OUR HOUSE RULES

Like anything, there are a few rules around using our websites, apps and social media pages. We've done what we can to make them simple and straight-forward and we've split them up into three bite-sized chunks.

When we say House Rules, it includes any or all of the following:

General House Rules

Our standard rules around using the site to keep everyone safe.

Social House Rules

Special rules for when you join the conversation online.

Privacy Policy

Our commitment to keeping your personal information safe. You can read our Privacy Policy here.

Competition Rules

The standard rules which apply when you enter TVNZ-run competitions.
Throughout these House Rules we talk a fair bit about our websites, apps and social media pages. So to make things easy, we'll just refer to them as our sites.

GENERAL HOUSE RULES

These are our standard rules around using any of our sites. That includes videos, pictures, logos and anything else you might find there.

Please read these rules carefully before you get started.

Accepting the rules

1. When you use or users of your account use the site, you agree to stick to the House Rules and any laws that apply.

2. If you don't agree with the rules, please don't use the site.
You are responsible for anyone who uses your account (including those people who have their own profiles on your account).

3. We may tweak or update these rules from time to time. So it's a good idea to check-in occasionally and make sure you're up to date. If you keep using the site, we'll take it that you continue to agree with the House Rules.

Who can use the site?

1. To register for our TVNZ+ site, you need to be 13 or older and you need to be located in New Zealand. If you're over 13 but under 18, you can only register if your parent or guardian says it's okay. In that case, it's on them to read, understand and agree to these House Rules.

2. Parents and guardians: you are responsible for what your kids watch and do on the site. Not all content will be suitable for younger users. To help with this, you can create kids' profiles for younger viewers. To understand how our content is classified and who it is most appropriate for, see the classifications guidance here link.

3. Our site is only for personal use and for our TVNZ+ site, for people located in New Zealand only. You must not use it to advertise or sell stuff.

Please keep your login and password secure or set up a profile for anyone who is using your account. You are responsible for anyone using your account, including younger viewers. We can't block specific users or remove their viewing activity once they have access.

Intellectual property

1. Everything on our site is protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright and trademarks. That means somebody owns it (in many cases, us).

2. While you're free to enjoy our content, you can't just help yourself for things like copying, changing, showing in public or (unless we specifically suggest it) posting on another site.

3. Our content is restricted to users in New Zealand. This is because TVNZ only has the rights to show it here. If you're outside New Zealand, please don't try and get around this, because it's an infringement of the copyright owners' rights.

We're very careful to protect the ideas and content on our site so that the people who create content can create more of it.

Viruses and hacking

1. We need to protect our site and everyone who visits it, so don't even think about:

a. Sending any bugs or viruses
b. Stealing or interfering with any data or personal information
c. Attempting to hack into the site or its servers.

2. We will not be responsible for any loss or damage to your computer if it's infected by a bug or virus as a result of visiting our site.

Ad blocking

Since our advertisers help pay for the content you love; you're not allowed to use ad blockers on our site.

Links to and from the site

We have no control over other websites that are linked to ours. So if you visit any linked site, it's your responsibility to guard against viruses, unpleasant content or other destructive elements.

Our rights to use your content

When you upload content (which by the way, must follow our 'Social House Rules'), you're giving us the right to use it however we choose, free of charge. You're also giving us permission to use your name in connection with it.

>But don't worry, your content remains your property and you're free to keep using it (or letting others use it) unless you give us ownership of it or exclusive rights to it (e.g. for a specific competition).

Keeping an eye

1. We don't actively monitor or moderate the site, but we do check in from time to time. If you're planning to post or share something that breaks the Social House Rules, we can:

(a) not post it
(b) remove it
(c) ask you to stop using the site
(d) cancel your user registration
(e) block you from our social pages.

2. If you think someone else is breaking the rules, you can get in touch with us using our Contact Us form. Please be clear about your concerns and give us constructive, detailed information.

Important legal stuff

1. Naturally, we want you to enjoy using our site. But it's important to be clear that your use of the site and any of its content is entirely at your own risk.

2. If you're downloading our apps, please make sure you go through the official platforms who support our apps. You can find out who these are here. We don't support the use of any other third party platforms.

