TED | Help

Help

Membership / Account

Do I have to pay to access the content on TED.com?
No. TED.com is free and open to everyone, worldwide. Anyone with a web browser can watch, rate and share the videos, and read the speaker profiles.

Do I have to register to watch the talks on TED.com?
No. Anyone can watch the talks, free.

Why should I become a TED.com member?
By joining TED, you become part of a global community dedicated to sharing ideas. As a member, you can:

Create your own profile page
Find and connect with other members worldwide
Bookmark your favorite talks, themes and speakers
Join in a global conversation by commenting on your favorite talks

How much does it cost to become a TED.com member?
TED.com membership is free and open to anyone worldwide.

How do I become a TED.com member?
It's easy! Just fill out a simple form on the registration page. You'll be prompted to choose a username and password, and asked to provide your full name, email address, and geographic location (city, country).

I forgot my username. What do I do?
On the sign-in page, click the "Forgot your username and password?" link. You will be prompted to enter the email address you used to register for TED.com. When you click the submit button, your username and a new, temporary password will be sent to your email address.

I forgot my password. What do I do?
On the sign-in page, click the "Forgot your username and password?" link. You will be prompted to enter the email address you used to register for TED.com. When you click the submit button, your username and a new, temporary password will be sent to your email address.

I clicked on "Forgot your username and password?" but I have not received a new password.
If you requested your new password several weeks ago, and it hasn't arrived, please try again! When the new TED.com first launched, a few password-retrieval messages were lost. However, this problem has been addressed, and the message should now arrive promptly.
If you just requested your new password, and it hasn't arrived, it's possible you have spam filters enabled, which have prevented you from receiving an email with your new password. Please check your spam folder for the email message.
If you cannot locate the email in your spam filter, please get in touch with us, using the Contact us form and we'll manually reset your password.

I'm not sure if I'm registered with you or not. How can I find out?
On the sign-in page, click the "Forgot your username and password?" link. You will be prompted to enter the email address you would have used to register for TED.com. Click on the Submit button. If you have registered with us, your username and a new, temporary password will be sent to your email address. If you haven't registered with us, the system will give you an error message, saying it doesn't recognize your email address. In that case, we invite you to register now. (It's fast and free!)
Note: If you have attended a TED conference in the past, you are already a member, but may still need to transfer your account to our new system. Please contact us and let us know you would like your registration information. We will send you instructions for logging in or establishing a new account.

How do I change my email address or update other account information?
While signed in to TED.com, click on the "My Account" link from the top navigation menu. From this page you can edit your personal information, such as your name, email address, username and password. Be sure to click the "Save" button when you've finished editing your information.

How can I delete my account?
At this time, TED.com members cannot remove their membership themselves. Please contact us using the contact form and we will promptly remove your profile for you.

How do I unsubscribe from the TED.com email newsletters?
In the newsletter you received, there is a link that allows you to unsubscribe. If you are a TED.com member, you can also unsubscribe from our newsletters from your "My Account" page. Just click on the "My Account" link from the top navigation menu, and then click on "Manage Communications."

How can I attend a TED Conference?
Attendance at TED is by invitation only. However, we are open to new members and actively solicit applications from leading thinkers and doers across a wide range of fields. Due to unprecedented demand, we've closed registration for 2008 Conference memberships. We are exploring ways to open up space for the event, and there's a possibility that we'll be able to make a few places available later in 2007. If you wish to be considered for one of these places, please contact us.

TEDTalks

Where do the talks on the site come from?
Most of the talks on TED.com were filmed at the TED Conference or one of our local events. Over time, we will be adding talks from other excellent, independent events worldwide.

Why are the talks in English?
Since their inception, the TED conferences – and our partner conferences – have always been held in English. English is the shared linguistic vehicle in many innovative fields worldwide. However, we are considering the possibility of carrying talks in other languages.

Will talks be made available in languages other than English?
TED conferences have always been held in English. However, we are considering the possibility of carrying talks in other languages. We're also examining the possibility of adding subtitles to talks in English. If you're interested in helping us subtitle TEDTalks in your language, please
contact us.

