The next generation needs to learn the “key life skill” of how to “respect” copyrights and trade marks in the digital age, The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has said.
In recent days, the IPO has relaunched a campaign which hopes to raise awareness of common IP issues in schools – and make learning about copyright infringement “fun” for a young audience.
Nancy and the Meerkats, which previously appeared as a radio show almost five years ago, has been reignited as a cartoon series aimed at seven to 11-year-olds.
According to reports, the series has been produced as a set of ‘learning materials’ to be included as part of Key Stage 2 in the national curriculum and taught in schools all across the country.
It includes several five-minute animations charting the adventures of a would-be pop singer named Nancy, who encounters a series of complications with copycat rival musicians and teaches her friends about the importance of originality in music.
The cartoon series includes characters purposely named after popular singers and musicians in order to illustrate its point. These include a cat named Kitty Perry, a sheep named Ed Shearling and a beaver named Justin Beaver.
Catherine Davis, of the IPO’s education outreach department, said: “In today’s digital environment, even very young people are IP consumers, accessing online digital content independently and regularly.
“They are creators of IP, and many will leave school or university to take up careers in industries that depend upon inventiveness and creativity.
“A basic understanding of IP and a respect for others’ IP rights is therefore a key life skill,” she said.
Other narratives featured in the educational cartoon reportedly include an episode comparing downloading pirated material to stealing from a shop and another exploring the importance of registering a band name as a trademark.