diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/sc/sct/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/sc/sct/package.nix
index 3ec751145421..4be102d0eb93 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/sc/sct/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/sc/sct/package.nix
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
       raskin
       somasis
     ];
-    license = licenses.publicDomain;
+    license = licenses.isc;
     platforms = with platforms; linux ++ freebsd ++ openbsd;
   };
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/so/socklog/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/so/socklog/package.nix
index dd47ebfd69ce..523a9f03aebf 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/so/socklog/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/so/socklog/package.nix
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   meta = {
     description = "System and kernel logging services";
     homepage = "https://smarden.org/socklog/";
-    license = lib.licenses.publicDomain;
+    license = lib.licenses.bsd3;
     platforms = lib.platforms.unix;
     maintainers = with lib.maintainers; [ joachifm ];
   };
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/so/sope/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/so/sope/package.nix
index 2643c33b600e..98824e29040d 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/so/sope/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/so/sope/package.nix
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   meta = {
     description = "Extensive set of frameworks which form a complete Web application server environment";
-    license = lib.licenses.publicDomain;
+    license = lib.licenses.lgpl2Plus;
     homepage = "https://github.com/Alinto/sope";
     platforms = lib.platforms.linux;
     maintainers = with lib.maintainers; [ jceb ];
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/st/stb/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/st/stb/package.nix
index 1ecd89a52db9..881eff8b8bc1 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/st/stb/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/st/stb/package.nix
@@ -44,7 +44,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   meta = with lib; {
     description = "Single-file public domain libraries for C/C++";
     homepage = "https://github.com/nothings/stb";
-    license = licenses.publicDomain;
+    license = with licenses; [
+      mit
+      # OR
+      unlicense
+    ];
     platforms = platforms.all;
     maintainers = [ ];
   };
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/wg/wgetpaste/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/wg/wgetpaste/package.nix
index 0a2b34490864..23841e256e4e 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/wg/wgetpaste/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/wg/wgetpaste/package.nix
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     description = "Command-line interface to various pastebins";
     mainProgram = "wgetpaste";
     homepage = "https://github.com/zlin/wgetpaste";
-    license = lib.licenses.publicDomain;
+    license = lib.licenses.mit;
     maintainers = with lib.maintainers; [
       qknight
     ];
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/xe/xe/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/xe/xe/package.nix
index 7e9ee62af433..7cafdd4b2932 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/xe/xe/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/xe/xe/package.nix
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   meta = {
     description = "Simple xargs and apply replacement";
     homepage = "https://github.com/leahneukirchen/xe";
-    license = lib.licenses.publicDomain;
+    license = lib.licenses.cc0;
     platforms = lib.platforms.all;
     maintainers = [ lib.maintainers.pbsds ];
     mainProgram = "xe";
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/misc/youtube-dl/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/misc/youtube-dl/default.nix
index 0ebe54dc3e83..2591f562a403 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/misc/youtube-dl/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/misc/youtube-dl/default.nix
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
       the public domain, which means you can modify it, redistribute it or use
       it however you like.
     '';
-    license = licenses.publicDomain;
+    license = licenses.unlicense;
     maintainers = with maintainers; [
       fpletz
     ];