> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://dms.dzaleka.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Rights and access
> How to choose the right license and access level for DMS records, and how to credit rights holders correctly.
Every DMS record must declare how it can be used and who can access it. The `rights` object captures this in three fields: `license`, `access_level`, and `holder`. Getting these right protects community members, respects cultural sensitivity, and ensures the archive is used appropriately.
***
## Access levels
The `access_level` field controls who can view a record. There are three levels.
Safe for anyone to view. No sensitive personal information, no cultural restrictions. Use this for most records where consent has been obtained.
Contains personal data or sensitive content. Requires explicit permission to access. Use this for records involving identifiable individuals or private matters.
Sacred, private, or culturally sensitive material intended only for Dzaleka community members. Use this for items that community members have indicated should not be shared publicly.
### When to use each level
| Scenario | Access level |
| --------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------- |
| A photograph of a public community event | `public` |
| An oral history where the narrator consented to open sharing | `public` |
| A record containing a person's full name, address, or ID number | `restricted` |
| An interview where the narrator requested limited distribution | `restricted` |
| A sacred ceremony recording | `community-only` |
| Culturally sensitive knowledge shared within the community | `community-only` |
When you are unsure whether a record is appropriate for public access, default to `restricted` rather than `public`. It is always easier to open access later than to retract material that should not have been shared.
***
## License selection guide
The `license` field uses SPDX identifiers. The four licenses below cover the vast majority of heritage material in Dzaleka.
| License | Meaning | When to use |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `CC-BY-4.0` | Share and adapt freely; attribution required | Material the rights holder wants to share as openly as possible |
| `CC-BY-NC-4.0` | Share and adapt; attribution required; no commercial use | Community heritage where commercial exploitation should be prevented |
| `CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0` | Share only as-is; no modifications; no commercial use | Material the rights holder does not want altered in any form |
| `CC0-1.0` | No rights reserved; public domain dedication | Material where the rights holder waives all copyright |
When in doubt, use **CC-BY-NC-4.0**. It protects the community's rights by preventing commercial exploitation while still allowing researchers, educators, and community members to share and build on the material with attribution.
***
## The `rights` field
The full `rights` object in JSON looks like this:
```json theme={null}
"rights": {
"license": "CC-BY-NC-4.0",
"access_level": "public",
"holder": "Marie Consolée"
}
```
All three fields are independent. A record can be `public` (anyone can see it) but under `CC-BY-NC-4.0` (no commercial use). A record can be `restricted` (requires permission) with `CC-BY-4.0` (open license once access is granted).
***
## Credits and attribution
The `holder` field names the rights holder — the person or organisation who owns the copyright. This is usually the creator. For oral histories it is typically the narrator. For photographs it is typically the photographer.
Always list creator(s) in the `creator` array with their accurate roles. This is how the archive attributes work to the people who made it.
```json theme={null}
"creator": [
{
"name": "Marie Consolée",
"role": "narrator"
},
{
"name": "Jean-Baptiste Mushimiyimana",
"role": "interviewer",
"affiliation": "Dzaleka Digital Heritage Project"
}
]
```
Valid creator roles include: `author`, `photographer`, `interviewer`, `interviewee`, `narrator`, `artist`, `muralist`, `sculptor`, `poet`, `curator`, `recorder`, `editor`, `translator`, `organizer`, `contributor`.
Never omit creators or list only an organisation when an individual person did the work. Individual attribution is both an ethical obligation and a condition of the Creative Commons licenses.
***
## Key considerations
**Get consent.** Always obtain consent from people featured in stories, photographs, or recordings before adding a record to the archive. Consent should cover both the use of the material and the access level you intend to set.
**Protect privacy.** Do not include personal identifiers — full addresses, ID numbers, phone numbers, or other identifying details — in records set to `public` access. Move sensitive identifying information out of public fields or set the record to `restricted`.
**Respect cultural sensitivity.** Some heritage items carry cultural or spiritual significance that makes public sharing inappropriate. Consult with community members before assigning a `public` access level to ceremonial, sacred, or otherwise sensitive material.
***
## Common questions
If the original rights holder cannot be identified or contacted, do not assign a permissive license like `CC-BY-4.0` or `CC0-1.0` — those require the rights holder's consent to grant.
Instead:
1. Set `access_level` to `restricted`.
2. Leave `license` blank or note `"rights undetermined"` in the `holder` field.
3. Record what you know about the item's provenance in the `source` object, including who contributed it and from what collection.
4. Review the record again if the rights holder is later identified.
Restricted access with documented provenance is the correct approach for orphaned works. It keeps the material in the archive without misrepresenting the rights situation.
Yes. Access levels are stored as metadata and can be updated at any time using `dms edit`. If a narrator who originally requested `restricted` access later consents to `public` access, update the `access_level` field and record the change in the `date.modified` field.
Both licenses prohibit commercial use. The difference is in modifications:
* `CC-BY-NC-4.0` allows others to remix, adapt, and build on the material, as long as they credit the creator and do not use it commercially.
* `CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0` adds a no-derivatives condition: others may share the material as-is, but may not modify or adapt it in any way.
Use `CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0` when the rights holder wants to prevent translations, edits, or remixes of their original work.