Photo Contests -- NJ Resident Exclusion

[jmarshall]

<p>The previous entry about fake photo contests designed to get stock images made me wonder if anyone knows why NJ residents are prohibited from entering many of the legitimate (at least to the extent that they are run by well-know publications) photo contests.I got my latest copy of NG Traveler yesterday, and it made me curious. I'd assume that it was some obscure law dealing with entry fees except that I know a few local juried exhibits require the payment of a fee with your submission.</p>

<p>I tried to find out last year, but of course got no response other than "Sorry, no NJ residents." Thanks.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>There seems to be some pretty well-used boilerplate out there. Check out <strong><a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=CONTEST+IS+VOID+IN+ARIZONA%2C+NEW+JERSEY%2C+AND+VERMONT+AND+WHERE+PROHIBITED&aq=f&oq=">this Google search</a></strong>. Not a single site I've seen that uses that language mentions why, but that's probably just asking for PR and legal friction. </p>

[jim_momary]

<p>From a text about various FTC guideines ...<br>

http://books.google.com/books?id=Ygf21QVrqg4C&pg=PA87&lpg=PA87&dq=why+are+some+states+banned+from+contests&source=bl&ots=xhbQz2ZQDl&sig=_RLwzG2onpaAhyzA63-X91hP714&hl=en&ei=U3H0SfKNN8OrtgfhhrmjDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4#PPA87,M1</p>

<p>... an excerpt seen below. The book in question is :</p>

<p>' Advertising and Public Relations Law ', by Roy L. Moore, Ronald T. Farrar and Erik L. Collins from Google Books preview ...<br>

OK, my eyes are glazed over now ... more legalese ... but that's life anymore I guess. I'm gonna stay happy being in the sciences and such.</p>

<p>Jim</p><div></div>

[the celt 2]

<p>yet another reason we long time residents of NJ call it the "no fun" state. If you think the contest thing is bad, you should try dealing with the motor vehicle folks. They kind of run your life.</p>

[jmarshall]

<p>Matt -- thanks; the Google searches I ran before posting turned up similar evidence of the prohibition, but no explanation. Google has resolved many "important" debates between me and my husband, but unfortunately doesn't have all the answers.</p>

<p>Jim -- thanks, too; pretty heavy reading for a Sunday morning. I suspect that there's some peculiarity in NJ law on this point. </p>

<p>Ed -- I've lived in NJ for most of my 42 years, so I certainly hear ya. This photo contest thing seemed new to me; I don't remember seeing it until the last couple of years. My other thought was that there are so many great photographers here that they figured the only way to let people in other states win was to not let us enter the contest ;) but I suspect that the Trenton braintrust is more likely behind this with some laws intended to protect us from being taken advantage of by those evil Costco and National Geographic contests!</p>

 

[william_john_smith1]

<p>New Jersey - where everything is legal until you get caught.</p>