Video Volunteers Official Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. VALID IN THE 50 UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ONLY.

ENTRY IN THIS CONTEST CONSTITUTES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES.

Video Volunteers (the “Contest”) is a skill contest where participants must submit a video to YouTube that promotes a 501(c)(3) organization that has a YouTube channel (“Nonprofit”) and that raises awareness about hunger in the United States. The videos will be evaluated by both judges and YouTube viewers, who will choose the winning entry in accordance with these Official Rules. The prize(s) will be awarded to participant(s) with the highest score. See below for the complete details.

1. BINDING AGREEMENT: In order to enter the Contest, you must agree to these Official Rules (“Rules”). Therefore, please read these Rules prior to entry to ensure you understand and agree. You agree that submission of an entry in the Contest constitutes agreement to these Rules. You may not submit an entry to the Contest and are not eligible to receive the prizes described in these Rules unless you agree to these Rules. These Rules form a binding legal agreement between you and Google with respect to the Contest.

2. ELIGIBILITY: To be eligible to enter the Contest, you must be: (1) a legal resident of and physically located in the 50 United States or the District of Columbia; (2) more than 18 years of age, an emancipated minor, or at least 13 years of age and possess legal parental or guardian consent; (3) fully able and competent to enter into the terms, conditions, obligations, affirmations, representations, and warranties set forth in these Official Rules; (4) have access to the Internet as of November 1, 2009; and (5) have a valid YouTube account.  Contest is void in Puerto Rico, U.S. territories and possessions, outside of the U.S., and where prohibited by law. Employees, interns, contractors, and official office-holders of Google, and their parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, employees, advertising and promotion agencies, representatives, and agents (“Contest Entities”), and members of the Contest Entities’ and their immediate families (parents, siblings, children, spouses, and life partners of each, regardless of where they live) and members of the households (whether related or not) of such employees, officers and directors are ineligible to participate in this Contest. Google reserves the right to verify eligibility and to adjudicate on any dispute at any time.

If you are entering as part of a company or on behalf of your employer, these rules are binding on you, individually, and/or your employer. If you are acting within the scope of your employment, as an employee, contractor, or agent of another party, you warrant that such party has full knowledge of your actions and has consented thereto, including your potential receipt of a prize. You further warrant that your actions do not violate your employer’s or company’s policies and procedures.

3. SPONSOR: The Contest is sponsored by Google Inc. (“Google” or “Sponsor”), a Delaware corporation with principal place of business at 1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA, 94043, USA.

4. CONTEST PERIOD: The Contest begins at 12:00:00 A.M. Pacific Time (PT) Zone in the United States on November 1, 2009, and ends at 11:59:59 P.M. PT on November 21, 2009 (“Contest Period”).

5. HOW TO ENTER: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. To enter the Contest, visit the Contest website located at www.youtube.com/videovolunteers (“Contest Site”) during the Contest Period and follow the instructions for submitting a video that promotes a Nonprofit that raises awareness about hunger in America (“Video”). The Video must meet the “Video Requirements,” described below.

LIMIT ONE (1) ENTRY PER PERSON.  Subsequent entries will be disqualified. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. (PT) on November 21, 2009.  Entries are void if they are in whole or part illegible, incomplete, damaged, altered, counterfeit, obtained through fraud, or late. All entries will be deemed made by the authorized holder of the YouTube account associated with the submitted Video at the time of entry, and the potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized holder for that YouTube account. The "authorized holder" is the natural person assigned to the YouTube account by Google.

6. VIDEO REQUIREMENTS. The Video must meet the following criteria:

(a) It must not be derogatory, offensive, threatening, defamatory, disparaging, libelous or contain any content that is in appropriate, indecent, sexual, profane, indecent, tortuous, slanderous, discriminatory in any way, or that promotes hatred or harm against any group or person, or otherwise does not comply with the theme and spirit of the Contest.

(b) It must not contain content, material or any element that is unlawful, or otherwise in violation of or contrary to all applicable federal, state, or local laws and regulations the laws or regulations in any state where video is created.

(c) It must not contain any content, material or element that displays any third party advertising, slogan, logo, trademark or otherwise indicates a sponsorship or endorsement by a third party, commercial entity or that is not within the spirit of the Contest, as determined by Google, in its sole discretion.

(d) It must be an original, unpublished work that does not contain, incorporate or otherwise use any content, music, material or element that is owned by a third party or entity.

 

(e) It cannot contain any content, element, or material that violates a third party’s publicity, privacy or intellectual property rights.

