Platform Rules

(revision of 10.12.2024)

By using VKontakte public API, you agree to the Platform Rules listed below.

We reserve the right to fully or partially terminate the application's access to the public API (including by blocking the application) in case of violations.

These Rules are applied to any use of the public API. In addition, supplementary agreements and requirements are applied in some certain cases:

Terms and Definitions

1. VKontakte Social Network (or Social Network) means a social network known as "VKontakte" placed on website at vk.com (including all levels of the specified domain, both functioning as of the date of acceptance by the User of these Rules, and launched and put into operation during the entire period of its validity) and available to the User through the website, the mobile version of the website, applications and other resources, representing the intellectual property in the form of a computer program, which, inter alia, is a unique VKontakte database. The Social Network is represented in an objective form by a set of data and commands and generated audiovisual representations (including graphic images and user interface included in its composition) (hereinafter referred to as the "Data and Commands") intended for the operation of computers and mobile devices in order to obtain a certain result in the form of organization of social network functionality. The set of data and commands consists of activated and non-activated data and commands.

2. Public API means a set of software tools for working with Social Network data through HTTP requests. Public API methods mean the methods listed on the page https://dev.vk.com/method. Access to the Public API is provided free of charge and may be terminated in full or in part without notice or explanation. The use of the public API must comply with the technical documentation rules available at https://dev.vk.com.

3. Application means a software product for working with the Public API, representing a website or stand-alone program registered through the form at https://dev.vk.com/ru/admin/create-app and having a unique identifier in the Social Network (API_ID).

4. VKontakte is "V Kontakte" LLC, a legal entity created under the laws of the Russian Federation and registered at prem. 1-N, bld. 12-14, Lit. A, Khersonskaya st., St. Petersburg, Russia, 191024.

1. Application Functionality

1.1. The application should not deceive users.

You should not promise free votes or viewing page guests.

1.2. The application shall not contain functions, working with which the user violates the VK Terms of Service (https://vk.com/terms).

For instance, an application that helps to boost "likes" is a bad idea.

1.3. The Application shall not contain any links dangerous for users. All clicks on the link should be predictable.

If your application has a lot of different links from users, use utils.checkLink method to check their safety.

1.4. The application cannot be passed off as an official product of VKontakte developers. In particular, using VKontakte logotype, gifts or stickers in the design, using VKontakte logo in the name or description of the Application is prohibited, unless otherwise is stipulated by a separate supplementary agreement.

1.5. The essence and name of the application should not be changed abruptly.

If there is such necessity, register a new application. It will be unpleasant surprise for the users to find an application they are not familiar with in their list of apps.

1.6. It is not allowed to provide the ability to download content (for example, audio records, videos, images, documents and other content) from VKontakte servers beyond the functionality of VKontakte Social Network in order to provide access to content in offline mode or create autonomous storages using such content.

This violates the interests of the Website Administration, users and/or copyright holders.

1.7. The application should not contain third-party libraries, code fragments not directly related to its functioning, including those using the computing power of the user's device without the user's knowledge.

The cryptocurrency cannot be secretly mined.

2. Working with Data

We carefully treat the data of our users and expect the same from you. Applications are prohibited to:

2.1. Collect and store user data, including User ID, for purposes not related to the operation of the Application. The requested data shall be used only in the context of the application.

For example, you can cache the identifiers of the user's friends to quickly display the list on a mobile device. You cannot transfer the identifiers of all users to your server to store them in your own database just in case.

2.2. Transfer any user data automatically obtained through API (including User ID) to third-party services (for example, advertising ones), both directly and through intermediaries.

2.3. Utilize user data in any advertisements.

For example, address a user by name from an advertising banner. This should not be done.

2.4. Data received through API, including newsfeed.search, wall.get, wall.search methods, in particular, user IDs may not be used for the purpose of transfer or resale, creation of analytical reports, scoring, etc., directly or through intermediaries, without the express consent of the Site Administration.

Such consent, for example, may constitute a contract with an advertising agency for the use of data on presentations of advertisements in reports to customers.

3. Appendices Content

3.1. Violation of the rights and interests of third parties is prohibited. If the trademarks, copyrights, characters and any other content owned by someone else, the exclusive rights to which belong to third parties (copyright holders) is used in the Application, this should be agreed with the copyright holder so that you can provide permission to use these materials upon our request.

Make sure that the author has no objections to the use of his/her work in your Application.

3.2. Posting the Applications and developments belonging to the other persons (entities) without the agreement duly concluded with the copyright holder, as well as full copying of the functionality of other Applications is prohibited.

We strive for fair competition.

3.3. The Application should contain information on the age restrictions.

If your Application includes content that should not be shown to children, mention about it. We remind you that the law provides for the following markings: 0+, 6+, 12+, 16+ and 18+.

4. Using a Platform

4.1. Notifications sent by the Application to the user should not contain any extraneous information or spam that is not related to the Application.

Advertising in notifications is a right way to hateness. Choose other methods of monetization.

4.2. The Application should not invoke any vigorous actions in API without making aware the users and without getting their consent.

The user should always know what will happen after he/she presses the button. Pay special attention to working with messages. The user will not forgive you for a dialogue that has been accidentally deleted forever.

4.3. Encouraging users to send invitations to other users, send requests for becoming friends to random people and other actions that directly or indirectly affect other people are prohibited.

