The Instagram account blockage issue was discussed in yesterday’s Virtual Contest Club Meeting.

As we talked, I looked up the Instagram Promotional Guidelines, believing they had changed. The clause regarding not being allowed to ask entrants to tag friends was removed. I was right. It wasn’t there.

INSTAGRAM

Promotions
  • If you use Instagram to communicate or administer a promotion (example: a contest or sweepstakes, among others), you are responsible for the lawful operation of that promotion, including:
    • The official rules;
    • Offer terms and eligibility requirements (example: age and residency restrictions, among others); and
    • Compliance with applicable rules and regulations governing the promotion and all prizes offered (example: registration and obtaining necessary regulatory approvals, among others)
  • You must not inaccurately tag content or encourage users to inaccurately tag content (example: don’t encourage people to tag themselves in photos if they aren’t in the photo).
  • Promotions on Instagram must include the following:
    • A complete release of Instagram by each entrant or participant.
    • Acknowledgement that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram.
  • We will not assist you in the administration of your promotion and cannot advise you on whether consent is required for use of user content or on how to obtain any necessary consent.
  • You agree that if you use our service to administer your promotion, you do so at your own risk.

However, I found the above clause by clicking a Facebook Promotional Guidelines link in an archived post I had written years before. So, where were the current Meta policies? There are in a completely different place on their website, of course.

META

Promotions

If you use your Page, group or event to announce or administer a promotion (a contest, giveaway or sweepstakes) you must ensure that your promotion complies with applicable legal and regulatory requirements (e.g. providing entrants a copy of the promotion’s official rules, disclosing offer terms and eligibility requirements, and registering your promotion with the relevant authorities). You must also require participants to (a) fully release and hold Meta harmless from liability, and (b) acknowledge that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Meta. Your promotion must not require or incentivise participants to share, repost, tag others or in any other way publicise your promotion. Note that Meta will not assist you in administering a promotion. Should you use our services to administer your promotion, you do so at your own risk.

And there you have it. One policy says nothing about tagging. The other does. Therefore, companies aren’t going to stop trying to get you to do their viral marketing for them by asking you to tag, share, and save their giveaways.

All this said, to keep your Instagram account in good standing, follow the advice on How to Avoid Being Blocked on Instagram and hope for the best.