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Facebook and Instagram promotion guidelines

Last reviewed

Meta's rules for promotions on Facebook and Instagram: post official rules, and have every entrant release Meta from liability and acknowledge that Meta doesn't sponsor the promotion. You can ask people to comment. You can't give entries for likes, follows or shares, or, on Facebook, for tagging friends. Checked against Meta's policies on November 4, 2026.

These rules come from Meta's Policies for Pages, Groups and Events (the Promotions section), Instagram's Promotion Guidelines and Meta's spam policy, which applies to Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Threads. Meta can change them, so check those pages before a large promotion. Meta doesn't help run promotions, and you run one at your own risk.

What every promotion needs

On both Facebook and Instagram, you're responsible for running the promotion lawfully. That means:

  • Official rules, and the offer terms and eligibility requirements, such as age and residency.
  • Compliance with the law where you run it, including any registration or approval the prize needs.
  • A release. Each entrant fully releases Meta (or Instagram) from liability.
  • A non-sponsorship statement. Each entrant acknowledges that the promotion isn't sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Meta (or Instagram).

Sample wording you can copy

Meta asks for the release and the non-sponsorship statement but doesn't give wording. Here is a starting point. Replace [Your business name] with the sponsor's legal name.

For your official rules:

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Meta Platforms, Inc., Facebook or Instagram. By entering, each entrant fully releases Meta Platforms, Inc., Facebook and Instagram from, and holds them harmless against, any and all liability in connection with this promotion. Questions about the promotion go to [Your business name], not to Meta.

For your post or caption:

Not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook or Instagram. Entrants release Meta from all liability. Official rules: [link]

What you can and can't ask entrants to do

Entry actionFacebookInstagram
Comment on your postAllowedAllowed
Share or repost the promotionNot allowed, as a requirement or for extra entriesNot allowed, as a requirement or for extra entries
Tag friendsNot allowed, as a requirement or for extra entriesNot restricted, as long as the tags are accurate
Tag people who aren't in a photoNot allowedNot allowed
Like or react to your postNot allowed, as a requirement or for extra entriesNot allowed, as a requirement or for extra entries
Like or follow your Page or accountNot allowed, as a requirement or for extra entriesNot allowed, as a requirement or for extra entries

Facebook: a promotion "must not require or incentivize participants to share, repost, tag others, or in any other way publicize" it. That covers extra entries too, not only entry requirements.

Instagram: you must not tag content inaccurately or encourage people to, for example by asking them to tag themselves in a photo they aren't in.

Both: Meta's spam policy doesn't allow exchanging anything for engagement, such as likes, shares or follows. That includes giveaways, and Meta's own example is "Anyone that likes my page will be entered to win $500." So likes, follows and shares can't be an entry requirement or earn extra entries on either platform.

Checking follows: Meta's API doesn't let third-party platforms like ShortStack see who follows a Page or an Instagram account; it only gives the total count. Points for Actions records that someone clicked through to your Page, not that they followed it.

Compliant ways to give extra entries

OptionWhat it rewardsPlan
Refer-a-FriendA friend entering through the entrant's personal referral linkBuild and higher
Points for ActionsClicking through to your Page or profile, or watching a videoAll plans

Refer-a-Friend rewards the friend's entry, not the share itself. Points for Actions can't confirm a follow, only the click.

Run it in ShortStack

  1. Start from a template. The Facebook comment-to-win giveaway and Instagram comment-to-win giveaway templates pair a comment post with an entry form. For a form-only giveaway, start from the giveaway template.
  2. Add your official rules, with the release and non-sponsorship statement above.
  3. Publish the campaign as a landing page or embed it on your site, then share the link in your post, Story or bio.
  4. Pick a winner. For a comment giveaway, import the comments with Social Import and pick from the list. For a quick draw without building a campaign, the free Comment to Win Picker imports up to 200 comments from a Facebook, Instagram or YouTube post and picks a random winner.

What to expect from a comment import

Comment import is on every plan. The Facebook and Instagram import articles have the steps.

  • It's a one-time snapshot. The import takes the comments on the post as they are when it runs.
  • One entry per person by default. Someone who comments several times gets one entry. Facebook imports match people by their Facebook account, and Instagram imports match them by username.
  • No email addresses. Facebook imports capture each person's Facebook name, user ID, comment and reaction; Instagram imports capture the username and comment. Check any other conditions of your official rules when you pick the winner.

If something goes wrong

What you seeWhat to do
Comments posted after your import aren't in the listRun the import again. Repeat entrants are skipped by default, so it doesn't create duplicates.
You can't publish the campaign inside your Facebook PageFacebook no longer allows this. Publish it as a landing page or embed it on your site, and link to it from your post.

FAQs

Can I run a "comment to win" giveaway on Facebook or Instagram?

Yes. Meta's rules don't stop you asking people to comment on your post. Import the comments into ShortStack with Social Import and pick a winner from the list.

What do I have to write in my giveaway post or rules for Meta?

Two things. Each entrant must fully release Meta (or Instagram) from liability, and must acknowledge that the promotion isn't sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Meta (or Instagram). Put both in your official rules, and a short version in your post.

If I import comments and people keep commenting, will the new comments appear?

Not automatically. An import is a one-time snapshot of the post. Run the import again to bring in newer comments. Repeat entrants are skipped by default, so running it again doesn't create duplicates.

If someone comments five times, do they get five entries?

No. By default the import gives each person one entry, matched on their Facebook account or their Instagram username.

Can I ask entrants to tag a friend?

Not on Facebook. Facebook's policy says a promotion must not require or reward tagging others, so tagging can't be a condition of entry or earn extra entries. Instagram's guidelines only ban inaccurate tagging, such as tagging people who aren't in a photo.

Can I require people to like or follow my Page or account?

No, on Facebook or Instagram. Meta's spam policy doesn't allow giveaways that offer a chance to win in exchange for likes, follows or shares. Invite people to follow instead, for example by announcing the winner there.

Can I publish my campaign inside my Facebook Page?

No. Facebook no longer allows campaigns to be published inside a Page. Publish your campaign as a landing page or embed it on your site, then share the link in a post.

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