The ‘pin’ for Adobe’s Content Credentials looks a lot like the CC icon
Adobe’s push for content transparency looks a little to much like the Creative Commons icon for my liking – and that could cause confusion for people.
TL;DR
Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more → aims to build credibility and trust by providing users with information about the content they are looking at. There is no question more transparency around content is needed – especially where AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → is concerned – but the Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more → pin is similar to Creative Commons’ CC icon if you ask me. I am concerned that could create confusion among users if the Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more → pin is mistaken for indicating material is licensed for reuse under CC.
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
I recently found out about Content Credentials, a content transparency initiative spearheaded by AdobeSoz! @elliottbledsoe hasn’t gotten to this term yet!
. It relies on content labelling and content verification to build credibility and trust by informing users of content’s creator, its provenance, the use of generative AIWhen text, images and other content are generated by AI (hence why it is called generative AI). Learn more → tools in its creation and the issuer of the credential [C2PA, n.d.] A floating Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more → pin displays information drawn from “tamper-evident metadata” [Adobe, 2024] in a pop-up when a user clicks on it. AdobeSoz! @elliottbledsoe hasn’t gotten to this term yet!
says, “This information allows creators to receive more recognition for their work, connect with others online, and enhance transparency for their audience” [Adobe, 2024].
It’s new to me, but it turns out that the pin was launched in October last year. Since then, it has been gaining momentum. Overall, I am supportive of content transparency and content labelling. However, when I first looked at the website the visual representation of the Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more → pin (the ‘CR’ icon) work immediately made me think of the Creative Commons CC icon. What do other people think?

Interestingly, reporting on the launch of Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more → (such as on The Verge) says they opted for the initials ‘CR’ “to avoid being confused with the icon for Creative Commons” [David, 2023]. Even so, in my opinion, the Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more → pin will create confusion for the public because it looks so much like the CC icon. The icons are very similar to each other:
- both have black elements with a white fill,
- both feature two lowercase letters in a heavy san serif font,
- both are intended to be displayed at a small size, and
- the CC icon is a circle and the Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more → is a teardrop shape (rounded except for one point).
” … the Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more → pin will create confusion for the public because it looks so much like the CC icon.”
The full logos for each brand only exacerbate the similarities. I think it is pretty likely AdobeSoz! @elliottbledsoe hasn’t gotten to this term yet!
looked at how CC built a community around its licences and the tools that go with them. Beyond the visual similarities, both schemes are designed to signal information about the content they relate to.
To be clear, I am not against the endeavour to label AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → content. Nor am I against Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more →. My concern is that users may mistake the Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more → pin for indicating material is licensed for reuse under a CC licence and think they can reuse the material.
In fact, I think there are genuine merits to Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more →. If it manages to get the uptake it is after it really could positively contribute to tackling mis and disinformation. And that is definitely a good thing.
And there are things about how they have designed the system that I really like. CC could incorporate some of the pros of Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more →. For example, there is something elegant about the way it brings transparent information to where users are. I would love to see the CC badges move in this sort of direction; placing important information about the creator and how the content can be reused in a pop-up that appears when you click on the badge, essentially bringing the Commons Deed information and information about the content to where the user is, rather than expecting the user to navigate elsewhere to find out more.
On the flipside, I think there is room for both schemes to be integrated. I would love to see Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more → include copyright and licensing details in the information listed.
References
AdobeSoz! @elliottbledsoe hasn’t gotten to this term yet!
(2024) ‘Content Credentials’, https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/content-credentials.html.
Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (n.d.) ‘Content Credentials’, https://contentcredentials.org.
David, E (2023) ‘AdobeSoz! @elliottbledsoe hasn’t gotten to this term yet!
created a symbol to encourage tagging AI-generated content’, The Verge, https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/10/23911381/adobe-ai-generated-content-symbol-watermark.
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Disclosure
Conflict of interest
I am the Co-lead of Creative Commons Australia (CC AU), I am an individual member of the Creative Commons Global Network and I have been involved with the TAROCH (Towards a Recommendation on Open Culture) project which is led by CC. The views expressed in this blog post are my own and do not express the views of CC AU or the Creative Commons Corporation.
AI use
This blog post was drafted using Google Docs. No part of the text of this blog post was generated using AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more →. The original text was not modified or improved using AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more →. No text suggested by AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → was incorporated. If spelling or grammar corrections were suggested by AIAI is tech and marketing speak for a range of technology that imitates human intellect. Learn more → they were accepted or rejected based on my discretion (however, sometimes spelling, grammar and corrections of typos may have occurred automatically in Google Docs).
Credits
- The Creative Commons icon is a trade mark of Creative Commons Corporation. My use is a referential use per the Creative Commons Trademark Policy. This material is excluded from the Creative Commons licence that applies to this blog post.
- Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more → is a trade mark of Adobe, Inc. This material is excluded from the Creative Commons licence that applies to this blog post.
Provenance
This blog post was produced by Elliott Bledsoe from Agentry, an arts marketing micro-consultancy. It was first published on 4 Oct 2024. It has not been updated. This is version 1.0. Questions, comments and corrections are welcome – get in touch any time.
Reuse
Good ideas shouldn’t be kept to yourself. I believe in the power of open access to information and creativity and a thriving commons of shared knowledge and culture. That’s why this blog post is licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence.
Unless otherwise stated or indicated, this blog post – The Content CredentialsA content label and verification process created by Adobe for disclosing information about content. Learn more → pin looks like the Creative Commons icon – is licensed under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0). Please attribute Elliott Bledsoe as the original creator. View the full copyright licensing information for clarification.
Under the licence, you are free to copy, share and adapt this blog post, or any modified version you create from it, even commercially, as long as you give credit to Elliott Bledsoe as the original creator of it. So please make use of this blog post as you see fit.
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