Search policies Advertising policies & guidelines Introduction Legal, privacy and security General ad requirements Text guidelines Media formats Relevance and quality Disallowed content Restricted categories Ad extensions policies Product ads policies Publisher specific requirements Intellectual property policies Creative specs Additional resourcesException processHistory of changes to policiesTaiwan policies: English/ChineseContact us Microsoft Advertising policies Restricted categories February 14, 2022 BackEntertainment media (Gaming, TV, Movies, Music) On this page DISPLAY Ads for movies, television, and music must not contain: Blood spatter or excessive blood, cruelty, violence, glorification of crimes, depictions of people or creatures on fire and/or showing actions that result in bodily harm or fatalities. Content that shows guns pointed at the audience. Must include required ratings and disclosures: Movies: All movie trailers must be Green Band and include required disclosures or industry self-regulatory disclosures. Red band trailers are prohibited. Disclosure example, in the US, all movie promotion must include an MPAA rating or a disclosure that rating has not been assigned. Music: All music ads must contain industry self-regulatory ratings and/or disclosures. Ads for video games must be in compliance with ESRB Guidelines (and other applicable industry self-regulatory guidelines), including placement of ESRB/PEGI ratings prominently on the advertisement in accordance with such guidelines. (Available at: https://www.esrb.org/publishers/ArcManual.aspx) ESRB Guidelines: Video game ads must adhere to the Entertainment Software Rating Board’s Advertising Review Code Manual (“ESRB Guidelines”), available at: https://www.esrb.org/publishers/ArcManual.aspx, including but not limited to, prohibiting the following: VIOLENCE Graphic and/or excessive depictions of violence. For example: Repeated blows or gun shots inflicted upon people/creatures, violent blows to the head, guns/weapons pointed at head, impaling, exploding body parts, guns/weapons pointed toward reader/audience, depictions of fatal injuries and/or suicide, drowning, strangulation/choking, inflicting wounds with swords/knives, kicks to the groin. Graphic and/or violent depictions of the use of weapons. For example: Prolonged and/or excessive gunfire or use of weapons. Graphic and/or excessive depictions of blood and/or gore. For example: Excessive and gratuitous amounts of blood and/or fleshy body parts, blood spurting from wounds. Allusions or depictions of acts of verbal or physical abuse towards children. For example: Molestation, physical child abuse, children in peril. Allusions or depictions of violent or degrading behavior towards women. For example: Women harassed, abused, punched, beaten, bound, or gagged. Allusions or depictions of torture or other violent acts towards animals. For example: Cruelty to animals. Allusions or depictions of torture, mutilation, or sadism. For example: Dismemberment, decapitation. Violence towards a political or public figure. For example: Assassination of a president or celebrity. Allusions or depictions of acts of arson or fire play. For example: People/creatures on fire, weapon/bomb-making. SEX Allusions or depictions of acts of sexual violence. For example: Rape, molestation, sexual assault. Allusions or depictions of necrophilia or any other sexual acts. For example: Sexual fetishes. Graphic and/or excessive depictions of nudity or sexual situations. For example: Overtly sexualized depictions of a character's body parts, such as breasts, buttocks, etc., partial or full nudity (e.g., female breasts, pubic hair, genitalia), depictions of sex or sexual references (e.g., intercourse, oral sex, masturbation). Ridicule, reference to, or portrayal of individuals with sexually transmitted disease. For example: Venereal diseases. ALCOHOL AND DRUGS References to illicit drug use and/or depictions of illicit drugs and any accompanying paraphernalia. For example: Use of or references to illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin). Glamorizing, encouraging, and/or depicting the consumption of alcohol and/or drugs. For example: Underage drinking or substance abuse, socially irresponsible behavior due to alcohol or drug consumption (e.g., drinking and driving). OFFENSIVE VERBAL OR BODILY EXPRESSIONS Crude and/or offensive language. For example: Profanity, excessively violent/sexual advertisement copy, offensive gestures (e.g., giving the finger), offensive song lyrics, hate speech (e.g., racial epithets). Offensive depictions or ridicule of basic bodily functions. For example: