All rights reversed is a phrase that indicates a release of a publication undercopyleft licensing status.[1] It is a pun on the common copyright disclaimer "All rights reserved", a copyright formality originally required by the Buenos Aires Convention of 1910. However Arnoud Engelfriet writes that "[t]he phrase ['All rights reversed'] by itself is not enough; a license must explicitly state the rights that are granted".[2]
"All Rights Reversed" (sometimes spelledrites) was used by authorGregory Hill in hisDiscordian textPrincipia Discordia.[3]
In 1984 or 1985, programmerDon Hopkins sentRichard Stallman a letter labeled "Copyleft—all rights reversed". Stallman chose the phrase to identify hisfree software method of distribution.[4] It is often accompanied by a reversed version of the copyright symbol.[5] That said, the use of the reversed copyright symbol is considered legally risky by the Free Software Foundation.[6]
Free Software Foundation uses the termcopyleft, which means all rights reversed.
Ⓚ All Rites Reversed - reprint what you like
It is a legal mistake to use a backwards C in a circle instead of a copyright symbol. Copyleft is based legally on copyright, so the work should have a copyright notice. A copyright notice requires either the copyright symbol (a C in a circle) or the word "Copyright". A backwards C in a circle has no special legal significance, so it doesn't make a copyright notice. It may be amusing in book covers, posters, and such, but be careful how you represent it in a web page!