Photos and videos are essential for making your advert stand out, but they must follow strict rules to ensure they’re appropriate, legal, and effective. We refuse media that doesn’t meet these standards to protect our community and maintain a trusted platform.
Add links to articles for specific Refusal reasons:
We outline the specific reasons your pictures or videos might be refused, with examples to help you understand and avoid these issues:
General Photos and Videos refusal reasons
Adult Category-Specific Violations
Video-Specific Violations (All Categories)
General Photos and Videos refusal reasons
We refuse photos and videos when:
Poor Quality Hinders Clarity:
The media is blurry, pixelated, out of focus, or carelessly edited, making it hard to identify the item, service, or person being offered.
Example: A grainy photo of a chair that obscures its condition, or a video so shaky it’s unintelligible.
Applies to: All categories—clear representation is key everywhere.
Unrelated or Identifiable People Appear:
It includes minors (under 18) or unrelated individuals who are identifiable (e.g., visible faces, tattoos, birthmarks) and not part of the advert’s subject.
Example: A Buy & Sell ad for a sofa with kids playing in the background, or a Services ad with a stranger’s face visible at a public event.
Applies to: All categories—privacy and age restrictions are non-negotiable.
Vehicle Registration Issues:
It shows vehicles with obscured registration plates when the vehicle is the item for sale (e.g., in Vehicles ads), or fails to obscure plates of unrelated vehicles in the background.
Example: A vehicle ad with a car’s plate blurred out, or a Property ad with a neighbor’s car plate visible.
Applies to: Vehicles (plates must be visible for the advertised item); and other categories (obscure unrelated plates).
Ownership or Consent Violations:
The media is stolen or used without permission from the intellectual property owner (e.g., from another user, website, or social media).
Example: A photo of a celebrity or influencer taken from Instagram, or a stock image without a license.
Applies to: All categories—only use content you own or have rights to.
Content Mismatches the Ad:
The media doesn’t match the ad’s description or includes conflicting details (e.g., different phone numbers, unrelated items).
Example: A Buy & Sell ad for a phone with a photo of a laptop, or a Services ad with a phone number not listed in the ad details.
Applies to: All categories—consistency builds trust.
Unpermitted URLs or Contact Info:
The media contains website URLs or phone numbers not matching the ad’s details, or URLs without the paid upgrade where required.
Example: A Jobs ad photo with a website link but no upgrade purchased.
Applies to: All categories except where URLs are banned (e.g., Buy & Sell, Holidays)—follow upgrade rules.
Inappropriate or Irrelevant Content:
The media includes animals/pets not part of the offer, or unrelated scenes.
Example: A beautician’s ad with a photo of their dog at a pub, not related to the service.
Applies to: Buy & Sell, Services (Non-Adult)—keep it relevant (e.g., a dog walking ad can show a dog).
Prohibited Behaviours or Items:
The media shows tobacco/vaping use, alcohol brands, intoxication, illegal items (e.g., drugs), violence (e.g., fighting, weapons), or hate symbols (e.g., swastikas).
Example: A Property ad with a tenant smoking a vape, or a Services ad with a visible beer logo.
Applies to: All categories—these violate safety and legal standards.
Nudity or Sexual Content Outside Adult Categories:
The media depicts nudity, sexual acts, or erotic content in non-adult sections.
Example: A Jobs ad with a topless model photo unrelated to the role.
Applies to: Buy & Sell, Vehicles, Property, Holidays, Jobs, Services (Non-Adult)—keep it family-friendly.
Adult Category-Specific Violations
We refuse photos and videos when:
Genitals Are Fully Visible: Includes unobscured erect penises, internal labia, or anus’.
Example: A photo with underwear pulled aside exposing genitals.
Explicit Sexual Acts or Bodily Fluids: Shows or simulates sex acts, or depicts fluids like semen or urine.
Example: A video of sexual touching, or a photo with visible bodily fluids.
Unrelated People or Clients: Features clients, ex-partners, or others not offering the service.
Example: A duo ad with a third person not part of the service.
Underage or Dangerous Themes: Suggests minors (e.g., schoolgirl outfits, pigtails, teddy bears) or violent fantasies (e.g., weapons).
Example: An ad with a “sexy schoolgirl” skirt and tie combo.
Video-Specific Issues: Includes genital exposure, service/pricing discussions, social media reels, or offensive music.
Example: A video mentioning “£50 for an hour” or with loud profanity in the background.
Applies to: Adult (18+) Services & Personals—strict limits ensure tasteful, legal content.
Video-Specific Violations (All Categories)
We refuse videos when:
It includes offensive background music or is sourced from social media reels.
Example: A Vehicles ad video with a TikTok watermark, or a Jobs ad with aggressive music.
Applies to: All categories—videos must align with photo rules plus these extras.