Developers » Platform Rules
Platform Rules
When using the public VK API, you agree to the following Platform Rules.

We reserve the right to completely or partially stop an application from accessing the public API (including blocking the application) without prior notice in the event of rules violations.

These rules apply to any use of the public API. Furthermore, in certain cases additional agreements and requirements are made:
Terms and definitions
  1. The Social Network VK (or the Social Network) is the social network known as VK that is located at the Internet URL VK.com (including all levels of the specified domain that functions as of the date in the User’s acceptance of these Rules, and that is launched and used throughout the whole duration of its operation) and is accessible to the User through the site, the mobile version of the site, applications and other resources that represent the result of intellectual activity in the form of an IBM computer program that is, among other things, a unique database of VK. The Social Network objectively constitutes an aggregate of data and commands as well as of generated by it audiovisual displays (including the comprising graphical images and the user interface) (hereafter referred to as "the data and the commands"), destined for computers and mobile devices operation in order to obtain a certain result in the form of organization of the social Network functionality. The aggregate of the data and the commands consists of the activated and non-activated data and commands.
  2. The Public API is a set of software tools for working with Social Network data through HTTP-requests. Public API methods are understood as being methods listed at the URL https://vk.com/dev/methods. Public API access is provided free of charge and may be terminated in whole or partly without prior notice or explanation.
  3. The application is a software product for working with the Public API, and is a site or independent program registered using the form located at the URL https://vk.com/editapp?act=create and possesses a unique identification number (API_ID) on the Social Network.
1. Application Functionality
1.1 The Application must not deceive users.
It is prohibited to promise free votes or profile guests view.

1.2 The Application must not contain functions that violate the Social Network’s Terms of Service (https://vk.com/terms) when users operate the application.
For example, applications that assist in the artificial generation of likes are a bad idea.

1.3 The Application must not contain links that are dangerous for users. All link transfers must be predictable and rational.
If your application has many different links provided by users, use the method utils.checkLink to assess their safety.

1.4 The Application cannot be issued as an official VK developers’ product. It is forbidden to use the VK logo, gifts, stickers, name or description unless otherwise permitted through a separate supplementary agreement made with VK.

1.5 It is prohibited to change the content or name of an application.
If there is such a need, register a new application. It is unacceptable for users to find themselves registered to some unknown application.

1.6 It is forbidden to provide the ability to download content (i.e. audio files, video, images, documents and other content) from VK servers beyond the scope stipulated by the Social Network’s ability to provide access to content offline or to create storage offline for the usage of such content.
This action violates the interests of the Site Administration, users and (or) copyright holders.

1.7 The Application must not contain third-party libraries and code snippets that are not directly related to its functionality, including those using the computing power of a user’s device without their knowledge.
It is impossible to secretly mine cryptocurrencies.
2. Working with data
We care about our users’ data and expect from you the same. Applications are prohibited from doing the following:

2.1 Collect and store user data, including the User ID, for purposes not related to the Application’s operation. The requested data must only be used in the context of the application.
For example, you can cache a user’s friends’ IDs to quickly display the list on a mobile device. However, sending all user IDs to your own server to save them in a personal database just in case is prohibited.

2.2 Transmit any user data that is automatically received through the API (including User ID) to third-party services (such as advertising) either directly or through intermediaries.

2.3 Use custom data in any advertisement, such as referring to a user by name on an advertising banner.

2.4. Data received via the API (including newsfeed.search, wall.get, wall.search methods results & user id’s) can not be used for the purposes of transfer or resale, the creation of analytical reports, scoring, etc., directly or through intermediaries, without the direct permission of the Site Administration.

E.g. a contract with an advertising agency on the use of data about ad impressions in customer reports can act as a permission

2.5. Access to the Streaming API enhanced version for non-commercial researches can be provided free of charge as agreed with the Site Administration. Data obtained using the enhanced version of the Streaming API as part of a non-commercial researches is not allowed to be used for resale to third parties, either in the original or processed form. E.g. as an analytical report, scoring reports or other aggregated forms.
3. Application content
3.1 It is forbidden to violate the rights and interests of third parties. If an Application uses trademarks, copyrights, characters or any other content belong to another party, it is necessary to acquire the permission of the rights holder to which the exclusive rights belong. Should we request proof of permission, you must be able to present the necessary materials permitting usage.
Verify that the author does not object to your using their work in the application.

