Leonhard Dobusch

University of Innsbruck
„The International Law of Intellectual Property“

Weizenbaum-Institute for the Networked Society in Co-Operation with 

Cambridge University and Humboldt University Berlin, Josef-Kohler-Institute for Intellectual Property 

June 24-25, 2019, Berlin
FROM TRANSNATIONALITY TO TERRITORIALITY AND BACK 

The Case of Creative Commons’ Copyright Standards
<1>



Context
ARENAS OF REGULATING IP
Source: Dobusch, L./Quack, S. (2013): Framing standards, mobilizing users: Copyright versus
fair use in transnational regulation. Review of International Political Economy, 20 (1), 52-88,
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09692290.2012.662909
(Inter-)

National Law
Private
Standards
Standard setting
(e.g., Creative Commons, 

Terms & Conditions)
Constructive
mobilisation
(e.g., for the adoption of
certain standards)
Legislative process
(e.g., EU copyright directive)
Lobbying
(e.g., corporate lobbying)
Protest mobilisation
(e.g., Anti-ACTA protests)
Legislative Arena
Market Arena
Civil society, GLAM
(e.g., Creative Commons, Free
Software Foundation, Wikimedia)
'Open' Movements
(e.g., Open Data, Open
Source, etc.)
Collecting Societies
(e.g., CISAC, GEMA, SUISA, etc.)
Industry Associations
(e.g., MPAA, RIAA, IFPI, etc.)
Corporations in the
copyright industries
WIPO, WTO, EU, Nation States
TRIPS, WIPO Copyright Treaties, EU Directives
Regulation via technological
standardization: DRM
Regulation via standardization of
licenses: Creative Commons
Legislative Arena
Market Arena
Civil society, GLAM
(e.g., Creative Commons, Free
Software Foundation, Wikimedia)
'Open' Movements
(e.g., Open Data, Open
Source, etc.)
Collecting Societies
(e.g., CISAC, GEMA, SUISA, etc.)
Industry Associations
(e.g., MPAA, RIAA, IFPI, etc.)
Corporations in the
copyright industries
WIPO, WTO, EU, Nation States
TRIPS, WIPO Copyright Treaties, EU Directives
Regulation via technological
standardization: DRM
Regulation via standardization of
licenses: Creative Commons
<2>



Creative Commons: A Private Public Domain?
Copyright Creative Commons
©All rights reserved Some rights reserved
Creative Commons
Share and redistribute without the need to clear rights
Attribution ShareAlike NonCommercial No Derivatives
Creative Commons
Namensnennung Gleiche Lizenz Nicht-kommerziell Keine Bearbeitung
Use without the 

need to clear rights
Net-effect of modularity on
license diffusion?
Attractiveness
of choice
Smaller
pool(s) of
works
<3>



Transnationality, Territoriality, & Recursivity
Origins of Creative Commons: 

Transnational by Accident
We first pounded the
promise of tax deductions
as a motivation for donors
of intellectual property.
“ Eric F. Saltzman (May 1, 2001)
CONSTITUTIONAL 

COPYRIGHT
The overarching structural
question is whether the
Commons should be
centralized around a
particular website or
distributed over the Internet.
“
Documents of the Creative Commons
meeting at May 7, 2001 at Harvard Law
School‘s Berkman Center, 

online: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/creativecommons/ [June 24, 2019]
Origins of Creative Commons: 

Transnational by Accident
Origins of Creative Commons: 

Transnational by Accident
Jurisdictions with
ported Creative
Commons license
ten years after the
launch
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
0 365 730 1095 1460 1825 2190 2555
days
Creative Commons Jurisdiction Project
Internationalization of Creative Commons: 

Territoriality by Design (2001-2011)
Jurisdictions with
ported Creative
Commons license
ten years after the
launch
Source: Dobusch, L./Quack, S. (2011): Interorganisationale Netzwerke und digitale Gemeinschaften: Von
Beiträgen zu Beteiligung? Managementforschung, Band 21: Organisation und Umwelt, Vol. 21, 171-213,
Pre-print: http://www.dobusch.net/pub/uni/Dobusch-Quack(2011)WM-vs-CC-PrePrint.pdf
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
0 365 730 1095 1460 1825 2190 2555
days
Wikipedia Language Project (>100 contributors)
Creative Commons Jurisdiction Project
Wikimedia Chapter
Internationalization of Creative Commons: 

