  iCopyright on iCarlyTagged as: Open brand, digital millennials, social web, trendsPosted by: Molly Metzger
User-generated content on kids’ TV is nothing new. I loved ZOOM as a child but I never bothered to actually “send it to Zoom”. Jaded by age 8, I knew there was little chance my recipe or joke would be aired. Once, I used every crayon in the box to perfect my picture of Toucan Sam with the hope of winning a new bike from Kellogg’s. I think all I got was a form letter. It’s a hard knock life. But kids have more luck these days. If a video submitted to iCarly doesn’t make it to broadcast, it just might be aired online, which is probably just as good. What’s more, Carly and Sam pave the way for a generation who no longer needs marketers and TV shows to express themselves to the world. Here comes iCopyright We know kids have more ways to express themselves publicly than we ever had. We know they have free access to a lot of valuable stuff. Research tells us that there is little regard for or understanding of the value of copyrights and trademarks. But think about this: one recent episode of iCarly featured the effervescent hosts singing what they called their “public domain birthday song”. Another featured Carly’s brother, stuck in an air vent, declaring “I will now sing songs from the public domain.” Insert laugh track. I learn a lot from research, but I didn’t quite get that kids were savvy enough to joke about topics like copyright. Isn’t this grown-up stuff? But I suppose that an 8-year-old whose homemade video gets rejected by iCarly because she chose to sing her favorite songs from High School Musical learns the meaning of “copyright” pretty quick. No need to be discouraged – she can just host her own web show. NOW who’s got the hard knock life? Tagged as: Open brand, digital millennials, social web, trends
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My 7- and 8-year-old girls love iCarly, Nickelodeon’s sitcom featuring teenage girls with their own web show. Kids can upload videos to 
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Comment by Andrea Hill
I will admit, the idea of airing videos of kids online unnerves me a bit. COPPA states that a site cannot collect personally identifying information from those under the age of 13, so the idea of plastering a video on a site… yikes.
What’s funny though, is that it doesn’t concern me for television celebrities (Carly herself?), I guess because we assume that someone is monitoring that public persona in her best interest.
Perhaps, too, it’s the difference between the different channels. Back in the day, they’d call your name or show your artwork on television, and if you were lucky, you were watching that day. Now, content is archived and rebroadcast, able to be called up on demand. Perhaps it’s this notion of the power of information that unnerves me. If someone wanted to do something with that information, could they?
Comment by Molly Metzger
These are great questions, Andrea. As far as I can tell (I fell asleep while reading the small type), the site is COPPA compliant and the privacy policy is solid.
As for the rights to use of the UGC, the terms and conditions are clear (love the “forever and throughout the world clause”) and parents need to sign over all rights:
“you agree that we shall be the exclusive owner of all copyright and other rights in and to each and every video you submit to us through the Service and will be able to use it forever and throughout the world, and license others to use it”
So I guess you could say MTV / Nick can use the content however they see fit. I’ll go out on a limb to say an established brand like Nickelodeon has nothing to gain by misusing content. But parents certainly need to place their trust in that institution, don’t they? Maybe Nick should consider using more human language in the 5 page “sign away your rights” document they require with content submission. Or for a really silly idea, maybe there could be a human that parents talk to if they have any questions or concerns — and UGC Ombudsman. It would take a very special kind of person to sign up for THAT job!
Comment by Jess
Thanks - I love iCarly! I can’t get enough iCarly Nickelodeon!!!
Comment by Jennifer
I am mother with 6 children. My six year old daughter just loves your show and all of the cast members. I have a delimma and I hope you can help! My daughter needs new bedding for her bed and ONLY wants ICarly…. I searched store after store, I have broused the internet today for 3 hours and I can’t find ANYTHING ICarly for her bedding:0( Can you please send me in the right direction for ICarly bedding? I don’t want her to think Santa could not find anythin from her FAVORITE girl in the world…HELP ~ PLEASE!
JSolesky@aol.com
A VERY desperate mother!
Comment by Molly Metzger
Jennifer-
We are not associated with Nick in anyway. As a mom and a fan I feel your frustration! I just checked out Zazzle.com. They don’t have iCarly bedding but DO have “pump up the fruit” t-shirts. If you watch the show, you’ll know this is the phrase made famous by the episode when Sam and Carly stuck an air pump in a watermelon. Even my 3 year old loves to say it! So why not get boring sheets and an awesome t-shirt? Good luck and happy holidays!
http://www.zazzle.com/icarly+tshirts
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