Advertising Content Policy
All advertisements— including YouTube Sponsored Videos (where available)— must follow our Community Guidelines and the advertising-content policies described below. All ad units, other than Sponsored 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 it 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 programmes, that your website, videos and/or advertisements comply with all applicable laws and regulations (including any relevant self-regulatory or industry guidelines).
- 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 Passing 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 organisation, 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
- Colour
- 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 unauthorised or unlawful replicas or imitations of designer goods.
- Data Entry Affiliate Programmes
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of data entry affiliate programmes. This includes ads directing users to sites that promote the creation/data entry of more ads that direct users to the same site.
- Diallers
- A dialler is a programme 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 that we display, we don't allow ads and sites that require or solicit the use of a dialler programme.
- 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 is not permitted for the promotion of online casinos and gambling activities. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: online casinos, sports books, poker and sites that provide tips, odds and handicapping.
- Hacking and Cracking Sites
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Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of hacking or cracking, or the promotion of 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 mobile 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
- Unauthorised 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 programmes.
- Miracle Cures
- Advertising is not permitted for the promotion of miracle cures, such as "Cure cancer overnight!"
- Mobile Content Services
- We allow the advertisement of mobile content services only upon certain conditions noted below. 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.
- 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 unauthorised use of Trademarks. Examples of personal information include email addresses, usernames, passwords and/or payment information. In addition, advertising is not permitted for "run your car on water" programmes 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.