Are transcripts available for the talks?
Not at this time. However, we plan to provide written transcripts for all talks within a few months. Please check back with us! We are also investigating options for having the transcripts translated into other languages. If you're interested in helping with this effort, please
contact us.

Are TEDTalks copyrighted?
Yes. TEDTalks are distributed under a Creative Commons (CC) license. This doesn't replace copyright – which remains undivided with TED Conferences LLC – but it makes the terms more flexible. Anyone is free to download the videos from TED.com; share them with friends; republish or embed them on their website or blog. But this use must be made within the terms of the CC license "Attribution – NonCommercial – NonDerivative."

This Creative Commons license allows you to reproduce, distribute, display or perform publicly the TEDTalks as long as you follow these guidelines:
Attribution: you reference explicitly TED as the original source of the materials, and TED's logos and visuals as well as those of the TEDTalks sponsors remain untouched and unedited.
NonCommercial: You can't use TEDTalks (or any parts of them) for commercial purposes
NonDerivative: You cannot alter the videos in any way (edit, remix, cut, etc). 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.

Can I repost or republish TEDTalks on my site or blog?
Yes, we encourage you to share TEDTalks widely – as long as you comply with the terms of the Creative Commons license outlined above (See: "Are TEDTalks copyrighted?" and add a visible link back to TED.com.

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: "Are TEDTalks copyrighted?"). In fact, we encourage you to find creative ways to share TEDTalks with your friends, family, students, colleagues, and communities. (See 10 Ways to Spread.)

Can I show TEDTalks during my conference?
Yes, as long as you comply with the terms of the Creative Commons license outlined above (See: "Are TEDTalks copyrighted?"). In particular, the talks must be shown unedited, including the TED visuals, those of the partner conferences, and those of the TEDTalks sponsor, as well as the copyright information, and only within the scope of a non-commercial event. 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: "Are TEDTalks copyrighted?"). We know of a number of teachers that use TEDTalks to stimulate discussions with their students or to complement course materials, and encourage you to do so as well.

Can I re-edit and remix TEDTalks?
No. The Creative Commons license (See: "Are TEDTalks copyrighted?") clearly states that "derivative works" of any kind (edits, cuts, re-mixes, mashups, etc) are not allowed. If you discover edited or modified versions of TEDTalks distributed online or used elsewhere, be aware that this is illegal and please inform us.

I'd like to see talks from my event or organization on TED.com. Who do I talk to?
If you are a conference organizer and would like to see your talks on TED.com, we would like to hear from you. Be aware that a series of basic rules apply to TEDTalks: no corporate presentations, product pitches, or self-promoting speeches; interesting/original content, passionate/compelling storytelling, and good production quality (audio/video/slides) a key prerequisite;

You must hold the copyright on the talk and be ready to share it with TED Conferences on a non-exclusive basis (all TEDTalks are distributed under the same Creative Commons license – see "Are TEDTalks copyrighted?")
Please send us information about the speaker, the talk, the event/location where it was filmed, and a short written summary of the speech.

Ultimately, the choice of the talks and speakers that belong on TED.com is decided by the TED team exclusively, based on criteria of interest, originality, quality, insightfulness, affinity with the other TEDTalks, and capacity to further the mission of TED.

I'd like to post my own talk on TEDTalks.
Although this isn't currently possible, we're investigating the option going forward.

How can I suggest a speaker for TED or apply to be a TED speaker?
Our global team is on the constant lookout for compelling speakers. We take any motivated suggestion into serious consideration. Please remember that corporate presentations, self-promoting speeches and product pitches aren't allowed at TED. Please use our Speaker Recommendation form to suggest a speaker (or pitch yourself).

Community

I've encountered a comment or profile on your site that I find objectionable (offensive, insulting, suspicious, etc.). What should I do?
If you encounter any offensive content on a member's profile or comments, please flag it for review. You can flag profiles by clicking on the "Flag as inappropriate" link located next to the comment, or in the "More about me" section of the member's profile. The TED.com support staff reviews all flagged profiles and comments for objectionable content. If we determine that it violates our user agreement, we will remove it from the site.

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