Defecation, urination. INSENSITIVITY TO RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OR PHYSICAL/MENTAL DISABILITIES Sacrilege. For example: Desecration or disrespectful treatment of a person, place, thing, or idea held sacred by some. Degradation or ridicule of disabled individuals. For example: Offensive depictions or remarks towards physically or mentally disabled individuals. NATIVE Ads for movies, television, and music must not contain: Blood spatter or excessive blood, cruelty, violence, glorification of crimes, depictions of people or creatures on fire and/or showing actions that result in bodily harm or fatalities. Content that shows guns pointed at the audience. Must include required ratings and disclosures: Movies: All movie trailers must be Green Band and include required disclosures or industry self-regulatory disclosures. Red band trailers are prohibited. Disclosure example, in the US, all movie promotion must include an MPAA rating or a disclosure that rating has not been assigned. Music: All music ads must contain industry self-regulatory ratings and/or disclosures. Ads for video games must be in compliance with ESRB Guidelines (and other applicable industry self-regulatory guidelines), including placement of ESRB/PEGI ratings prominently on the advertisement in accordance with such guidelines. (Available at: https://www.esrb.org/publishers/ArcManual.aspx) ESRB Guidelines: Video game ads must adhere to the Entertainment Software Rating Board’s Advertising Review Code Manual (“ESRB Guidelines”), available at: https://www.esrb.org/publishers/ArcManual.aspx, including but not limited to, prohibiting the following: VIOLENCE Graphic and/or excessive depictions of violence. For example: Repeated blows or gun shots inflicted upon people/creatures, violent blows to the head, guns/weapons pointed at head, impaling, exploding body parts, guns/weapons pointed toward reader/audience, depictions of fatal injuries and/or suicide, drowning, strangulation/choking, inflicting wounds with swords/knives, kicks to the groin. Graphic and/or violent depictions of the use of weapons. For example: Prolonged and/or excessive gunfire or use of weapons. Graphic and/or excessive depictions of blood and/or gore. For example: Excessive and gratuitous amounts of blood and/or fleshy body parts, blood spurting from wounds. Allusions or depictions of acts of verbal or physical abuse towards children. For example: Molestation, physical child abuse, children in peril. Allusions or depictions of violent or degrading behavior towards women. For example: Women harassed, abused, punched, beaten, bound, or gagged. Allusions or depictions of torture or other violent acts towards animals. For example: Cruelty to animals. Allusions or depictions of torture, mutilation, or sadism. For example: Dismemberment, decapitation. Violence towards a political or public figure. For example: Assassination of a president or celebrity. Allusions or depictions of acts of arson or fire play. For example: People/creatures on fire, weapon/bomb-making. SEX Allusions or depictions of acts of sexual violence. For example: Rape, molestation, sexual assault. Allusions or depictions of necrophilia or any other sexual acts. For example: Sexual fetishes. Graphic and/or excessive depictions of nudity or sexual situations. For example: Overtly sexualized depictions of a character's body parts, such as breasts, buttocks, etc., partial or full nudity (e.g., female breasts, pubic hair, genitalia), depictions of sex or sexual references (e.g., intercourse, oral sex, masturbation). Ridicule, reference to, or portrayal of individuals with sexually transmitted disease. For example: Venereal diseases. ALCOHOL AND DRUGS References to illicit drug use and/or depictions of illicit drugs and any accompanying paraphernalia. For example: Use of or references to illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin). Glamorizing, encouraging, and/or depicting the consumption of alcohol and/or drugs. For example: Underage drinking or substance abuse, socially irresponsible behavior due to alcohol or drug consumption (e.g., drinking and driving). OFFENSIVE VERBAL OR BODILY EXPRESSIONS Crude and/or offensive language. For example: Profanity, excessively violent/sexual advertisement copy, offensive gestures (e.g., giving the finger), offensive song lyrics, hate speech (e.g., racial epithets). Offensive depictions or ridicule of basic bodily functions. For example: Defecation, urination. INSENSITIVITY TO RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OR PHYSICAL/MENTAL DISABILITIES Sacrilege. For example: Desecration or disrespectful treatment of a