Territoriality by Design (2001-2011)
Jurisdictions with
ported Creative
Commons license
ten years after the
launch
Source: Dobusch, L./Quack, S. (2011): Interorganisationale Netzwerke und digitale Gemeinschaften: Von
Beiträgen zu Beteiligung? Managementforschung, Band 21: Organisation und Umwelt, Vol. 21, 171-213,
Pre-print: http://www.dobusch.net/pub/uni/Dobusch-Quack(2011)WM-vs-CC-PrePrint.pdf
Internationalization of Creative Commons: 

Territoriality by Design (2001-2011)
Affiliate Type: Early and Late Adopter
11 11
8
1
0
4
6
11
2
7
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Tech-Law
School
Law School NGO Law Firm Other
Jurisdictions 1-21 Jursidictions 22-42
- Teaming up with
local law schools in
the beginning
- More diverse,
movement-type
affiliates later on
Source: Dobusch, L./Quack, S. (2008): Epistemic Communities and Social Movements:
Transnational Dynamics in the Case of Creative Commons. Köln: MPIfG Discussion Paper 08/8,
http://www.mpifg.de/pu/mpifg_dp/dp08-8.pdf
- Limits to growth in
global south
Transnationalization of Creative Commons 

(post 2011)
- Reducing (potential) incompatibilities
- Forces us to take a consistent position … 

(e.g. on moral rights, database rights)
- Licenses that better meet users’ expectations
- Will cover all jurisdictions, not ‘just’ 55
- Has the potential to initiate a inter-jurisdictional
discussion on the substance of the licenses
- Frees time for other activities
“
Paul Keller at CC Global Summit 2011

https://governancexborders.com/2011/09/16/cc-global-summit-2011-making-
the-case-for-global-licenses/
Transnationalization of Creative Commons 

(post 2011)
Versioning
licenses based
upon porting
network and
experience
18 12
32
79
>66
4
1
7
24
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Version 1.0 Version 2.0 Version 2.5 Version 3 Version 4
Review Period Period until next revision
Months
2002 2004 2005 2007 20013Year of launch
Source: Dobusch, L./Lang, M./Quack, S. (2017): Open for Feedback? Formal and Informal
Recursivity in the Transnational Standard-Setting of Creative Commons. Global Policy, 8 (3), 353–
363, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1758-5899.12462
18 12
32
79
>66
4
1
7
24
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Version 1.0 Version 2.0 Version 2.5 Version 3 Version 4
Review Period Period until next revision
Months
2002 2004 2005 2007 20013Year of launch
Transnationalization of Creative Commons 

(post 2011)
Versioning
licenses based
upon porting
network and
experience
Transnational licenses
Source: Dobusch, L./Lang, M./Quack, S. (2017): Open for Feedback? Formal and Informal
Recursivity in the Transnational Standard-Setting of Creative Commons. Global Policy, 8 (3), 353–
363, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1758-5899.12462
Standard
Formation
Standard
Diffusion
Input
Legitimacy
Output
Legitimacy
Inclusiveness
Adoption rate
CYCLES OF STANDARDIZATION
Source: Botzem, S./Dobusch L. (2012): Standardization Cycles: A
Process Perspective on the Formation and Diffusion of Transnational
Standards, Organization Studies, 33 (5-6), 737-762
<4>



Conclusion
(1) Transnational standardization depends on forms of territoriality
(2) Temporary territoriality may be a way to more robust transnationality
(3) Adoption-based output legitimacy feeds back into standard formation
CONTACT
E-mail: 

Leonhard.Dobusch@uibk.ac.at
Twitter:
@leonidobusch
Websites:

bit.ly/LD-UIBK // www.dobusch.net
Research blogs:

governancexborders.com // osconjunction.net

From Transnationality to Territoriality and Back: The Case of Creative Commons Copyright Standards

  • 1.
    Leonhard Dobusch
 University ofInnsbruck „The International Law of Intellectual Property“
 Weizenbaum-Institute for the Networked Society in Co-Operation with 
 Cambridge University and Humboldt University Berlin, Josef-Kohler-Institute for Intellectual Property 
 June 24-25, 2019, Berlin FROM TRANSNATIONALITY TO TERRITORIALITY AND BACK 
 The Case of Creative Commons’ Copyright Standards
  • 2.
  • 3.
    ARENAS OF REGULATINGIP Source: Dobusch, L./Quack, S. (2013): Framing standards, mobilizing users: Copyright versus fair use in transnational regulation. Review of International Political Economy, 20 (1), 52-88, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09692290.2012.662909 (Inter-)
 National Law Private Standards Standard setting (e.g., Creative Commons, 
 Terms & Conditions) Constructive mobilisation (e.g., for the adoption of certain standards) Legislative process (e.g., EU copyright directive) Lobbying (e.g., corporate lobbying) Protest mobilisation (e.g., Anti-ACTA protests)
  • 4.
    Legislative Arena Market Arena Civilsociety, GLAM (e.g., Creative Commons, Free Software Foundation, Wikimedia) 'Open' Movements (e.g., Open Data, Open Source, etc.) Collecting Societies (e.g., CISAC, GEMA, SUISA, etc.) Industry Associations (e.g., MPAA, RIAA, IFPI, etc.) Corporations in the copyright industries WIPO, WTO, EU, Nation States TRIPS, WIPO Copyright Treaties, EU Directives Regulation via technological standardization: DRM Regulation via standardization of licenses: Creative Commons
  • 5.
    Legislative Arena Market Arena Civilsociety, GLAM (e.g., Creative Commons, Free Software Foundation, Wikimedia) 'Open' Movements (e.g., Open Data, Open Source, etc.) Collecting Societies (e.g., CISAC, GEMA, SUISA, etc.) Industry Associations (e.g., MPAA, RIAA, IFPI, etc.) Corporations in the copyright industries WIPO, WTO, EU, Nation States TRIPS, WIPO Copyright Treaties, EU Directives Regulation via technological standardization: DRM Regulation via standardization of licenses: Creative Commons
  • 6.
    <2>
 
 Creative Commons: APrivate Public Domain?
  • 7.
    Copyright Creative Commons ©Allrights reserved Some rights reserved
  • 8.
    Creative Commons Share andredistribute without the need to clear rights Attribution ShareAlike NonCommercial No Derivatives
  • 9.
    Creative Commons Namensnennung GleicheLizenz Nicht-kommerziell Keine Bearbeitung Use without the 
 need to clear rights
  • 10.
    Net-effect of modularityon license diffusion? Attractiveness of choice Smaller pool(s) of works
  • 11.
  • 12.
    Origins of CreativeCommons: 
 Transnational by Accident We first pounded the promise of tax deductions as a motivation for donors of intellectual property. “ Eric F. Saltzman (May 1, 2001) CONSTITUTIONAL 
 COPYRIGHT
  • 13.
    The overarching structural questionis whether the Commons should be centralized around a particular website or distributed over the Internet. “ Documents of the Creative Commons meeting at May 7, 2001 at Harvard Law School‘s Berkman Center, 
 online: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/creativecommons/ [June 24, 2019] Origins of Creative Commons: 
 Transnational by Accident
  • 14.
    Origins of CreativeCommons: 
 Transnational by Accident Jurisdictions with ported Creative Commons license ten years after the launch
  • 15.
    0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0 365 7301095 1460 1825 2190 2555 days Creative Commons Jurisdiction Project Internationalization of Creative Commons: 
 Territoriality by Design (2001-2011) Jurisdictions with ported Creative Commons license ten years after the launch Source: Dobusch, L./Quack, S. (2011): Interorganisationale Netzwerke und digitale Gemeinschaften: Von Beiträgen zu Beteiligung? Managementforschung, Band 21: Organisation und Umwelt, Vol. 21, 171-213, Pre-print: http://www.dobusch.net/pub/uni/Dobusch-Quack(2011)WM-vs-CC-PrePrint.pdf
  • 16.
    0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0 365 7301095 1460 1825 2190 2555 days Wikipedia Language Project (>100 contributors) Creative Commons Jurisdiction Project Wikimedia Chapter Internationalization of Creative Commons: 
 Territoriality by Design (2001-2011) Jurisdictions with ported Creative Commons license ten years after the launch Source: Dobusch, L./Quack, S. (2011): Interorganisationale Netzwerke und digitale Gemeinschaften: Von Beiträgen zu Beteiligung? Managementforschung, Band 21: Organisation und Umwelt, Vol. 21, 171-213, Pre-print: http://www.dobusch.net/pub/uni/Dobusch-Quack(2011)WM-vs-CC-PrePrint.pdf
  • 17.
    Internationalization of CreativeCommons: 
 Territoriality by Design (2001-2011) Affiliate Type: Early and Late Adopter 11 11 8 1 0 4 6 11 2 7 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 Tech-Law School Law School NGO Law Firm Other Jurisdictions 1-21 Jursidictions 22-42 - Teaming up with local law schools in the beginning - More diverse, movement-type affiliates later on Source: Dobusch, L./Quack, S. (2008): Epistemic Communities and Social Movements: Transnational Dynamics in the Case of Creative Commons. Köln: MPIfG Discussion Paper 08/8, http://www.mpifg.de/pu/mpifg_dp/dp08-8.pdf - Limits to growth in global south
  • 18.
    Transnationalization of CreativeCommons 
 (post 2011) - Reducing (potential) incompatibilities - Forces us to take a consistent position … 
 (e.g. on moral rights, database rights) - Licenses that better meet users’ expectations - Will cover all jurisdictions, not ‘just’ 55 - Has the potential to initiate a inter-jurisdictional discussion on the substance of the licenses - Frees time for other activities “ Paul Keller at CC Global Summit 2011
 https://governancexborders.com/2011/09/16/cc-global-summit-2011-making- the-case-for-global-licenses/
  • 19.
    Transnationalization of CreativeCommons 
 (post 2011) Versioning licenses based upon porting network and experience 18 12 32 79 >66 4 1 7 24 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Version 1.0 Version 2.0 Version 2.5 Version 3 Version 4 Review Period Period until next revision Months 2002 2004 2005 2007 20013Year of launch Source: Dobusch, L./Lang, M./Quack, S. (2017): Open for Feedback? Formal and Informal Recursivity in the Transnational Standard-Setting of Creative Commons. Global Policy, 8 (3), 353– 363, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1758-5899.12462
  • 20.
    18 12 32 79 >66 4 1 7 24 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Version 1.0Version 2.0 Version 2.5 Version 3 Version 4 Review Period Period until next revision Months 2002 2004 2005 2007 20013Year of launch Transnationalization of Creative Commons 
 (post 2011) Versioning licenses based upon porting network and experience Transnational licenses Source: Dobusch, L./Lang, M./Quack, S. (2017): Open for Feedback? Formal and Informal Recursivity in the Transnational Standard-Setting of Creative Commons. Global Policy, 8 (3), 353– 363, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1758-5899.12462
  • 21.
    Standard Formation Standard Diffusion Input Legitimacy Output Legitimacy Inclusiveness Adoption rate CYCLES OFSTANDARDIZATION Source: Botzem, S./Dobusch L. (2012): Standardization Cycles: A Process Perspective on the Formation and Diffusion of Transnational Standards, Organization Studies, 33 (5-6), 737-762
  • 22.
  • 23.
    (1) Transnational standardizationdepends on forms of territoriality (2) Temporary territoriality may be a way to more robust transnationality (3) Adoption-based output legitimacy feeds back into standard formation
  • 24.
    CONTACT E-mail: 
 Leonhard.Dobusch@uibk.ac.at Twitter: @leonidobusch Websites:
 bit.ly/LD-UIBK //www.dobusch.net Research blogs:
 governancexborders.com // osconjunction.net