Compulsory license

Think of a compulsory license like sharing your toys with your friends. When you have a toy that your friends want to play with, you might choose to let them borrow it for a little while. In the same way, a compulsory license is when the government makes someone share something they have created, like music or a patented invention, with other people who want to use it.

For example, if a songwriter made a really popular song but didn't want to let anyone else use it, the government might step in and say they have to let other people use it as well. This way other people can make their own versions of the song or use parts of it in their own music.

Compulsory licenses are usually used when something is so important or popular that it wouldn't be fair for only one person or company to control it. It helps make sure that everyone can use the thing they want to, and also helps promote innovation and creativity because other people can use parts of the thing to make something new.