for a podcast required an FMA login to view… note, this has now been fixed. Check out my public playlist of a popular genre of music.

Okay, this is not about music. While talking to the folks at the FMA and also via a link on their menu, I came across TakeNode:

Governments work on internet copyright laws. Big commercial publishers and digital platforms lobby to shape government policy to their favor. Independent content creators however are hardly involved in this process. TakeNode gives creators a voice.
….
TAKENODE.org offers content creators a practical, power tool to register their ‘Terms of Use’. Relevant information about the file, creator and intentions packaged in an unique TakeNode Certificate. Sharing the TakeNode certificate as part of the content offers digital platforms and their users an easy to understand mandate.

https://takenode.org/info

Well yeas, and there is a clear step by step process of how it works, but I learn most when I DIM (Do It Myself).

So I rummaged around my flickr, and found a photo of a common topic

Felix in the Fields flickr photo by cogdogblog shared into the public domain using Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication (CC0)which as typical already comes with a clear CCO public domain declaration (always remember, technically not a license) which is also baked into the photo’s metadata.

Do I need a certificate? shrug. But I made one at TakeNode https://takenode.org/certificate?id=7cca72d5-7a3e-46df-9c2a-c3d1194c54ca which delivers to me as a text file:

TAKENODE CERTIFICATE ID:
7cca72d5-7a3e-46df-9c2a-c3d1194c54ca

1. Information about the file

Filename:
35317652343_43ed4a520a_o.jpeg

File type:
picture/video

Unique file ID:
fd2c63bf794708ad447cd21b5f37e03fabee2a499b48b794e140a7f5811fc40f

2. Information about the uploader of the file

Name:
Alan Levine

Upload timestamp:
1674238901 UNIX
2023-01-20 19:21:41 Europe/Amsterdam

Contact info:
https://cog.dog

3. Declaration of intention

This picture/video is copyright protected and I own all related rights. You can freely adapt, share and build upon this work even for commercial purposes. Make sure to credit me as the owner of this work.

More information about TakeNode Certificates? Check https://takenode.org

It sounds kind of blockchain-ish but its not. What do I do with this? I am not sure.

From what I can understand, it supposedly offers artists (and likely of interest to musicians) some way of having a certificate of authenticity or terms of use associated with their works? So they can go after copyright stompers?

The terms of use I am offered are pretty much the spirit of Creative Commons, but it’s not a license.

I am intrigued by this, but I fell like I am missing a step or a piece of what I do with my TakeNode thingie.

Help me, Obi Wan or blog reader, help me understand?


Featured Image: Felix in the Fields flickr photo by cogdogblog shared into the public domain using Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication (CC0) with text of this photo’s TakeNode certificate superimposed on it, so the whole mix can also be declared CC0 because its mine, all mine! And yours if you want, youts@