YouTube's contest policies and guidelines

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

Contests on or using YouTube must follow these rules and not conflict with YouTube policies

Any contest run on YouTube, or that uses YouTube, is subject to these contest rules. The contest may not be run or conducted in a way that conflicts with YouTube's Privacy Policy, and the contest content may not conflict with YouTube's Terms of Service or Community Guidelines. The rules speak to the person or organization running the contest ("your contest"), not to people who enter it.

Supporting quotations

All contests run on YouTube or that use YouTube are subject to the below rules.

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.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Applies to contests "run on YouTube or that use YouTube".
• The Privacy Policy limit concerns how the contest is run or conducted; the Terms of Service and Community Guidelines limit concerns the content.

Not stated here

• The text of the linked Privacy Policy, Terms of Service and Community Guidelines is not part of this document, so what counts as a conflict with them is not stated here.
• The source says "The content" without saying whether it means the contest content or content used in the contest.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

Contests may not be run through ad units, but may be run through content

YouTube does not allow contests to be run through ad units. A contest that conforms to these rules can be run through the contest runner's own content on the platform.

Supporting quotations

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.

Qualifications & exceptions

• The permission to use content depends on the contest conforming to the rules below.

Not stated here

• The text does not define "ad units" or say how a contest would be told apart from other advertising.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

The contest runner is solely responsible for the contest, its rules and its administration

The person running the contest is solely responsible for the contest, and is also responsible for the contest's rules and all aspects of administering it. The text puts this responsibility on the contest runner and does not describe any YouTube role in running the contest.

Supporting quotations

You're solely responsible for your contest.

You're responsible for your rules and all aspects of your contest administration.

Not stated here

• The text does not say what responsibility means in practice, such as who bears the cost of a dispute with entrants.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

The contest must comply with applicable laws, including U.S. sanctions

A contest on YouTube must comply with all relevant federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, including U.S. sanctions.

Supporting quotations

Your contest on YouTube must comply with all relevant federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations, including U.S. sanctions.

Qualifications & exceptions

• The listed levels of law are federal, state and local; U.S. sanctions are named as included.

Not stated here

• The text does not say which laws apply to a particular contest or where it is run; it does not list them.

Cross-references

• referred to by (model-proposed): Official Rules must state all disclosures required by law, including U.S. sanctions — The Official Rules disclosure requirement uses the same legal sources as the general compliance duty (federal, state and local law, including U.S. sanctions).

Content & IP Rights · Restriction or exception

The contest may not infringe third-party rights or involve unlawful activity

A contest may not infringe, or encourage the infringement of, any third party's rights, and may not encourage participation in any unlawful activity.

Supporting quotations

Your contest cannot infringe upon or encourage the infringement of any third-party rights or the participation in any unlawful activity.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Applies to infringement and to encouraging infringement.

Not stated here

• The text does not say which third-party rights are meant beyond "any third-party rights".

Content & IP Rights · Restriction or exception

The contest may not ask entrants to give all rights in, or transfer ownership of, their entry

The contest runner cannot ask a viewer to give all rights for, or transfer the ownership of, their entry to the contest runner. The text rules out an all-rights grant or an ownership transfer. It does not say what narrower permission, if any, a contest may ask for.

Supporting quotations

You cannot ask the viewer to give all rights for, or transfer the ownership of, their entry to you.

Qualifications & exceptions

• The limit is on asking for all rights or for ownership of the entry.

Not stated here

• Whether a contest may ask for a narrower license to use an entry is not stated in this document.

Charges & Financial Obligations · Restriction or exception

The contest must be free of charge to enter

A contest must be free of charge to enter. The text adds a reminder in parentheses to check local lottery laws.

Supporting quotations

Your contest must be free of charge to enter (don't forget to check your local lottery laws!).

Not stated here

• The text does not define what counts as a charge or say how lottery laws bear on a particular contest.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

Neither the contest runner nor any third party may manipulate YouTube metrics

The contest runner and any third party may not manipulate metrics on the YouTube service to misrepresent genuine viewer engagement. The metrics named are numbers of views, likes, dislikes and subscribers; the word "include" means the list is not stated as complete.

Supporting quotations

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.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Applies to "you and any third-party".
• The prohibition is tied to misrepresenting genuine viewer engagement.

Not stated here

• The text does not list every metric covered or say how manipulation is detected.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

The contest may not be associated with YouTube without YouTube's prior written consent

A contest runner cannot associate or affiliate YouTube with the contest unless YouTube has given prior written consent. This includes, among other examples, saying or doing anything that suggests YouTube is involved with or has endorsed the contest.

