Help

People-Powered Customer Service for American Cancer Society
 

How do I sign up?

To create a user account, first select “Sign Up” near the top right of the page or click here. Choose a user name and password, both between 5-16 characters, using letters and numbers only.  Then provide your first and last name, email, and date of birth. Finally, hit the sign-up button.

Then, check your email for a confirmation and you’re ready to begin uploading videos and photos!

What is the minimum age required to sign up?

In order to be eligible to sign up, users must be thirteen (13) years of age or older.

Why can't I register with my preferred username?

An existing user is using the name you entered, and you’ll have to pick another.

I didn't receive the confirmation email. What do I do?

First, check your spam filters and/or junk mail folders to see if the email went to one of those places instead of your inbox. If you do not see it, then please fill out this help form.

How do I upload video/photos or audio?

If you already have a file ready to upload (maybe a Quicktime, a JPEG or Windows Media Video file) you can upload it to SharingHope.tv right away. You can get to the upload form anytime by clicking the "Upload" link at the top of every page. You have to log in to upload.

If you don't have your file in an uploadable format yet, you can use a tool like Windows Movie Maker (which comes with Windows) or iMovie (it comes with a Mac) to create a file you can share. Or if you need to edit a photo check out GIMP, a free photo editor. Once you've done that, upload it!

Step 1: Submit your content. You can add one video and/or up to three photos in a single submission.

If you have a video clip, click “Browse,” locate your video clip on your hard drive, and press “Open.” Be sure to click “Attach Video” to begin the video upload process.

Allowed video files are .3g2, .3gp, .3gp2, .3gpp, .asf, .avi, .avs, .dv, .flc, .fli, .flv, .gvi, .m1v, .m2v, .m4e, .m4u, .m4v, .mjp, .mkv, .moov, .mov, .movie, .mp4, .mpe, .mpeg, .mpg, .mpv2, .qt, .rm, .ts, .vfw, .vob, .wm, .wmv. Please keep your video file uploads to 100 mb or less.

If you have photos, click “Browse,” locate your photo on your hard drive and press “Open.” You can add a short caption for each photo if you would like.

Allowed image types are gif, jpg, jpeg, and png.

Step 2: After you have selected your video or photo in Step 1, you can provide more information in Step 2. Tell your story by typing in a headline and body text. Then select a channel that would best describe your story. You can also add a tag to make your story more searchable, as well as a location of where the story occurred underneath the “Additional Info” tab. Remember to read the Terms of Use. Click submit.

Once your submission is reviewed by our moderators (no violent, obscene, graphic or copyrighted material please), it will be posted to the Web site. It may take up to several hours for your video photo or comment to appear, so please check back.

Do I need any software installed to view the videos on SharingHope.tv?

You'll only need one software program to watch videos on SharingHope.tv and that is the Flash Media Player from our friends at Adobe. If you can't get a video to play it's probably because you're missing this software.

Can I link to my video directly?

Absolutely! Link to it from your blog, in an e-mail or wherever. Just click on the share button at the bottom right of the video and you'll get a pop-up screen with links and embed code for the video.

What should I do if I encounter a bug or a display problem on SharingHope.tv?

SharingHope.tv is still in development. Things are being changed, fixed and added on an almost daily basis. Though some of these changes may be invisible to the user, trust us, they are happening. All of the SharingHope.TV developers use the Mozilla Firefox browser, so there may be a few display bugs if you use Internet Explorer. Don't hesitate to use the SharingHope.TV feedback feature to report any bugs. You can also send us comments on, impressions of, and suggestions for the site if you like. Or email bugs@sharinghope.tv.

Can I use SharingHope.tv without creating an account?

Yes you can. You can watch all the public videos, listen to our audio, and view our photos and artwork! But you won't be able to comment or add media so come on and register!

Can I share the video on my blog?

Of course you can. You can do it with our "Embed" feature, which lets you post video to your blog or Facebook page by copying & pasting some HTML. Just click on the share button at the bottom right of the video and you'll get a pop-up screen with links and embed code for the video. Or you can bookmark the video on several popular sites such as Digg, del.icio.us and Facebook.

Is this free?

Yup. And we promise never to charge you tomorrow for what you're doing today. In other words we're not going to charge you in six months for a video you upload today, and we have no intent of ever making SharingHope.tv basic functionality cost money.

Do you have a copyright policy?

We take copyright law extremely seriously. We believe that the only way to build a responsible company is by respecting the rights of creative people everywhere. For this reason (and because our lawyers told us to do it) we ensure compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

What are your terms of use?

Our terms of use are available for your review. By using the SharingHope.tv Web site and services you agree to our terms of use. We'll tell you one thing right now: Our terms don't say that we take ownership of your video. Far from it. By uploading your video you're giving us a right to distribute it until you tell us to stop. That's it.

Do you have any system requirements?

Unfortunately we do. SharingHope.tv is best experienced with a modern Web browser like Firefox 3, Safari 4 or Internet Explorer 8. Opera should work, too, but we make no guarantees. You're best off with Windows XP or Mac OS X 10.3 or better, too.

We also recommend that you install Flash Video to help you watch videos.

How do you handle different video formats?

You're welcome to upload your video to us in just about any format you like. Here are the video formats we accept:

.3g2, .3gp, .3gp2, .3gpp, .asf, .avi, .avs, .dv, .flc, .fli, .flv, .gvi, .m1v, .m2v, .m4e, .m4u, .m4v, .mjp, .mkv, .moov, .mov, .movie, .mp4, .mpe, .mpeg, .mpg, .mpv2, .qt, .rm, .ts, .vfw, .vob, .wm, .wmv. Please keep your video file uploads to 100 mb or less.

Do you offer Flash video?

We most certainly do. Every video you upload is converted to Flash as soon as possible. Videos are converted on a roughly first-come, first-serve basis. Once your video has converted to Flash we will automatically present the Flash version to viewers on SharingHope.tv.

How do I create an account with SharingHope.tv

To create a user account, first select “Sign Up” near the top right of the page or click here. Choose a user name and password, both between 5-16 characters, using letters and numbers only.  Then provide your first and last name, email, and date of birth. Finally, hit the sign-up button.

Then, check your email for a confirmation and you’re ready to begin uploading videos and photos!

How can I recover my password?

Click on the “Forgot Username/Password” link on the login form or click here to have an email with your login information sent to you.

Will I receive unwanted email as a SharingHope.tv user?

No, your email address will NEVER be sold or given away to any outside parties.

How can I change my profile picture?

After you log in, click on your username to be taken to your profile page. From there, you can change your profile picture. You can upload a .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, or .png file. Keep it clean, and no copyrighted images, please.

How can I contact another SharingHope.tv user?

Right now the only way to get in touch with other SharingHope.tv users is to leave a comment on one of their videos.

How can I remove my account?

To delete your account, send us a request on the help form.

Why is there no sound during video playback?

Be sure that the video player is not muted, and that its volume is sufficiently high. You may also need to check the sound settings of your computer.

Is it possible to download SharingHope.tv videos, photos or audio to my computer?

For legal reasons, it is impossible to download media from SharingHope.tv. You can, however, add videos to your favorites, making them easy to find again.

Why does the video slow down or stop during playback?

Depending upon your Internet connection, some videos may take longer to load. Wait for your video to load fully (as represented by the grey progress bar within the video control slider) before playing it.

What should I do if I get an encoding error on one of my files?

Encoding errors usually occur when you upload files that are not supported by the SharingHope.tv encoder. To avoid encoding errors make sure your video is under 100 mb and an appropriate format.

Why doesn't my MSWMM file upload or play?

An MSWMM is a project file from Windows Movie Maker that's used to keep track of your audio and video while you're editing it. It's not designed to be shared with other people. In order to upload your movie you have to ask Windows Movie Maker to export it for the Web. There are excellent tutorials on how to do this at Freevlog.

Can I upload video I don't own?

Generally speaking you can't upload any video you don't own. This means that if you didn't create the video (and everything else in it!) you can't upload it to us.

There are exceptions to this rule, though. If you have clear permission from the original creator of the video you're more than welcome to upload the video to SharingHope.tv. This kind of permission can be given through phone or e-mail or more formally with a Creative Commons license. If you're uploading content that's already licensed under a Creative Commons license please make sure to give the original author credit and to select the same Creative Commons license when you upload it.

How can I rotate a video clip?

If you've captured a clip that needs to be rotated because the camera was vertical instead of horizontal, here are some suggestions:

On Windows, follow the instructions at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter/mediaadvice/0075.mspx#EPD. Then save the file to your computer, using any of the high quality movie presets, and upload this rotated file.

On Mac, try using http://www.imovieplugins.com/plugs/turnclip.html, an iMovie plugin to rotate clips. Rotate the clip using the plugin, then export in any high quality format and upload the file.

How long are videos stored?

We currently store all videos indefinitely.

How are the videos/photos/audio files chosen for the "Most Popular" section?

The videos displayed in the Most Popular section are the videos with the most views on a daily basis.

What kind of videos/photos or audio files can I submit?

You can submit just about any kind of video you want that deals with the cancer experience, as long as you're the creator. We do have a size restriction of 100MB per file, and we can't accept anything illegal or obscene or similarly objectionable, including content that contains hate speech, infringes copyright, and/or violates personal privacy or obscenity laws and/or which we deem inappropriately offensive. SharingHope.tv does not allow pornography.

Your video must be at minimum 5 seconds long. We do not have an upper limit on Length of video so long as your file is under 100MB.

Allowed video files are .3g2, .3gp, .3gp2, .3gpp, .asf, .avi, .avs, .dv, .flc, .fli, .flv, .gvi, .m1v, .m2v, .m4e, .m4u, .m4v, .mjp, .mkv, .moov, .mov, .movie, .mp4, .mpe, .mpeg, .mpg, .mpv2, .qt, .rm, .ts, .vfw, .vob, .wm, .wmv.

Is there a limit on the number of videos/photos I can upload?

Upload as many as you like as long as you've created them. There is currently no limit to the number of videos a creator can upload.

Where is my video/photo after upload?

After you upload a file and add the title and keywords, as well as the tags, your video will go into "review" where a real human will watch it before approving it to go online. Our content reviewers scan every video in an effort to protect against copyright violations and other illegal content. Once your video is reviewed (this may take up to 24 hours but it's usually way faster) and has been cleared by our reviewers, your video will become publicly available.

Sometimes, videos can get held up in the review process. If we have some questions about the copyright of your video, you'll receive a disapproved message in your email. We're generally just looking for some verification that you are the copyright owner, so please resubmit the clip indicating that you have permissions to use all of the content in your photos and/or video. If you have any questions regarding the status of your video, please contact us.

What is a tag?

Tags are keywords you add to videos to make them easier for you and others to find.
The tagging process enables user-driven navigation within channels. For example, if you upload a video or photo of your cancer experience in Hawaii to the "Share Your Story" channel, you could tag it "cancer experience Hawaii Story type of cancer". People browsing by tags could see it come up and anyone on the site could find it by searching for any of your terms.
The more you tag, the more you share!

Why do I have to enter a description and keywords?

Descriptions and keywords (tags) help viewers discover videos that interest them. Remember, the more relevant your keywords are, the more likely people are to watch your video!

What is fraudulent tagging?

Fraudulent tagging is when a member uses popular but irrelevant keywords to describe his/her video in order to draw more traffic. Fraudulent tagging makes it difficult for viewers to find the videos they are looking for and diminishes the experience for everyone. If you are suspected of fraudulent tagging, your account may be suspended until you change the tags on your video. Please use only relevant keywords to tag your videos as this will improve the searchability of the entire network.

Why did my video get rejected/taken down?

Videos are most commonly rejected due to apparent copyright infringement. Be sure to use royalty-free music in your videos! If you have a question about why your video was rejected or what you can do to remove the copyright violation, contact us.

How do you verify the rightful ownership of a video?

We here at SharingHope.tv strive daily to make sure that the content on our site is original and that the creators are properly credited and compensated for their work.

We have a staff of knowledgeable reviewers, who personally review each and every video before posting it publicly on the site. If your video gets wrongly rejected, you will have the chance to prove that it belongs to you.

What constitutes adequate proof will vary for each video. You might need to show written proof that you own the rights or you might just need to explain to us that you made the music and link to your band's website. It really depends on the situation. Our reviewers are just looking for something that makes them feel comfortable enough that an artist's copyright is not being infringed.

You should also know that if anyone were to contact us stating that there was some sort of infringement regarding a particular video, the matter would be investigated immediately! If you notice a video you think might be infringing someone's copyright, please contact us. Or write to

DMCA Complaint,
Office of Corporation Counsel,
250 Williams Street, Suite 600
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
fax: (404) 417-5808.

Can I upload works to SharingHope.tv in languages other than English?

Absolutely. SharingHope.tv accepts videos in any language!

Where can I share SharingHope.tv media?

You can share SharingHope.tv videos wherever you like. They can be emailed, or embedded into your blog or your social networking profile. Here is a list of a few SharingHope.tv-friendly sites where you can share:

Good luck promoting your work!

Does SharingHope.tv obey copyright laws?

Absolutely. Our firm belief in the protections of copyright and Intellectual Property law is the very core of our business. We screen every video that is submitted to our system in an effort to promote legality and to police obvious copyright infringement, and we respond promptly to Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) content takedown requests.
Please send correspondence to:
DMCA Complaint
Office of Corporation Counsel
250 Williams Street, Suite 600
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
fax: (404) 417-5808.

We also strongly encourage our users to alert us if they come across any content on the SharingHope.tv system that appears to be illegal, contains hate speech, infringes copyright, and/or violates personal privacy or obscenity laws. If you see something you that you believe constitutes copyright infringement, please contact us.

What about Fair Use?

At SharingHope.tv, we staunchly support copyright laws. Our mission and business is firmly rooted in the idea that artists deserve to control and be rewarded from their intellectual property. We also believe strongly in the protections provided by the doctrine of Fair Use, which is part of US copyright law, and to comparable protections provided under the copyright laws in various other jurisdictions. While it is impossible to draw a hard and fast line between what is Fair Use and what is not, we understand that we are living in a remix culture and we support an open media environment that allows creators to lawfully build on the work of earlier creators.
For more information on Fair Use and other copyright issues, please check out these resources:

Will you edit or alter my videos in any way?

SharingHope.tv will not alter your video in any way other than what is required to share it. In other words, we may transcode your video so it can be viewed across our network.

Can someone change or use pieces of my video in a way I don't like?

Only with your permission. The Creative Commons license that applies to SharingHope.tv videos doesn't allow others to edit your content, unless you approve it.

Why is Creative Commons the default license on SharingHope.tv?

The Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 license gives you credit and recognition for the work you created and simply allows people to share the work as is. Learn more about our copyright policy. To learn more about Creative Commons take a look at their website.

What music can I use in my video?

Unless your use of music or performances by others is okay under the doctrine of Fair Use under US copyright law or under comparable provisions of the copyright laws in some other jurisdictions, you need to be sure that you have the rights to use the music in your video. You can do this by getting explicit permission from the copyright-owner or by using royalty-free music.

The cool part is we have donated music from some great artists that you can use! Click here to check it out!