 

(f) It cannot be longer than 3 minutes.  If it is longer than this, only the first three minutes will be evaluated.

(g) It must be in a format compatible with YouTube and must be successfully uploaded to YouTube at www.youtube.com/videovolunteers.

(h) It must promote a Nonprofit that raises awareness of hunger in the United States and include the URL of that Nonprofit’s YouTube channel.

(i) It must ask the audience to take a specific action that benefits the Nonprofit, such as donate money, sign a petition, or visit the Nonprofit’s YouTube channel or website to learn more about the Nonprofit.

(j) It must be in English or have English subtitles.

(k) It must comply with the YouTube Terms of Services located at http://www.youtube.com/t/terms and the YouTube Community Guidelines located at http://www.youtube.com/t/community_guidelines.

During the Contest Period, Google, its agents and/or the Judges (defined below) will be evaluating each Video to ensure that it does not violate the Video Requirements. While Google, its agents and/or the Judges will make every effort to review the submitted Videos to ensure that they meet the Video Requirements, they may not be able to view every Video during the Contest Period. Thus, if a participant views a Video that it believes violate the Video Requirements, it can contact Google at Nonprofits@youtube.com.  The email must identify the Video at issue and explain the potential issue. Google reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any entrant who submits a Video that does not meet the Video Requirements.

7. JUDGING: Each entry will be judged by a panel of experts who are employees of Google or consultants designated by Google to assist in judging (“Judges”).  On or about November 23, 2009, each Video will be evaluated by the Judges based on the following criteria:

(a) originality and creativity

(b) ability to deliver a message in a clear, cohesive, and impactful way.

(c) effectiveness in promoting the Nonprofit or awareness of hunger in the United States.

Judges will evaluate and attribute a score to each Video made up of scores based upon the above-listed criteria. The 3 entries that receive the highest overall scores will be selected as the potential “Winners.” In the event of a tie, the Video that received the higher score from the Judges in the category of “effectiveness in promoting the Nonprofit or awareness of hunger in the United States” will be selected as one of the potential Winners. In the event a potential Winner is disqualified for any reason, the Video that received the next highest total score will be chosen as the potential Winner.

Google may, in its sole discretion, contact any or all of the potential Winners via the email addresses associated with the YouTube accounts in order to confirm the eligibility of those potential Winners and compliance with the Official Rules.  In the event Google contacts a potential Winner and that potential Winner does not respond within two (2) days, then such potential Winner will be disqualified and an alternate potential Winner will be selected from among all eligible entries received based on the judging criteria described herein. Except where prohibited by law, each potential Winner may be required to sign and return a Declaration of Eligibility and provide any additional information that may be required by Google. If required, potential Winners must return all such required documents within two (2) days following attempted notification or such potential Winner will be deemed to have forfeited the prize and another potential Winner will be selected based on the judging criteria described herein.  All notification requirements, as well as other requirements within these Rules, will be strictly enforced. 

On or about November 25, 2009, or after Google confirms the eligibility of the potential Winners, Google will designate the three Winners who will receive a Prize.

In the event that no Videos are received, no prize will be awarded. Determinations of the Judges are final and binding.

8. PRIZES: The “Prize” for this Contest is the display of each Winner’s Video on the YouTube homepage.  The timing and format in which each Winner’s Video will be displayed on the YouTube homepage will be made in Google’s sole discretion. 

9.  Odds of winning any prize depends on the number of eligible entries received during the Contest Period and the skill of the entrants. The prizes will be awarded within approximately two (2) days from the date the Winners are designated.  No transfer, substitution or cash equivalent for prizes is allowed, except at Google’s sole discretion. Google reserves the right to substitute a prize, in whole or in part, of equal or greater monetary value if a prize cannot be awarded, in whole or in part, as described for any reason.

11. GENERAL CONDITIONS: All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Google reserves the right to disqualify any entrant from the Contest if, in Google’s sole discretion, it reasonably believes that the entrant has attempted to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest by cheating, deception, or other unfair playing practices or annoys, abuses, threatens or harasses any other entrants, viewers, Google, or the Judges.

12. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS:  As between Google and the entrant, the entrant retains ownership of all intellectual and industrial property rights (including moral rights) in and to the Video. As a condition of entry, entrant grants Google, its subsidiaries, agents and partner companies, a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, adapt, modify, publish, distribute, publicly perform, create a derivative work from, and publicly display a Video (1) for the purposes of allowing Google and the Judges to evaluate the Video for purposes of the Contest, and (2) in connection with advertising and promotion via communication to the public or other groups, including, but not limited to, the right to make screenshots, animations and video clips available for promotional purposes.

