User-generated content. Can you think of a more boring way to describe fancraft? I can't.
To be fair, user-generated content (or simply UGC) covers more than just fancraft. Fancraft is usually an inspired bit of craft (be it fan art, cosplay, fan fiction, cooking wackiness, etc.), created by the fan out of appreciation or reaction to the original content. UGC can be similarly inspired, but can also be a non-employee pitching a complete or partial piece of content for the company's use. (More recently, companies have been combing Instagram and other social media platforms and sharing relevant material from users. No clear idea how many of them remember to get permission before sharing as part of their marketing...)
User-generated content can be a boon for both the company and the creator. It reduces the resources the company needs to budget to create elements, a fact social media managers often make use of through creative hashtag campaigns and skill competitions. It helps the creator get their name out into the world, often helping promote talented creators who might not have caught notice yet. And it allows the creator to support something they love through their skills and talents.
User-generated content also doesn't necessarily need a plan. Some companies stumble across (or are alerted through mentions and hashtags) of a post, and choose to share it on their own social media because they like what it brings to their own presence.
While all of this is nice, it doesn't answer one very important question: Who holds the copyright on this user-generated content?
And the answer (which will come as no surprise to you if you spend any time on Twitter or Instagram, where issues are arising more and more often), is that it belongs with the creator of the content. If a company or entity wants to use the content, they must get the creator's permission. (Generally speaking, as of when I'm writing this, a comment or DM conversation with the creator can suffice. We'll be getting more into the copyright issues around sharing social content in another chapter.)
Beware, though, that this does not hold true for the platform to which the content is posted. This has actually caused a lot of confusion over the years. If you create content and upload it to Twitter, you own the content and its copyright, but so does Twitter. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to display and distribute your content. This is actually part of the Terms of Service you agree to when you open your account. Sometimes, platforms forget the rules and try to make rights grabs, but they get called on it pretty quickly.
So, there you go. Your rights as a fan creator. Guard them well, and have fun.
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Copyright for Creatives
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