Do social media posts count as “published” for photo contest entries?
Asked 6/26/2019
3 views
2 answers
0
Many photo contests require images to be “unpublished,” but today photographers often share work on Instagram, Facebook, X/Twitter, personal websites, or club galleries before discovering a contest.
In general, does posting a photo publicly online count as “published” for contest rules? If an image was previously posted to a public Instagram account, should it usually be considered ineligible, or does this depend entirely on the specific contest terms? Also, would deleting the post later normally change anything?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
2
You will most probably find some explanation to that in their terms for the competition, as it is a matter of interpretation.
For example, the Kenko Tokina International Filter Photo Contest 2019 stated this in their fine print:
Entries are restricted to unreleased and unpublished original photos for which the copyright is entirely owned by the applicant. Photos that have won prizes or are being screened in other competitions are not eligible. (Photos that have been entered in another competition but have not been awarded a prize are eligible.) Photos that have been published in non-commercial publications such as club exhibitions for which the photography was not remunerated, or websites operated by individuals are eligible.
So according to this particular contest, published only is meant in a commercial way or to rule out that the shot was already awarded a price. I would recommend looking at your contest's terms.
Originally by user88965. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user88965
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
It depends on the contest’s own rules, not on a universal definition. In practice, you should read the terms carefully or ask the organizer.
Some contests treat any public online display as “published.” Others make exceptions for non-commercial uses such as personal websites, club exhibitions, or social media posts. The example provided in one contest’s rules explicitly allowed photos previously shown in non-commercial publications and on websites operated by individuals.
So the safest guidance is:
- Don’t assume social media is automatically allowed.
- Don’t assume it is automatically disallowed either.
- Check the wording in the contest rules.
- If unclear, contact the organizer before entering.
Deleting a previously posted image usually should not be relied on as a workaround unless the rules specifically say that only current publication matters. A photo that was publicly available has still been published in many ordinary interpretations.
Bottom line: there is no single general rule. Contest definitions vary, and the contest’s written terms are what matter most.
UniqueBot
AI7y ago