At TED, our goal is to spread ideas, and we encourage you to share TEDTalks widely. Of course, some important restrictions do apply. Any use of TEDTalks has to follow the terms of our Creative Commons license "Attribution - NonCommercial - NonDerivative" and also the guidelines below, which may be updated from time to time.
If you have any further questions after reviewing this, please
email us at contact@ted.com.
Are TEDTalks copyrighted?
Yes, they are. Creative Commons licensing doesn't replace
copyright - which remains undivided with TED Conferences
LLC - but it makes the terms more flexible.
What does the TED Creative Commons license allow?
We make TEDTalks available under the Creative Commons license "Attribution - NonCommercial - NonDerivative" in order to allow non-commercial entities (bloggers, educators, groups of friends) to use them freely and easily. But important restrictions apply, particularly for corporations.
TED's Creative Commons BY-NC-ND license allows you to display TEDTalks under the following conditions:
- Attribution (BY): You must explicitly reference TED as the original source of the materials, and TED's logos within the videos and visuals as well as those of the TEDTalks sponsors remain untouched and unedited.
- NonCommercial (NC): You can't use TEDTalks (or any parts of them) for commercial purposes. If you are a company wishing to create a TED branded content offering, you will require a Distribution Partner License Agreement with TED. Please contact Deron Triff, Director of Content Distribution, to explore the opportunity.
- NonDerivative (ND): You cannot alter the videos in any way. This means you cannot edit, remix, cut, shorten, add overlays to them, or, well, alter them in any way.
- These conditions can be modified only by explicit permission of the copyright holder (TED Conferences LLC). The complete text of the license can be seen on the Creative Commons (CC) license.
Important note: TED-Ed videos on youtube.com/TEDEducation are licensed under YouTube's standard policy, not Creative Commons. Please see below for full details.
Additional guidelines applicable to the use of TEDTalks
Please review the notes below:
Can I repost or republish TEDTalks on my site or blog?
Yes, as long as you follow the guidelines below:
- Type of site/company: Bloggers, news/information websites and nonprofits (by which we mean: registered 501(c)3 organizations in the United States, and the equivalent in all other countries), may make TEDTalks available under a Creative Commons (CC) license, provided they follow the rest of the guidelines on this page.
- Video player: You must use the TED (or YouTube) embeddable player. This allows us to further our overall mission by tracking video usage. Scraping video from TED.com is not permitted.
- Attribution: You must add a visible link back to TED.com
- Running talks in their entirety: You may not edit TEDTalks, or alter them in any way. This is essential for preserving the integrity of the speaker's ideas.
Can I create a TEDTalks service on my company's
video platform?
If one or more of the categories listed below characterizes
your company's business, you will require a Distribution
Partner License Agreement with TED. Please contact Deron
Triff, Director of Content Distribution.
- Internet Video Services such as YouTube, Hulu, Yahoo!, Netflix, AOL, Dailymotion, iTunes, Amazon, Youku, BlipTV, etc.
- Cable, Satellite or Telecommunication Operators such as Comcast, Time Warner, Telefonica, DirecTV, UPC, Sky, AT&T U-verse, Canal+, Korea Telecom, Star TV, Globosat, etc.
- Television Broadcasters such as ABC, NBC, CBS, Al-Jazeera, BBC, NHK, RAI, Deutsche Welle, CCTV, TF-1, etc.
- Radio Broadcasters and Audio Services such as NPR, BBC Radio, Clear Channel Communications, TuneIn, Audible, Spotify, etc.
- Specialized Cable/Satellite Channels such as History Channel, Discovery Channel, Sci-Fi, HBO, etc.
- Home Entertainment Devices such as XBox, Sony Playstation, Blu-ray, TiVo, etc.
- IPTV Services and Set Top Box Manufacturers such as Roku, Boxee, Apple TV, Humax, etc.
- Mobile and Tablet Manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, Nokia, Kindle, etc.
- Web Browser Applications and Stores such as Opera Speed Dial, Mozilla Market Place, Internet Explorer, etc.