person, place, thing, or idea held sacred by some. Degradation or ridicule of disabled individuals. For example: Offensive depictions or remarks towards physically or mentally disabled individuals. AUDIENCE Ads for movies, television, and music must not contain: Blood spatter or excessive blood, cruelty, violence, glorification of crimes, depictions of people or creatures on fire and/or showing actions that result in bodily harm or fatalities. Content that shows guns pointed at the audience. Must include required ratings and disclosures: Movies: All movie trailers must be Green Band and include required disclosures or industry self-regulatory disclosures. Red band trailers are prohibited. Disclosure example, in the US, all movie promotion must include an MPAA rating or a disclosure that rating has not been assigned. Music: All music ads must contain industry self-regulatory ratings and/or disclosures. Ads for video games must be in compliance with ESRB Guidelines (and other applicable industry self-regulatory guidelines), including placement of ESRB/PEGI ratings prominently on the advertisement in accordance with such guidelines. (Available at: https://www.esrb.org/publishers/ArcManual.aspx) ESRB Guidelines: Video game ads must adhere to the Entertainment Software Rating Board’s Advertising Review Code Manual (“ESRB Guidelines”), available at: https://www.esrb.org/publishers/ArcManual.aspx, including but not limited to, prohibiting the following: VIOLENCE Graphic and/or excessive depictions of violence. For example: Repeated blows or gun shots inflicted upon people/creatures, violent blows to the head, guns/weapons pointed at head, impaling, exploding body parts, guns/weapons pointed toward reader/audience, depictions of fatal injuries and/or suicide, drowning, strangulation/choking, inflicting wounds with swords/knives, kicks to the groin. Graphic and/or violent depictions of the use of weapons. For example: Prolonged and/or excessive gunfire or use of weapons. Graphic and/or excessive depictions of blood and/or gore. For example: Excessive and gratuitous amounts of blood and/or fleshy body parts, blood spurting from wounds. Allusions or depictions of acts of verbal or physical abuse towards children. For example: Molestation, physical child abuse, children in peril. Allusions or depictions of violent or degrading behavior towards women. For example: Women harassed, abused, punched, beaten, bound, or gagged. Allusions or depictions of torture or other violent acts towards animals. For example: Cruelty to animals. Allusions or depictions of torture, mutilation, or sadism. For example: Dismemberment, decapitation. Violence towards a political or public figure. For example: Assassination of a president or celebrity. Allusions or depictions of acts of arson or fire play. For example: People/creatures on fire, weapon/bomb-making. SEX Allusions or depictions of acts of sexual violence. For example: Rape, molestation, sexual assault. Allusions or depictions of necrophilia or any other sexual acts. For example: Sexual fetishes. Graphic and/or excessive depictions of nudity or sexual situations. For example: Overtly sexualized depictions of a character's body parts, such as breasts, buttocks, etc., partial or full nudity (e.g., female breasts, pubic hair, genitalia), depictions of sex or sexual references (e.g., intercourse, oral sex, masturbation). Ridicule, reference to, or portrayal of individuals with sexually transmitted disease. For example: Venereal diseases. ALCOHOL AND DRUGS References to illicit drug use and/or depictions of illicit drugs and any accompanying paraphernalia. For example: Use of or references to illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin). Glamorizing, encouraging, and/or depicting the consumption of alcohol and/or drugs. For example: Underage drinking or substance abuse, socially irresponsible behavior due to alcohol or drug consumption (e.g., drinking and driving). OFFENSIVE VERBAL OR BODILY EXPRESSIONS Crude and/or offensive language. For example: Profanity, excessively violent/sexual advertisement copy, offensive gestures (e.g., giving the finger), offensive song lyrics, hate speech (e.g., racial epithets). Offensive depictions or ridicule of basic bodily functions. For example: Defecation, urination. INSENSITIVITY TO RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OR PHYSICAL/MENTAL DISABILITIES Sacrilege. For example: Desecration or disrespectful treatment of a person, place, thing, or idea held sacred by some. Degradation or ridicule of disabled individuals. For example: Offensive depictions or remarks towards physically or mentally disabled individuals.