Creative Commons Search is being integrated into WordPress.org, ensuring the continued operation of the free-to-use image search engine.
Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic, the parent company of WordPress, decided to support CC Search after learning it was at risk of shutting down:
“I am a long-time supporter of Creative Commons and their influential work on open content licenses, and when we heard they were considering shutting down their CC Search engine we immediately started exploring ways we could keep it going.”
One way Mullenweg plans to sustain CC Search is by relocating it to WordPress.org. This transition will alleviate significant overhead expenses for CC Search, as WordPress will cover the hosting costs for its repository of 500 million images.
“I am eager to give a new home to their open search product on WordPress.org in continued commitment to open source freedoms, and providing this community resource for decades to come.”
Creative Commons, a nonprofit organization, offers an ad-free search experience and relies on donations to operate. With hosting costs covered, CC Search will be less dependent on user donations moving forward.
Additionally, Automattic is hiring key members of the CC Search team and sponsoring their work. Creative Commons relies on volunteer developers to maintain its open source projects, and some of these volunteers might now be compensated for their work. However, it is unclear whether Automattic is hiring volunteers or members of the full-time engineering staff.
This development is a significant win for Creative Commons, which has assisted publishers in finding openly licensable images since 2001. Mullenweg noted that CC Search would soon add support for audio and video, a development likely made possible by WordPress’s assistance.
The integration of CC Search team members will likely enable further expansion of its features in the future. Mullenweg promises to share details about upcoming plans in a few weeks, once everything from CC Search is live on WordPress.
The specific implications of this change for WordPress site owners are not yet clear, apart from the benefit of continued access to CC Search. Many hope for the ability to search for and add images directly from the WordPress editor.
Currently, Creative Commons offers an official WordPress plugin that allows site owners to easily apply free use licenses to their content. This functionality might be integrated natively into future versions of WordPress.
While Creative Commons has not released an official statement, former CEO Ryan Merkley shared his thoughts on social media:
“When I started CC Search, I always hoped it would become part of the infrastructure of the Internet. Matt Mullenweg and I first talked about CC Search in 2018, and he immediately saw the potential. I’m so happy to see this happen. It’s great for WordPress, and great for the Commons.”
Source: Matt Mullenweg’s personal blog
