Tourism Authority of Thailand Khon Kaen Violates Facebook Promotions Guidelines.

This was a double violation by the Tourism Authority of Thailand Khon Kaen on their Facebook page.  The contest entailed uploading a photo to the Tourism Authority of Thailand Khon Kaen Facebook Wall.  That is violation #1.

Here is the Tourism Authority of Thailand Khon Kaen Facebook Post that violates Facebook’s promotions guidelines:

Tourism Authority of Thailand Khon Kaen Facebook Post

Facebook Promotions Guidelines clearly states that an organization or individual cannot hold a contest by having others post photos to their wall:

You must not condition registration or entry upon the user taking any action using any Facebook features or functionality other than liking a Page, checking in to a Place, or connecting to your app.  For example, you must not condition registration or entry upon the user liking a Wall post, or commenting or uploading a photo on a Wall.

Facebook also requires that contests run on Facebook use a third-party application and also have a disclaimer that Facebook is no part of the contest.  The Tourism Authority of Thailand Khon Kaen disregards these rules.

Promotions on Facebook must be administered within Apps on Facebook.com, either on a Canvas Page or an app on a Page Tab.

Promotions on Facebook must include the following:
a. A complete release of Facebook by each entrant or participant.
b. Acknowledgment that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.
c. Disclosure that the participant is providing information to [disclose recipient(s) of information] and not to Facebook.

And, lastly, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is not allowed to post the winners on Facebook:

You must not notify winners through Facebook, such as through Facebook messages, chat, or posts on profiles or Pages.

Another day, another total disregard by the Tourism Authority of Thailand Khon Kaen of the rules and regulations and guidelines.

The text was modified to remove a broken link to http://www.facebook.com/promotions_guidelines.php.

Tags: contest guidelines promotiont tafacebook tourism authority of thailand violation