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Ad Policies
All advertisements—including YouTube Promoted Videos (where available)— must follow our Community Guidelines and the advertising content policies described below. All ad units other than Promoted Videos must also conform to our Technical Guidelines.
YouTube is committed to providing an advertising service with fair and consistent policies that benefit our users, advertisers, and partners. To achieve this goal, we maintain high standards for ads accepted on our site, embodied by our technical, community, and advertising guidelines and policies. These policies may be applied based on the text or other creative elements in your ad, the content of your site and/or the content of your channel or video. Application of our policies will always involve an element of discretion and we reserve the right to reject or approve any ad, and to suspend or disable any promotional campaign, for violation of these policies. We also reserve the right to remove any ad from the site that we deem intrusive or inappropriate. Please note that is your responsibility to ensure that your ad complies with these guidelines, and refunds will not be issued for promotions where the related ads or videos are disabled, suspended, or age-restricted as a result of policy violations.
YouTube advertising and content policies complement our Terms of Use and describe YouTube's advertising policies with regard to products and services. You represent and warrant by your use of YouTube or its advertising programs that your website, videos, and/or advertisements comply with all applicable laws and regulations (including any relevant self-regulatory or industry guidelines).
Homepage Advertiser Guidelines
Allowing diverse content to coexist at an unprecedented scale has helped make YouTube the compelling platform it is today. With over 15 hours of video being added to the site every minute, YouTube hosts the largest, most diverse collection of online videos in history. The thoughtful application and enforcement of our policies allows us to accommodate this wide range of content, while taking into consideration how and where our users encounter it, in order to foster an experience that is enjoyable and valuable to users, partners, and advertisers alike.
Ads are particularly visible and engaging when they appear on the YouTube homepage. The homepage is the front door, or portal, through which many users experience YouTube. It's our prime real estate, and we want to ensure that it is appropriate and welcoming for all YouTube audiences.
Because of the unique nature of the homepage, we work hard to ensure that all content that appears there, including advertising, is appropriate for a general audience of YouTube users aged 13 or older. This means that mature or "edgy" advertising content -- which may be permitted with age-restriction elsewhere on the site -- is generally not appropriate for the homepage.
All homepage ads must abide by YouTube's Community Guidelines and Ads Policy. Period. Context matters too. Ad creatives that include auto-play or auto-expand elements are held to a higher standard because the automation prevents users from choosing whether or not to view it. Thumbnails are also held to a higher standard given their high visibility.
Although interpretation of exactly what crosses the line is ultimately up to our policy team, a good rule of thumb is: if the categories below describe your ad, in whole or in part, the YouTube homepage probably isn't the right place for your promotion.
Adult Content
- Pornography
- Exposed or minimally covered breasts, buttocks, or genitals
- Sex acts (real or implied)
- Underwear/Lingerie
- Sexually suggestive poses
- Concentrated attention on particular body parts
- Adult toys or products (e.g., condoms and sexual aids)
Violent or Shocking Content
Excessive violence and/or gore, including graphic or disturbing images of:
- Bloodshed
- Physical injury
- Infliction of harm to self or others
- Fighting
- Bodily excretions
- Gruesome accidents
Profane & Sexually Lewd Content
- Excessive profanity
- Sexually lewd or obscene language
Hateful/Anti Content
- Content that advocates against any person, organization or group of people.
Political & Religious Content
- Inflammatory or exploitative uses of political or religious issues
Depictions of Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco
- Inappropriate, excessive, or illegal use of drugs (even if portrayed in a comedic manner)
- Use of drug paraphernalia
Movie Trailers, Video Games, and TV Clips
- Redband or Yellowband trailers
- Trailers or clips where sex, horror, shock, or violence are a significant element (irrespective of the underlying MPAA, ESRB, TV Parental Guidelines, or other rating)
Still not sure if your content crosses the line? You might try asking yourself the following questions: Would I be comfortable showing this content to my kids or my parents? Would I be comfortable looking at this content if my boss walked up to my computer at work? Would I see this content on primetime television? If you answered "yes" to these questions, that may not be the end of the story, but it's a good starting point. If you answered "no," your content may not be appropriate for YouTube's homepage audience.
- Abortion
- Advertising is not permitted for abortion services.
- Academic Aids
- Advertising is not permitted for academic aids. This includes "test-taking" services in which someone takes an exam for someone else and academic paper-writing services providing custom/pre-written theses, dissertations, etc.
- Adult and Sexual Content
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of any adult or pornographic content. This includes, but is not limited to, the promotion of material that is or purports to be child pornography, any sexually suggestive content involving children, or other non-consensual sexual material. We also do not permit ads promoting teen pornography or other pornography that describes models who might be underage. Examples include, but are not limited to, advertisements for "teen xxx", "teen porn", and "school girl" pornography. Please note that YouTube does not allow this content regardless of whether or not a site complies with government regulations on this kind of advertising.
- Aids to Pass Drug Tests
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of products designed to help someone pass a drug test. This includes products such as drug cleansing shakes and urine test additives.
- Alcohol
- Advertising is allowed for all types of alcohol; however, certain restrictions apply to all alcohol advertising, including country targeting in accordance with local laws. Advertisers are responsible for complying with any local laws surrounding ads for alcohol.
- Anabolic Steroids
- Advertising is not permitted for anabolic steroids, muscle-enhancing stacks and cycles, bodybuilding steroid supplements, and related content, irrespective of an advertiser's claims of legality.
- Anti & Violence
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Ad text advocating against any organization, person, or group of people is not permitted. Stating disagreement with or campaigning against a candidate for public office, a political party or public administration is generally permissible.
