Rules and Regulations for Online Competition
Whether it`s for a gift on social media or on the homepage of your website, there are contest rules you should be aware of. Let`s talk about some of the legal considerations to keep in mind when planning your next online gift: • Contest/sweepstakes sponsors should be cautious when advertising prizes using the brand name of a prize in the title without the consent of the trademark owner. For example, if you offer an Apple iPod, the name of the contest cannot be “Apple” or “iPod” unless Apple has co-sponsored the promotion or accepted it in the contest title. However, you can list the item in the official rules as part of the price list. Submittable`s competition management platform makes it easy and efficient to run a contest and get the perfect rules, details and legal details. Preface your rules and conditions with a statement that no purchase is required. Also, if you want to run your contest on a social network, follow the appropriate rules of the platform. Otherwise, you risk putting not only your competitors at risk, but also your social media presence. Complete your contest rules stating that by entering the contest, the entrant has confirmed, accepted and accepted everyone. 3.
Promotion Period: Entries will be accepted online starting on [Start Date, Time and Time Zone] and ending on [End Date, Time and Time Zone]. All online entries must be received by [End date, time and time zone]. Generalize the rules of your contest or sweepstakes and ensure that they comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Here`s what you need to know about running contests with rules that will help you maximize the impact of your promotion while avoiding legal hassle. And all this in simple language. We cannot repeat it enough: this is only a model and should not be interpreted as legal advice. If you choose to use this model, you assume all risks involved. Consult a legal professional to ensure that your final set of rules complies with applicable state and federal laws. Neither Woobox nor the author offer legal advice. Despite the complex legal rules that can accompany a promotion, there are many examples of brands that do it well.
The most important thing you need to pay attention to – whether you choose a sweepstakes or a contest – is to unintentionally avoid an illegal lottery. Before you run your next campaign, familiarize yourself with best practices for writing regulations, then download and complete the document (shown below) to publish the rules and requirements specific to your campaign. Go through the document and wherever you see [text in orange parentheses], replace the text in parentheses with details about your company, price, and rules. It`s important to distinguish between the three when planning your brand promotion. The tactics you choose will determine how a promotion is conducted and what legal competition rules accompany it. Once you`ve landed on the promotion type, your next step should be to design an official contest rule template or mechanism. This should be a central place where any interested party can easily find answers in case any issues arise with the promotion. Don`t be afraid, readers. We`ve put together this resource to help you create contest rules for your social media promotion.
• A clear description of the price(s); Some states have stricter regulations (see examples at the end of this document) 1. Eligibility: This campaign is open only to people who sign up at the campaign URL and are [years or older] at the time of entry. The campaign is open only to lawful residents of [List of Eligible States] and is void if prohibited by law. Employees of [name of your company], its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotional agencies and suppliers (collectively, the “Employees”), as well as immediate family members and/or persons living in the same employee household, are not eligible to participate in the Campaign. The campaign is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited by law. In this article, we will explain some of the differences between different types of gifts, suggest best practices for writing rules, and add a template that can be used to write rules for a gift. If you are a ShortStack user (even a test user), you can create a landing page to publish your rules. Start with an empty campaign or use one of our templates. In the United States, different federal laws and regulations affect what you can and cannot do with a sweepstakes or contest. In addition, several federal agencies regulate sweepstakes and contests in the United States, including: Many U.S. states regulate advertising campaigns individually, especially if the prizes include alcohol, tobacco, or firearms.
It is important to know that advertising campaigns are subject to the laws and regulations of the state in which the participant lives. When drafting your competition rules, keep in mind that each state has individual considerations. For example, below is a list of some state-by-state examples. What you really want to avoid is creating a lottery – a form of gambling strictly controlled by state and federal regulations. Sweepstakes are sweepstakes where there is a “consideration” where participants must make a purchase or pay a fee in order to enter and win. Instagram`s Advertising Policies require that you include official policies and comply with applicable laws and regulations. As with Facebook, don`t ask participants to inaccurately identify themselves in photos. Your gift payments must also acknowledge that the promotion is in no way sponsored or affiliated with Instagram. It`s so strange that to this day, no company says, “Hey, we`re reviewing all the rules and regulations.
Just tell us wherever you want and we`ll fix it for you” Before you start your sweepstakes, giveaway, or online contest, do some research on the following topics and how they may affect your advertising. Sponsorship of such advertising campaigns comes with legal requirements and restrictions that can be confusing. Running an online contest can be a huge boon for your brand. 9. Terms and Conditions: [Your company name] reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Campaign if viruses, bugs, unauthorized human intervention, fraud or any other cause beyond the control of [your company name] damage or impair administration, security, the fairness or proper conduct of the Campaign. In this case, [your company name] may select the winner from all eligible entries received before and/or (if applicable) after the promotion conducted by [your company name]. [Your Company Name] reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any person who tampers with or attempts to tamper with the registration process or the operation of the Campaign or Website or who violates these Terms and Conditions. [Your company name] has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the campaign and void votes for any reason, including, but not limited to: multiple entries by the same user from different IP addresses; multiple entries from the same computer beyond those permitted by the campaign rules; or the use of robots, macros, scripts or other technical means of input. Any attempt by an entrant to intentionally damage a website or interfere with the legal operation of the campaign may be a violation of criminal and civil laws.
If such an attempt is made, [name of your company] reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law. The laws surrounding competition rules can be quite confusing, which is why it`s important to understand what is at risk to your business if they are not followed. Under the U.S. Federal Lottery Act, states pass their own laws to regulate lottery-based advertising. Representatives are usually delegated to a special lottery committee or commission to administer these bylaws. Many countries also have their own national lottery and rules to consider them illegal. Visit your promotion landing page now. That`s it: A link to your official rules has been added. A link to your official rules will also be included in the Rules field when you add one to your form. Social media contests are a great way to retain customers/users, find new customers/users, and collect useful marketing data. However, sponsorship of such advertising campaigns requires the inclusion of legal regulations and restrictions, which can be confusing – or worse. Since one of your goals is to have fun with your customers and potential customers, the last thing you want to do is get in trouble with the law.
Promotions are regulated by state law, so it`s essential to understand compliance with your business location when running branded contests or sweepstakes. Do your research, develop your gift rules accordingly, and make sure they`re easily accessible at launch to avoid inadvertently putting your business at legal risk.