13. PRIVACY: Participants agree that personal data including, but not limited to, name, mailing address, phone number, and email address may be collected, processed, stored and otherwise used for the purposes of conducting and administering the Contest. This data may also be used by Google to verify an entrant’s identity in the event an entrant qualifies for any applicable prize. Entrants have the right to access, review, rectify or cancel any personal data held by Google by visiting their YouTube account profile pages.  Otherwise, all personal information that is collected from the entrant is subject to Google’s Privacy Policy, located at http://www.youtube.com/t/privacy.

14. PUBLICITY. By accepting a prize, entrant agrees to permit Google and its agencies to use his or her name and/or likeness and Video for advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law.

15. WARRANTY AND INDEMNITY: Participants warrant that their Videos are their own original work and, as such, they are the sole and exclusive owner and rights holder of the submitted Video and that they have the right to submit the Video in the Contest and grant all required licenses. Each entrant agrees not to submit any Video that (1) infringes any third party proprietary rights, intellectual property rights, industrial property rights, personal or moral rights or any other rights, including without limitation, copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, privacy, publicity or confidentiality obligations; or (2) otherwise violates the applicable state or federal law.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, each entrant agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Contest Entities from and against any and all claims, actions, suits or proceedings, as well as any and all losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees) arising out of or accruing from (a) any breach of warranty by the entrant; (b) any Video or other material uploaded or otherwise provided by the entrant that infringes any copyright, trademark, trade secret, trade dress, patent or other intellectual property right of any person or defames any person or violates their rights of publicity or privacy, (c) any misrepresentation made by the entrant in connection with the Contest; (d) any non-compliance by the entrant with these Rules; and (e) claims brought by persons or entities other than the parties to these Rules arising from or related to the entrant’s involvement with the Contest.

16. ELIMINATION: Any false information provided within the context of the Contest by any entrant concerning identity, age, eligibility, mailing address, telephone number, email address, YouTube account, ownership of right, or non-compliance with these Rules or the like may result in the immediate elimination of the entrant from the Contest.

17. INTERNET: Contest Entities are not responsible for any malfunction of the entire Contest Site or any late, lost, damaged, misdirected, incomplete, illegible, undeliverable, or destroyed Videos due to system errors, failed, incomplete or garbled computer or other telecommunication transmission malfunctions, hardware or software failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, typographical or system/human errors and failures, technical malfunction(s) of any telephone network or lines, cable connections, satellite transmissions, servers or providers, or computer equipment, traffic congestion on the Internet or at the Contest Site, or any combination thereof, including other telecommunication, cable, digital or satellite malfunctions which may limit an entrant’s ability to participate.

18. RIGHT TO CANCEL, MODIFY OR DISQUALIFY. If for any reason the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Contest, Google reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest. Google further reserves the right to disqualify any entrant who tampers with the submission process or any other part of the Contest or Contest Site. Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any web site, including the Contest Site, or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Google reserves the right to seek damages from any such entrant to the fullest extent of the applicable law.

19. NOT AN OFFER OR CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT: Under no circumstances shall the submission of a Video into the Contest, the awarding of a prize, or anything in these Rules be construed as an offer or contract of employment with either Google, or the Contest Entities. You acknowledge that you have submitted your Video voluntarily and not in confidence or in trust. You acknowledge that no confidential, fiduciary, agency or other relationship or implied-in-fact contract now exists between you and Google or the Contest Entities and that no such relationship is established by your submission of a Video under these Rules.

20. FORUM AND RECOURSE TO JUDICIAL PROCEDURES: These Rules shall be governed by, subject to, and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, United States of America, excluding all conflict of law rules. If any provision(s) of these Rules are held to be invalid or unenforceable, all remaining provisions hereof will remain in full force and effect. To the extent permitted by law, the rights to litigate, seek injunctive relief or make any other recourse to judicial or any other procedure in case of disputes or claims resulting from or in connection with this Contest are hereby excluded, and all participants expressly waive any and all such rights.

21. CHOICE OF LAW: By entering the Contest, you agree that the courts of Santa Clara, California, will have personal jurisdiction and exclusive venue of any dispute, claim, or demand related in any way to the Contest.

22. WINNER’S LIST: You may request a list of winners after November 29, 2009, but before May 1, 2009, by sending a self addressed stamped envelope to: Ramya Raghavan, Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheater Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043 USA.  (Residents of Vermont need not supply postage).