Civic Commons License
Civic Commons License v1.0
Preamble
The Civic Commons License (CCL) is a public-interest license intended to preserve, protect, and propagate community-owned designs, software, systems, and processes that serve civic, environmental, and humanitarian goals. It is designed for use in projects that prioritize openness, stewardship, and equitable access over commercial exploitation.
Section 1: Purpose and Scope 1.1 The CCL applies to any work—including but not limited to technical designs, software code, civic infrastructure plans, operational protocols, governance models, and ritual frameworks—explicitly published under this license. 1.2 This license aims to ensure that such works remain free to use, adapt, and improve, provided they are used in alignment with the values of civic responsibility, sustainability, and collective benefit.
Section 2: Rights Granted 2.1 You are free to:
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Use the licensed material for any civic, educational, humanitarian, or non-commercial purpose.
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Share the material with others, with proper attribution.
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Adapt or build upon the material, provided derivatives are also licensed under the CCL.
Section 3: Conditions
3.1 Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.
3.2 Share-Alike — Any derivative works must be licensed under the same Civic Commons License.
3.3 No Commercial Use — You may not use the material for primarily commercial purposes without separate permission from the original authors or stewards.
3.4 Integrity of Civic Intent — You must not misrepresent the work, nor use it in ways that contradict its intended civic purpose or values.
Section 4: Stewardship Trust Option
4.1 Original creators may appoint a Stewardship Trust to oversee future versions, protect the spirit of the work, and mediate disputes.
4.2 The Stewardship Trust may also grant waivers for commercial use or integration into hybrid licensing systems under extraordinary circumstances aligned with the license’s purpose.
Section 5: Limitations and Liability 5.1 The work is provided "as-is" without warranties. 5.2 The licensors are not liable for any damages arising from the use or inability to use the material.
Section 6: Termination
6.1 This license and the rights it grants terminate automatically if you violate its terms.
6.2 Reinstatement is possible upon resolution of the violation and agreement by the original author or Stewardship Trust.
Section 7: Versioning and Compatibility
7.1 Future versions of the CCL may be released by the Stewardship Trust or other designated community bodies.
7.2 Works licensed under earlier versions may be relicensed under later versions unless explicitly stated otherwise.