YouTube’s contest policies and guidelines

All contests run on YouTube or that use YouTube are subject to the below rules. In addition, your contest cannot be run or conducted in a way that conflicts with our Privacy Policy. The content also cannot conflict with YouTube's Terms of Service or Community Guidelines.

• Contests on or using YouTube must follow these rules and not conflict with YouTube policies Legal Rights & Agreement Rules

YouTube does not allow contests to be run through ad units. If the contest conforms with the below rules, you can use contests through your content on the platform.

• Contests may not be run through ad units, but may be run through content Legal Rights & Agreement Rules

I. General Restrictions and Requirements:

• You're solely responsible for your contest.
• • The contest runner is solely responsible for the contest, its rules and its administration Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
• Your contest on YouTube must comply with all relevant federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations, including U.S. sanctions.
• • The contest must comply with applicable laws, including U.S. sanctions Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
• Your contest cannot infringe upon or encourage the infringement of any third-party rights or the participation in any unlawful activity.
• • The contest may not infringe third-party rights or involve unlawful activity Content & IP Rights
• You cannot ask the viewer to give all rights for, or transfer the ownership of, their entry to you.
• • The contest may not ask entrants to give all rights in, or transfer ownership of, their entry Content & IP Rights
• Your contest must be free of charge to enter (don't forget to check your local lottery laws!).
• • The contest must be free of charge to enter Charges & Financial Obligations
• You and any third-party may not manipulate metrics on the YouTube service to misrepresent genuine viewer engagement with the YouTube service. These metrics include numbers of views, likes, dislikes, or subscribers.
• • Neither the contest runner nor any third party may manipulate YouTube metrics Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
• You cannot associate or affiliate YouTube with your contest without YouTube's prior written consent. This rule prohibits, among other examples, expressly stating or doing anything that suggests that YouTube is involved with or has endorsed your contest in any way.
• • The contest may not be associated with YouTube without YouTube's prior written consent Legal Rights & Agreement Rules

II. Your Official Contest Rules:

• You must have a set of "Official Rules" which:
• • The contest runner must have Official Rules Legal Rights & Agreement Rules

a. include links to the YouTube Community Guidelines and indicate entries that don’t comply will be disqualified. b. state all disclosures required by all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, including U.S. sanctions. c. are wholly compliant and consistent with the YouTube Terms of Service.

• Official Rules must link to the Community Guidelines and say non-compliant entries are disqualified Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
• Official Rules must state all disclosures required by law, including U.S. sanctions Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
• Official Rules must be wholly compliant and consistent with the YouTube Terms of Service Legal Rights & Agreement Rules

• Your contest must be conducted, and all prizes awarded as outlined in your Official Rules.
• • The contest must run and prizes be awarded as the Official Rules say Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
• You're responsible for your rules and all aspects of your contest administration.
• • The contest runner is solely responsible for the contest, its rules and its administration Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
• Your rules must clearly state that YouTube is not a sponsor of your contest and require viewers to release YouTube from any liability related to your contest.
• • Official Rules must say YouTube is not a sponsor and require viewers to release YouTube from liability Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
• You must include a legally compliant privacy notice in your Official Rules. This notice explains how you'll use any personal data you collect for the contest and adhere to that use.
• • Official Rules must include a legally compliant privacy notice for contest personal data Data Access & Collection

Disclaimer: We're not your attorneys and the info presented here is not legal advice. We give it for informational purposes and suggest you seek advice in your jurisdiction for running a contest legally.

• YouTube says the information is not legal advice Legal Rights & Agreement Rules