Supporting quotations

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.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Exception: YouTube's prior written consent.
• The examples are introduced with "among other examples", so they do not limit the rule.

Not stated here

• The text does not say how to ask for consent.

Cross-references

• referred to by (model-proposed): Official Rules must say YouTube is not a sponsor and require viewers to release YouTube from liability — The Official Rules must state that YouTube is not a sponsor, which goes with the separate ban on associating YouTube with the contest without prior written consent.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

The contest runner must have Official Rules

A contest runner must have a set of "Official Rules". The source describes what those rules must contain in the list that follows (links to the Community Guidelines with a disqualification statement, legally required disclosures, consistency with the Terms of Service) and in the points on sponsorship and privacy.

Supporting quotations

You must have a set of "Official Rules" which:

Not stated here

• The text does not say whether or how YouTube checks the Official Rules.
• The linked Community Guidelines and Terms of Service, which the list items below refer to, are not supplied here.

Cross-references

• referred to by (model-proposed): Official Rules must link to the Community Guidelines and say non-compliant entries are disqualified — This requirement is one of the listed contents of the Official Rules that the contest runner must have.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

Official Rules must link to the Community Guidelines and say non-compliant entries are disqualified

The Official Rules must include links to YouTube's Community Guidelines and indicate that entries that do not comply will be disqualified.

Supporting quotations

a. include links to the YouTube Community Guidelines and indicate entries that don’t comply will be disqualified.

Qualifications & exceptions

• This is one of three listed requirements (a, b, c) for the Official Rules.

Not stated here

• The Community Guidelines text is not part of this document.

Cross-references

• refers to (model-proposed): The contest runner must have Official Rules — This requirement is one of the listed contents of the Official Rules that the contest runner must have.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

Official Rules must state all disclosures required by law, including U.S. sanctions

The Official Rules must state all disclosures that applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations require, including U.S. sanctions.

Supporting quotations

b. state all disclosures required by all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, including U.S. sanctions.

Qualifications & exceptions

• This is one of three listed requirements (a, b, c) for the Official Rules.

Not stated here

• The text does not list the disclosures that applicable laws require.

Cross-references

• refers to (model-proposed): The contest must comply with applicable laws, including U.S. sanctions — The Official Rules disclosure requirement uses the same legal sources as the general compliance duty (federal, state and local law, including U.S. sanctions).

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

Official Rules must be wholly compliant and consistent with the YouTube Terms of Service

The Official Rules must be wholly compliant and consistent with YouTube's Terms of Service.

Supporting quotations

c. are wholly compliant and consistent with the YouTube Terms of Service.

Qualifications & exceptions

• This is one of three listed requirements (a, b, c) for the Official Rules.

Not stated here

• The Terms of Service text is not part of this document.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

The contest must run and prizes be awarded as the Official Rules say

The contest must be conducted, and all prizes awarded, as outlined in the contest runner's Official Rules.

Supporting quotations

Your contest must be conducted, and all prizes awarded as outlined in your Official Rules.

Not stated here

• The text does not say what happens if a contest runner departs from its Official Rules.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception

Official Rules must say YouTube is not a sponsor and require viewers to release YouTube from liability

The contest runner's rules must clearly state that YouTube is not a sponsor of the contest, and must require viewers to release YouTube from any liability related to the contest.

Supporting quotations

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.

Qualifications & exceptions

• Two separate requirements: a clear non-sponsorship statement and a viewer release of YouTube.

Not stated here

• The text does not give wording for the release or say how a viewer gives it.

Cross-references

• refers to (model-proposed): The contest may not be associated with YouTube without YouTube's prior written consent — The Official Rules must state that YouTube is not a sponsor, which goes with the separate ban on associating YouTube with the contest without prior written consent.

Data Access & Collection · Restriction or exception

Official Rules must include a legally compliant privacy notice for contest personal data

The Official Rules must include a legally compliant privacy notice. The notice explains how the contest runner will use any personal data collected for the contest, and the contest runner must adhere to that use.

Supporting quotations

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.

Qualifications & exceptions

• The notice covers personal data collected for the contest.
• The contest runner must adhere to the stated use.

Not stated here

• The text does not say what a legally compliant notice must contain.

Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Context

YouTube says the information is not legal advice

YouTube says it is not the contest runner's attorney and that the information is not legal advice. It is given for informational purposes, and YouTube suggests seeking advice in the contest runner's own jurisdiction on running a contest legally.

Supporting quotations

Disclaimer: We're not your attorneys and the info presented here is not legal advice.

suggest you seek advice in your jurisdiction for running a contest legally.

Qualifications & exceptions

• The suggestion to seek advice is not a requirement.