Advertisements and associated websites may not promote violence or advocate against a protected group. A protected group is distinguished by their:
- Race or ethnic origin
- Color
- National origin
- Religion
- Disability
- Sex
- Age
- Veteran status
- Sexual orientation/Gender identity
- Automated Ad Clicking
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of automated ad clicking products and services.
- Bulk Marketing
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Advertising of bulk marketing products is not permitted if the stated or implied use of the following products is unsolicited spam, such as:
- Email lists that are not opt-in
- Bulk email software
- Bulk messaging
- Copyrighted Works
- Copyrights are important business assets in which the copyright holder maintains exclusive rights. You must not use YouTube to promote the copying or distribution of copyrighted content for which you don't have either consent from the copyright holder or other legal rights to use the content.
- Counterfeit Designer Goods
- Advertising is not permitted for products that are unauthorized or unlawful replicas or imitations of designer goods.
- Data Entry Affiliate Programs
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of data entry affiliate programs. This includes ads directing users to sites that promote the creation/data entry of more ads that direct users to the same site.
- Dialers
- A dialer is a program that will cut your chosen internet connection and establish a new connection to a premium rate number. In order to protect our users and maintain the quality of advertising we display, we don't allow ads and sites that require or solicit the use of a dialer program.
- Drugs & Drug Paraphernalia
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of drugs and drug paraphernalia. This includes drug accessories, illegal drugs, and herbal drugs such as salvia and magic mushrooms.
- e-Gold
- Advertising is not permitted for e-gold and e-gold related content. This includes, but is not limited to, e-gold exchange, e-gold investment, and e-gold accounts.
- Endangered Species
- Advertising is not permitted for products obtained from endangered or threatened species. This includes, but is not limited to, the sale of products derived from elephants, sharks, tigers, whales, rhinoceroses, or dolphins.
- Escort Services
- Advertising is not permitted for sites promoting escort services or related content.
- Fake Documents
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of false documents such as fake IDs, passports, social security cards, immigration papers, diplomas, and noble titles.
- Fireworks & Pyrotechnic Devices
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of fireworks and pyrotechnic devices.
- Gambling
- Advertising for the promotion of online gambling includes, but is not limited to, the following: online casinos, sports books, poker, and sites that provide tips, odds, and handicapping ("online gambling ads"). Online gambling ads are not permitted, except by licensed entities located in England, Scotland, Wales, Italy, France, or Spain ("Permitted Locations"). We may accept online gambling ads from licensed entities that have been previously approved through the appropriate AdWords application process, provided that those ads are not targeted outside the Permitted Locations. For more information about our gambling policy, the approval process for licensed entities, and country exceptions, please visit the AdWords Help Center.
- Hacking and Cracking Sites
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Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of hacking or cracking and tools that aid in copyright infringement. For example, we do not permit:
- Sites that provide instructions or equipment to illegally access or tamper with software, servers, or websites
- Sites or products that enable illegal access of cell phones and other communications or content delivery systems/devices
- Mod chips, such as devices that unlock copyright protection
- Products that descramble cable and satellite signals in order to get free cable services
- Unauthorized copies or back-up versions of software, CDs, or DVDs
- Products or services that circumvent digital rights management technologies or technical protection measures for copyrighted works
- Inflating Ad Clicks or Impressions
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of inflating clicks or impressions on ads, such as pay-to-click, pay-to-view, auto-surfing, automated ad clicking, and other guaranteed traffic programs.
- Miracle Cures
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of miracle cures, such as "Cure cancer overnight!"
- Mobile Content Services
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Mobile content services ads are restricted.
We allow ads for mobile content services only upon the conditions noted here. Mobile content services include, but are not limited to, sites that promote downloading ringtones, wallpaper, or text messages for predictions, love life advice, news, personality quizzes, or other entertainment services.
For all types of mobile content services, the promoted website must clearly and accurately display the pricing of the mobile content service. In addition, all the relevant site requirements below should be located in a prominent place on your webpage and should be easy to find, read, and understand.
For subscription services:
- Include the price of the service and the billing interval (such as per week or per month) in your ad text.
- Provide a prominent opt-in checkbox or other clear mechanism indicating that the user knowingly accepts the price and subscription service. This is required to be on the first page of your site on which users enter personal data, and the user should not be able to proceed without opting in.
For personal information:
If your site requires users to submit personal information, such as name or phone number, it must prominently display the price and billing interval (such as per week or per month) on the first page of your site on which users enter personal data.
For sign-ups via text message:
If users sign up to your service by transmitting a code by text message, the price and billing interval must be clearly and prominently displayed beside the code.
- Online Video Sites
- Advertisements are not permitted for other online video websites, or sites similar to YouTube that allow users to upload, watch and share original videos via the Web.
- Prostitution
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of prostitution.
- Scams/Phishing for Personal Information
- Advertising is not permitted for sites collecting sensitive personal information or money with fake forms, false claims, or unauthorized use of Trademarks. Examples of personal information include email addresses, user names, passwords, and/or payment information. In addition, advertising is not permitted for "run your car on water" programs or content.
- Solicitation of Funds
- Only government-registered charities may solicit funds. Political fundraising is generally permitted.
- Tobacco and Cigarettes
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of tobacco or tobacco-related products, including cigarettes, cigars, tobacco pipes, and rolling papers.
- Traffic Devices
- Advertising is not permitted for radar jammers, license plate covers, traffic signal changers, and related products.
- Weapons
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of certain weapons, such as firearms, firearm components, ammunition, balisongs (switchblades), butterfly knives, and brass knuckles.
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