Facebook contest – official rules

1. Introduction: During the period beginning when the article was posted, and ending at 11:59 p.m. PST, December 14, 2010 (the “Promotion Period”) Richmond Confidential will offer a $5 gift card to the retailer of winner’s choice (between Starbucks, Petco.com, and Target.com) for one fan of the Richmond Confidential Facebook page.

2. Eligibility: The contest is open to anyone who are legal residents of 50 United States or the District of Columbia who are 13 years of age or older at the time of entry. The contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited by law.

3. Sponsor/Administrator: Richmond Confidential, 121 North Gate Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720-5860.

4. Agreement to Official Rules: By participating in the contest, entrant fully and unconditionally agrees to and accepts these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor and/or Administrator, which are final and binding in all matters related to the contest.

5. How to Enter: Entrant must ‘like’ Richmond Confidential on Facebook, and provide permission enough for a reporter to contact them via facebook message. For All Entries: Limit: Each participant may enter once through their valid facebook account. Any attempt by any participant to obtain more than the stated number of plays by using multiple/different Facebook accounts, email addresses, identities, or any other methods will void that participant’s eligibility and that participant may be. Any use of robotic, repetitive, automatic, programmed or similar entry methods or agents will void all entries by that entrant.

6. Requirements of Potential Winners: Winners must continue to comply with the Official Rules and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. When applicable, potential winner (or parent/legal guardian if winner is a minor in his/her state of residence) will be notified by Facebook message in the account used to enter, and will be required to respond to the message in order to claim his/her prize, within 24 hours. If there is no response within the required time period, the potential winner will be disqualified. In the event that a potential winner is disqualified for any reason, Administrator may select an alternate winner in a random drawing from among all remaining eligible entries, up to 3 alternates, if time permits. If all potential alternate winners are disqualified for any prize, no further drawings will take place and that prize will not be awarded.

7. Determination of Potential Winner: Winner will be chosen by random drawing.

8. Publicity: Except where prohibited, participation in this contest constitutes entrant’s consent for the Sponsor and the Sponsor’s designees to use entrant’s name, likeness, city and state of residence, and any comments, testimonials or other feedback related to any prize or entrant’s Instant Win Game experience, whether written or oral, for promotional purposes in any media without further consideration.

9. General Conditions: In the event that the operation, security, or administration of this contest is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but, not limited to, fraud, virus, regularly scheduled maintenance, or other technical problems, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, discontinue the contest. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or the Rules. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

10. Release and Limitations of Liability: Except where prohibited, by participating this contest, entrants agree to release and hold harmless Richmond Confidential, and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, promotional partners, prize partners/providers, and their respective agents and agencies, officers, directors, and employees (the “Released Parties”) from and against any claim or cause of action. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages (other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses) and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased.

11. The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries.