united-states copyright licensing creative-commons
Can an artist revoke his Creative Commons [CC] content?
<p>Let's say an artist released a photo under a CC licence (for concreteness let's assume the <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" rel="noreferrer">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International</a>). You find the photo interesting and save it for later use, noting the information for later attribution. </p>

<p>Years later you integrate the photo into a commercial work with attribution. In the interim, the artist has removed the photo and the CC licence, and wants you to remove it from your work. Does the artist have any legal rights here?</p>

<h1>Short Answer</h1>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Based on the facts you supplied, it seems the author's request for removal might be unenforceable.</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<h2>Explanation</h2>

<p><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode#s2" rel="nofollow">Section 2.a.1. of the license</a> declares the license is <a href="http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/irrevocable" rel="nofollow"><strong>irrevocable</strong></a>.</p>

<p>[Emphasis added]:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Subject to the terms and conditions of this Public License, the Licensor hereby grants You a worldwide, royalty-free, non-sublicensable, non-exclusive, <strong>irrevocable</strong> license to exercise the Licensed Rights in the Licensed Material to:</p>
  
  <p>A. reproduce and Share the Licensed Material, in whole or in part; and</p>
  
  <p>B. produce, reproduce, and Share Adapted Material.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/irrevocable" rel="nofollow"><strong>Irrevocable</strong></a> means:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Unable to cancel or recall; that which is unalterable or irreversible."</p>
</blockquote>

<p><hr>
<strong>Disclaimer:</strong> I am not an attorney. I am not your attorney. So don't rely on my answer for anything. Hire a real attorney if you need help with a legal matter. Never take legal advice from strangers on the internet. Treat all answers on this site the same way you would as if they came from a bunch of strangers at a party who got all their legal information by watching episodes of Boston Legal, The Practice and Ally McBeal. But have lots of opinions they are willing to share on legal questions nevertheless.</p>
