Microsoft Weather Social Awareness Sweepstakes Official Rules

MICROSOFT WEATHER SOCIAL AWARENESS SWEEPSTAKES OFFICIAL RULES 

SPONSOR 

These Official Rules (“Rules”) govern the operation of the Microsoft Weather Social Awareness  Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”). Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA, 98052, USA, is the Sweepstakes sponsor (“Sponsor”).  

DEFINITIONS 

In these Rules, “Microsoft”, “we”, “our”, and “us” refer to Sponsor and “you” and “yourself” refers to a Sweepstakes participant, or the parent/legal guardian of any Sweepstakes entrant who has not reached the age of majority to contractually obligate themselves in their legal place of residence. By entering you (your parent/legal guardian if you are not the age of majority in your legal place of residence) agree to be bound by these Rules.   

ENTRY PERIOD 

The Sweepstakes starts at 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time (PT) on June 19, 2023, and ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on June 30, 2023 (“Entry Period”).    

 ELIGIBILITY 

To enter, you must be a legal resident of the 50 United States (including the District of Columbia) and be 18 years of age or older. If you are 18 years of age or older but have not reached the age of majority in your legal place of residence, then you must have consent of a parent/legal guardian. 

Employees and directors of Microsoft Corporation and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising agencies, and Sweepstakes Parties are not eligible, nor are persons involved in the execution or administration of this promotion, or the family members of each above (parents, children, siblings, spouse/domestic partners, or individuals residing in the same household). Void where prohibited.  

HOW TO ENTER 

No Purchase Necessary.  

To participate you must: 

  1. Create a new account or use an existing account on Instagram (“Instagram”), Facebook (“Facebook”), or Twitter (“Twitter”); and 
  2. Follow Instagram.com/msn, facebook.com/msn, or twitter.com/msn; and 
  3. Locate the four (4) hidden icons weekly on each respective page listed above.  
  4. “Like” each post featuring a hidden icon.  
  5.  Comment #sweepstakes and tag a friend on the sweepstakes announcement post on each respective page listed above.  

For doing all the above, you will receive one (1) entry per social media platform. In other words, you may enter once on Instagram, once on Facebook, and once on Twitter.  

Entry Criteria and Terms: All elements must be included to be eligible. The account settings for your entry must be set to “unprotected” or “public” to be eligible. If your account is private, your entry will NOT be eligible; you must change the setting on your account from private to “public” or “unprotected”. The social media platform used to enter will be the official time clock for the Sweepstakes. Entries may NOT contain, as determined by us in our sole and absolute discretion, any content that is obscene or offensive, violent, defamatory, disparaging, or illegal, or that promotes alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco or a particular political agenda, or that communicates messages that may reflect negatively on the goodwill of Microsoft. Entries containing such content will be disqualified.  

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. You understand that you are providing your information to the Sponsor and not to Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. The information you provide will only be used for administering the Promotion and to contact you if you are a winner. 

Any attempt by you to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple/different accounts, identities, registrations, logins, or any other methods will void your entries and you may be disqualified. Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited.   

We are not responsible for excess, lost, late, or incomplete entries. If disputed, entries will be deemed submitted by the “authorized account holder” of the email address, social media account, or other method used to enter. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned to an email address by an internet or online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses.  

WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION 

Pending confirmation of eligibility, four potential prize winners will be selected by Microsoft or their Agent in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received within 7 days during the Entry Period.  

Winners will be notified via direct message on the platform they used to enter no more than 7 days following the drawing with prize claim instructions, including submission deadlines. If a selected winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim a prize or fails to return any forms, the selected winner will forfeit their prize and an alternate winner will be selected time allowing. If you are a potential winner and you are 18 or older but have not reached the age of majority in your legal place of residence, we may require your parent/legal guardian to sign all required forms on your behalf. Only three alternate winners will be selected, after which unclaimed prizes will remain unawarded.   

PRIZES 

The following prizes will be awarded:  

Four (4) Grand Prizes. Each winner will receive a $400 Amazon gift card.  

Approximate Retail Value (ARV) $400.00. 

The total Approximate Retail Value (ARV) of all prizes: $1,600 

We will only award one (1) prize(s) per person/company during the Entry Period. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded.  No substitution, transfer, or assignment of prize permitted, except that Microsoft reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value in the event the offered prize is unavailable. Prizes will be sent no later than 28 days after winner selection. Prize winners may be required to complete and return prize claim and / or tax forms (“Forms”) within the deadline stated in the winner notification. Taxes on the prize, if any, are the sole responsibility of the winner, who is advised to seek independent counsel regarding the tax implications of accepting a prize. By accepting a prize, you agree that Microsoft may use your entry, name, image and hometown online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Sweepstakes without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law. 

ODDS 

The odds of winning are based on the number of eligible entries received.  

GENERAL CONDITIONS AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY 

To the extent allowed by law, by entering you agree to release and hold harmless Microsoft and its respective parents, partners, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss, or damage of any kind arising in connection with this Sweepstakes or any prize won. 

All local laws apply. The decisions of Microsoft are final and binding. 

We reserve the right to cancel, change, or suspend this Sweepstakes for any reason, including cheating, technology failure, catastrophe, war, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that affects the integrity of this Sweepstakes, whether human or mechanical. If the integrity of the Sweepstakes cannot be restored, we may select winners from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Sweepstakes.  

If you attempt or we have strong reason to believe that you have compromised the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Sweepstakes by cheating, hacking, creating a bot or other automated program, or by committing fraud in any way, we may seek damages from you to the full extent of the law and you may be banned from participation in future Microsoft promotions.  

USE OF YOUR ENTRY 

Personal data you provide while entering this Sweepstakes will be used by Microsoft and/or its agents and prize fulfillers acting on Microsoft’s behalf only for the administration and operation of this Sweepstakes and in accordance with the Microsoft Privacy Statement. 

GOVERNING LAW 

This Sweepstakes will be governed by the laws of the State of Washington, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Washington for any disputes arising out of this Sweepstakes.    

WINNERS LIST 

Send an email to  [email protected] with the subject line “Weather Social Awareness  Sweepstakes winners” within 30 days of June 30, 2023 to receive a list of winners that received a prize worth $25.00 or more.