An acceptable option for us is bonuses to users whose friends have installed the application, a reward for joining the official community of the Application and for publishing content created by the users themselves. Single-level affiliate programs using referral links are also allowed, in which the user who has invited friends receives a bonus for performing targeted actions in the Application.

4.4. An application that uses data on relations between VKontakte users ("social graph") obtained by using API should contain active links to user profiles on vk.com website or in the official VKontakte mobile application (URL scheme vk://). The active link should be available when viewing information on the user of the application on the main screen of the personal profile or a similar section. The dispalying of the link can be disabled by the profile owner. The exceptions are applications posted on vk.com and in the mobile game catalogue, unofficial VKontakte clients or applications that extend the functionality of VKontakte.

4.5. The application containing the functionality of the news feed should correctly display advertising posts, generate statistics on user interaction with such posts and send it to the Website using the appropriate method of the public API. If the application does not comply with the specified requirements (Requirements for Displaying Advertising Records), the Website reserves the right to terminate the access of the Application to the public API or its individual components.

4.6. The Administration of VKontakte shall have the right to terminate or restrict the Application's access to the public API or its individual components without notice, in particular, in case of violation of the requirements hereof.

5. License

5.1. By placing the App on vk.com and in the mobile HTML5 catalog, you grant VKontakte or its affiliates, in particular "VK" LLC, a free, simple, non-exclusive license to use the App without territorial restrictions in the following ways:

(a) incorporating the App into a composite object (VKontakte software package).

(b) making the App publicly available on the Internet in such a way that any person can access the App from any location and at any time.

(c) reproducing the App on server equipment (if applicable).

(d) advertising or promoting the App in any way without limitations, including by placing materials on the Website or on third-party resources that include the name of the App, its icon, description and other elements of the App, including individual audio, video and graphic works included in the App.

5.2. If the App is placed using the technological capabilities of the platform on the Odnoklassniki social network, you agree to the Rules for placing apps on the Odnoklassniki social network, available here: https://apiok.ru/res/files/apps/Правила%20платформы%20Одноклассники.pdf. Additionally, you grant "VK" LLC a free, simple, non-exclusive license to use the Application without territorial restrictions in the following ways:

(a) incorporating the App into a composite object (Odnoklassniki software package, available as a web version, as well as in the format of apps for Android and iOS).

(b) making the App publicly available on the Internet in such a way that any person can access the App from any location and at any time.

(c) reproducing the App on server equipment (if applicable).

(d) advertising or promoting the App in any way without limitations, including by placing materials on the Website or on third-party resources that include the name of the App, its icon, description and other elements of the App, including individual audio, video and graphic works included in the App.

5.2.1. "VK" LLC has the right to transfer the rights to use the App to users without territorial restrictions through sub-licensing under the terms of the standard License Agreement concluded between "VK" LLC and users by "VK" LLC posting the text of the License Agreement, available here: https://ok.ru/regulations. You confirm that you have reviewed the text of the said License Agreement and have no objections to "VK" LLC granting users the rights to use the App placed on the Odnoklassniki social network under the terms of the specified License Agreement.

5.3. VKontakte has the right to transfer the rights to use the App to users without territorial restrictions through sub-licensing under the terms of the standard License Agreement concluded between VKontakte and users by VKontakte posting a public offer in the Social Network. You confirm that you have reviewed the text of the said License Agreement and have no objections to VKontakte granting users the rights to use the App placed on vk.com under the terms of the specified License Agreement.

5.4. The rights to use the App under clauses 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3 are granted for a period of five years, with subsequent automatic renewal of this term for each following calendar year, unless either party expresses its intention to terminate the agreement early no later than 30 calendar days before such termination.

5.5. VKontakte and "VK" LLC do not provide any additional reports on the use of the App, except as agreed in the contract.

5.6. You hereby guarantee that:

(a) you are the rights holder of the App placed by you on vk.com or on the Odnoklassniki social network (or the rights holder of the App is a person additionally specified by you).

(b) granting VKontakte and "VK" LLC the rights to use the App placed on vk.com or on the Odnoklassniki social network in accordance with current Section 5 does not and will not violate the terms of any of your agreements with third parties and/or the rights of third parties.

(c) the use of the App placed on vk.com or on the Odnoklassniki social network by VKontakte, "VK" LLC, and/or you in accordance with the agreement does not infringe the rights of third parties, including, but not limited to, copyrights, related rights, trademark rights and other intellectual property rights, as well as personal non-property rights of individuals.

6. Miscellaneous

6.1. The rules may be amended and supplemented from time to time. VKontakte recommends you to regularly check the terms and conditions of these Rules in terms of their amendments and/or supplements. Continued posting of the application on the Social Network after making amendments and/or supplements to these Rules means acceptance and consent to such amendment and/or supplement.

6.2. By placing the App on VKontakte, you accept the Advertising Rules in Games and VK Mini Apps and the Placement Rules for Store Apps. When placing the App on the Odnoklassniki social network, you accept the Rules for placing apps on the Odnoklassniki social network. In case you use one of the tools (e.g., OAuth, VK ID) that provide users with access to your App, you also agree to the terms of the Offer for the use of VK ID.

These Rules are an integral part of:

Previous versions

Revision of 24.04.2023

Revision of 16.02.2023