3. All content on our site (whether it's ours or user-generated content) is designed to provide general information. We don't guarantee that its accurate, and you shouldn't rely on it for advice. We can't take responsibility for any decisions you make after reading something on our site.

4. The site is provided as is with no guarantees of any kind. In particular, you should know that we can't guarantee security, accuracy or freedom from bugs and viruses.

5. We're not liable for any loss or damage that might result from:

(a) Using the site
(b) Any statement made on the site
(c) Infringement of intellectual property or privacy rights (other than those covered by our Privacy Policy).

6. You agree to cover us for any fines, fees or other costs that may result if you break the rules.

7. These rules are under New Zealand law, so any disputes relating to the site will be sorted in the New Zealand courts.

8. Our site is designed to help bring you the best entertainment in New Zealand. So the most important rule of all: enjoy it!

SOCIAL HOUSE RULES

TVNZ uses social media to inform and engage our audiences about our channels, apps, shows, events, personalities, news, competitions and anything else that may be of interest to our viewers and users. Please note that we don't always monitor feedback so we cannot guarantee you will receive a reply. Any content that is out of line with our House or Social rules may be deleted or other action taken as appropriate. Links we use, along with any association with other sites we may publish, do not infer TVNZ has any alignment of views or values with these third parties.

If you'd like to get in touch please do so here. To keep our site and social pages fun for everyone, there are some special rules for uploading and sharing content. Please have a read, get to know them and make sure you stick to the rules when using our site and social pages.

Keep private stuff private.

1. Remember, our sites are public. So only post stuff you don't mind other people seeing. That means it's not a good idea to post personal details about yourself or others.

2. Make sure you get the okay from everyone who features in any videos or images you share.

Be honest

Don't pretend to be other people, companies or brands. And obviously don't claim other peoples' work as your own.

Keep it clean

1. Remember, our site is meant to be a fun place to visit, so it's important that people feel safe. Anything that's threatening, harmful or offensive is not okay. This includes dodgy usernames or profile pictures.

2. Everyone has opinions. And we're keen to hear them. But be nice about it.

3. If you feel like someone is posting or commenting inappropriately, or you're being personally harassed, please let us know through the site, or by sending a direct message to us using the Contact Us form.

4. Needless to say, any links to pornography or anything inappropriate will be deleted.

5. Keep it clean. Literally - make sure your content is bug and virus free.

Don't break the law

1. Never post any videos, images or text showing or referencing criminal activity, or anything that breaches any court orders or injunctions.

2. Don't post any content (including music, videos or images) that isn't yours, unless the copyright owner says it's okay. E.g. if your profile picture is Mickey Mouse, you'd better make sure you look a lot like him, or have explicit permission from DisneyTM.

Don't flood, spam or advertise

1. Flooding is when the same content is posted over and over in the same place. Spamming is posting the same content in lots of places. Please don't do it. If people didn't respond the first time, they probably won't the second time. Or the twentieth.

2. This is not the place to promote your business or anything really. So don't post ads, pyramid schemes, chain letters, junk mail, surveys, contests or anything like that. No spoilers.

Not everyone's seen what you've seen, so, giving away plot developments that are yet to be broadcast in New Zealand is a quick way to make yourself very unpopular. Don't be that person.

Your posts. Your responsibility.

Everything you contribute to the site is your responsibility and is in no way endorsed by TVNZ.

COMPETITION HOUSE RULES

We usually publish specific terms and conditions for each competition we run on that competition's page on our website, but if we haven't published any then these Competition House Rules will apply.

The Basics

1. These competition house rules and the competition notice that sent you here form the terms and conditions for the competition (the Rules).

2. By entering the competition, you agree to the Rules. If you don't agree to them, please don't enter.

3. Until a prize is awarded, TVNZ can cancel or change the competition or any of the Rules at any time, for any reason. Changes will take effect when they are posted in the Rules.

4. TVNZ has the final say on the competition and the Rules.

5. To enter competitions, you must be a New Zealand resident, be 18 or older (unless a younger age is permitted in the competition notice) and meet all the other criteria in the competition notice.