3.2 It is forbidden to place unknown Applications and designs without a properly finalized agreement approved by the rights holder, and it is forbidden to completely copy the processes of other Applications.
We endorse fair competition.

3.3 The Application must contain information regarding age restrictions.
If the application has content that must not be shown to children, indicate it. The law of
the Russian Federation specifies the following categories: 0+, 6+, 12+, 16+ and 18+.
4. Platform usage
4.1 Application alerts that are sent to users must not contain external information or span.
Advertising via notifications is the path to hatred. Choose other methods for generating revenue.

4.2 The Application must not call any active API actions without the knowledge or consent of users.
The user must always know what will happen after clicking the button. Pay close attention to wall posts and messages. Users will not forgive you if a post was published without their knowledge or a chat was deleted accidentally forever.

4.3 It is forbidden to encourage users to publish wall posts (including on their own), send invitations to other users, send friend requests using random people and other actions affecting other people directly or indirectly.
An acceptable option for us is giving bonuses to users whose friends have installed the necessary application or providing awards for joining the Application’s official community.

4.4 The Application that uses data received using the API regarding the connections between VK users (“social graph”) must contain active links to user profiles on the vk.com site or in the official VK mobile application (URL format vk://). An active link must be available when viewing application user information on a personal profile’s main screen or similar section. The link display may be disabled by the profile owner. Exceptions include applications posted on vk.com and in the mobile game catalog, unofficial VK clients or applications that enhance VK’s capabilities.

4.5 Applications addressing news feed capabilities must properly display advertisements and generate user interaction statistics for such posts that are then sent to the Social Network using the appropriate public API method. If an application does not meet the specified requirements (the Requirements on Displaying Advertising Posts), the Social Network reserves the right to terminate the Application’s access to the public API or its individual components.
5. Licensing
5.1 Subject to the condition of a royalty-free, non-exclusive license, by placing an application on vk.com and into the mobile HTML5 catalog, you give VK the right to use the application in order to enable open access for it and provide general information on the Social Network without territorial restriction.

5.2 By placing a public VK offer on the Social Network, VK possesses, without territorial restriction, the right to transfer Users the privilege of operating the application through sublicensing according to the terms set by the standard License Agreement and confirmed to by VK and Users. Furthermore, you confirm your familiarity with the text of the specified License Agreement and do not object to VK granting Users the right to operate the application hosted on vk.com under the terms of the specified License Agreement. You grant VK the right to use the application that is hosted on vk.com, without territorial restriction, in the following ways: (a) providing the application to the public on the Internet so that any person may access the application from any place and at any time; (b) advertising and promoting the application in any way without restrictions, including the distribution of advertising materials created using the application’s interface image.

5.3 In accordance to items 5.1 and 5.2, the rights to use the application are provided for a period of five years with automatic prolongation of this period occurring each subsequent calendar year so long as neither party to the agreement expresses the desire to terminate the agreement early with at least 30 calendar days notice.

5.4 VK does not provide any additional reports on the usage of the application except as agreed to in the contract.

5.5 You guarantee that you (a) are the rights holder of the application you hosted on vk.com (or the rights holder of the application is a person indicated by you), (b) grant VK the rights to use the application hosted on vk.com in accordance to section 5 provided it does not violate and will not violate the terms set by any transactions with third parties and/or the rights of third parties, (c) the use of VK and/or your application on vk.com in accordance with the agreement provided it does not violate the rights of third parties including, but not limited to, copyright, related rights, trademark rights and other means of identification as well as the moral rights of natural persons.
6. Other provisions
6.1 The Rules may be changed and supplemented as necessary. VK strongly recommends you regularly check the conditions established by the Rules for changes and/or additions. The continued placement of applications on the Social Network after the introduction of such changes and/or additions to these Rules implies the acceptance of and agreement to the changes and/or additions.

In the event of application moderation and comments made regarding the application, our employees will attempt to explain the position of VK and provide warning about possible difficulties. However they are not obliged to conduct an endless discussion or become a mentor teaching how to properly write applications.

6.2 By placing an application on VK, the developer accepts the Rules for Advertising in Applications, the Rules for Stores Applications in VK and the Rules for the Placement of Advertising Applications

These Rules for placing applications are an important part:
-Public Offer (Agreement on placing of the applications in VK mobile catalog)
-Rules for Application Placement on VK.com