What Is Your API Content Licensing Default?

I was taking another look at the Makerbot Thingiverse API the other day, and was very pleased with their developer area overhaul. One feature I noticed when playing with my account settings, was the ability to set the default licensing for my "things".

Interestingly this is a feature you don't see in many SaaS apps, let alone as part of API developer settings. I remember first seeing this in my Flickr account settings, and is something I wish I’d see it in every platform I use (keep dream'n buddy).

When it comes to user generated content via APIs, this licensing is kind of a big deal. It decides as a user and developer, who ultimately owns the exhaust from your work or just from your daily online world.

I'll be including licensing considerations in the future discussions around the politics of APIs. A setting to determine how user generated content is licensed should not just be a setting in your application account settings, but baked into API developer account settings as well.