- Subscription-Based Educational Services such as Films Media Group, Proquest, Safari Montage, English First, Wiley Publishing, etc.
- Other Commercial Entities such as airlines (including inflight entertainment), hotels, restaurants, and retail locations.
Can I project TEDTalks to a group of people?
Yes, as long as you comply with the terms of the Creative Commons license outlined above (See: "What does the TED Creative Commons license allow?"). For projecting TEDTalks, we recommend downloading the high-def video podcast rather than projecting the streaming file from the web. In fact, we encourage you to find creative ways to share TEDTalks with your friends, family, students, colleagues, and communities. (See Ways to Spread TED.) If you're interested in throwing a TED-style event, learn more about TEDx.
Can I show TEDTalks during my conference?
Yes, as long as it's within the scope of a non-commercial event, and as long as you comply with the terms of the Creative Commons license outlined above ("What does the TED Creative Commons license allow?". In particular, the talks must be shown unedited, including the TED visuals and if applicable those of the partner conference or TEDx event, and those of the TEDTalks sponsor, as well as the copyright information,. If you wish to use TEDTalks in a commercial context, please contact us with a motivated request for permission.
Can I use TEDTalks in my classroom?
Yes, as long as you comply with the terms of the Creative Commons license outlined above (See: "What does the TED Creative Commons license allow?"). Many teachers use TEDTalks to stimulate discussions with students or to complement course materials, and we encourage you to do so as well.
Can I re-edit and remix TEDTalks?
No. Our Creative Commons BY-NC-ND license (See: "What does the TED Creative Commons license allow?") clearly states that "derivative works" of any kind (edits, cuts, re-mixes, mashups, etc.) are not allowed without explicit permission from TED and the speaker.
Can I translate TEDTalks?
Yes -- join our Open Translation Project! You may even find that the talk you're looking for is already translated into your language. If you have a Distribution Partner License Agreement with TED to exhibit TEDTalks on your platform, your agreement will specify the use of subtitles provided by TED.
May I use TEDTalks on a television channel?
If you are a public or private broadcaster or cable network and wish to create a television series based on TEDTalks, you would require a Distribution Partner License Agreement that is part of TED's Open TV Program. Please contact Deron Triff, Director of Content Distribution to explore the opportunity.
Documentary use
Documentary filmmakers can use excerpts of TEDtalks within their films, provided the speaker agrees to the use as well. TED must secure permission from each individual speaker for any use not produced by TED. In order for us to approach the speaker with the request, you must provide TED with a brief from the filmmaker on the intended use of the footage, the film's perspective/point of view, and distribution plan, as well as brief bios on the creative team (producer, director, etc.).
If the speaker agrees, we will provide the filmmaker with footage in one of our standard formats: DVCPro NTSC, DVCPro PAL, DVCPro NTSC Anamorphic or DVCPro HD 1080i60. We do not deliver footage on tape.
No licensing fees are charged, but the footage must be accompanied by an on-screen credit (generally a lower-third) referencing TED.com. We prefer the language "Full talk available at TED.com".
Requests for use within a documentary should go to our PR team at Group SJR: ted@groupsjr.com
Media request tipsheet
Image requests
Image requests must be accompanied by the following information:- Name of publication/outlet
- Name of requested image
- Publication date
- Preferred file format
- Deadline for receipt of image
Image requests should be directed to our PR team at Group SJR at ted@groupsjr.com with the email subject "IMAGE REQUEST".
A photo credit will be provided when the image is delivered. This credit must run in full.
Media requests
Requests for interviews should be directed to our PR team at Group SJR at ted@groupsjr.com. Your email should include the following information:
- Name of publication/outlet
- Brief background on your interview request
- Proposed publication date
- Your deadline
All other press requests, including requests to attend TED, should include the information outlined above and be directed to our PR team at Group SJR at ted@groupsjr.com. Press passes to TED are extremely limited, and press attendance will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Press decisions are generally made in the winter preceding the conference.