6. We need to make sure our competitions are all above board, so unfortunately you're not allowed to enter if you're connected to TVNZ or the competition. This applies to employees of TVNZ, the programme producer, any company involved in the competition and TVNZ's advertising agencies and web companies. It also applies to these peoples' immediate families and flatmates. If the competition is being run through Facebook, Facebook employees aren't able to enter either.

7. When applying, you must tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

8. Unless we've stated otherwise, only one competition entry per person please.

9. We've let you know the entry period in the competition notice. Sorry, but we can only accept entries received during this time.

10. We can disqualify you if we think that you've breached any of the Rules. But we're nice, so we'll be fair about it.

11. You agree that we can keep your entry and use it however we want (including to promote TVNZ and the competition). This includes photos, artwork or other stuff you submit with your entry.

12. You agree that we can publish your name and home city in connection with the competition. You also agree that we can take photos and videos of you to use for publicity purposes.

13. We won't be responsible for any loss or damage suffered by you or anyone else in connection with the competition or your use of the prize (if you win). If the competition is being run through Facebook, you agree that they will not have any responsibility either.

14. Sometimes things don't go as planned. If our competition is derailed for any reason, e.g. infection by computer virus, tampering, unauthorised intervention, fraud, technical failures or zombie apocalypse, we'll have the right to cancel, postpone or change the competition.

15. In many cases we run competition in conjunction with other companies. By agreeing in the tick box on the Competition page to hear from another company, you consent to that company's own privacy policy, and to receive commercial electronic messages marketing and promoting that company's goods or services.

You also consent to receiving any electronic messages containing updated information in relation to the company's news and various other information of related interest. You may unsubscribe at any time to receiving such messages by following the unsubscribe process specified in any such electronic message that you receive. TVNZ will not be responsible for any of these messages or unsubscribing you from these messages - this will be the sole responsibility of the company.

16. TVNZ respects privacy rights under the Privacy Act 2020. That means there are a bunch of rules that we stick to, particularly around collecting your personal information. You can read more about this in our Privacy Policy.

17. These Rules and the competition will be run under NZ law.

If you win

18. If we can't get hold of you within 48 hours of the prize draw, we'll have to select another winner. So make sure you check your email and keep your phone handy!

19. For some competitions (e.g where there is international travel involved), we may need to do further checks to make sure you're eligible. You agree to help us out with that.

20. Unfortunately prizes can't be traded in for cash. Unless of course they're cash prizes. Then you'll get cash.

21. Prizes are personal to the winners and can't be transferred to someone else unless we agree. If you can't accept the prize for any reason (e.g you can't travel on the necessary dates), we can award the prize to another winner.

22. If you're disqualified for any breach of these Rules (e.g. we find out you don't match the eligibility criteria), we'll choose another winner.

23. It doesn't happen often, but sometimes we need to change a prize. If we do this, we'll swap it out for something which is worth the same (or even more!).

24. If we ask, you agree to appear in a promo (for free) for TVNZ or the competition promoter.

25. Sometimes there can be tax implications with winning a prize. We wouldn't want there to be any surprises for you, so suggest you talk to someone about this before you accept the prize.

If you win a trip

You lucky thing! But there are some additional rules that come with winning a trip that you need to know about.

26. We may ask you for a copy of your passport. This is to make sure we book your tickets in the right name (always important) and can check that it will be valid as necessary for the travel dates. You will need to obtain your own travel visa. If you are unable to get the travel visa, TVNZ will be entitled to draw another winner.

27. Once confirmed, travel dates and names of those travelling are locked in. That means you can't change them without incurring extra fees. Blackout dates and expiry dates for travel may apply.

28. You agree that we can record some (or all) of the trip, that we'll own the footage and can use it however we like. We won't use the footage for any commercial endorsement which isn't linked to the competition without your consent. Sometimes we might ask you to take the recording for us and you agree to help us out with this.

29. Except as expressly set out in the competition notice, the prize doesn't include the cost of passports, visas and other travel incidentals (including spending money, medical expenses, airport or hotel transfers, insurance, meals, and hotel extras). You'll need to have a credit card to give to the hotel to cover your mini bar late night feast and spa bill.