This page serves both sides of a campaign. Clippers get the fix for each reason. Buyers get what each denial protects their budget from. The complete denial library and the seven campaign rules live on the rules page.
The eight reasons
| Reason on the decision | What it protects the buyer from | Fixable | The fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| No disclosure | A paid clip that reads as an unpaid opinion, which the FTC treats as deceptive | Yes | Burn "Ad" or "Paid partnership" into the first seconds, put #ad or "Paid partnership" in the caption's first line, switch on the platform's paid-content setting, and resubmit. The Disclosure Standard has the details |
| Reupload with no edit | Paying for a clip the platform will not recommend. TikTok's guidelines effective 24 September 2026 keep unoriginal content out of the For You feed | Yes | Add the hook, the cut, captions or commentary, and post a fresh clip |
| Off-brief | Paying for a moment, a claim or a tone the buyer never asked for | Usually | Reread the brief's "what always fails" list and the three reference clips, then cut a moment the brief asks for. A clip cut from outside the source pack cannot be fixed; cut a new one from the pack |
| Botted views | Paying for fake attention. 16 CFR Part 465 bans fake indicators of social influence, such as bought views | No | Nothing to fix. RUCKUS voids the clip and the clipper leaves the network. Never buy views, likes or followers, and never join an engagement pod |
| Wrong platform | Paying for a post on a platform the buyer did not choose, which the campaign cannot track | Yes | Post on a platform the campaign lists, from an account connected to the campaign, and resubmit |
| Another platform's watermark | A clip the platforms treat as unoriginal, carrying another company's logo | Yes | Export again from the source without the watermark or an editor's outro, and post a fresh clip |
| Gambling | The buyer's name beside real-money gambling. RUCKUS runs no gambling campaigns and approves no clip that promotes gambling | No | The clip cannot run. Keep every casino, sportsbook or betting link, code and overlay out of every clip you submit |
| Rights not cleared | A takedown, a strike on the clipper's account, and a claim against the buyer | Sometimes | Swap in the licensed version from the source pack if there is one. Music or footage the pack does not cover means the clip cannot run |
A view curve that spikes and then flatlines is a flag for a human look, never proof of botting on its own. A RUCKUS reviewer checks the flag before any decision.
Why a buyer should want denials
When a reviewer approves everything, the budget runs out on clips that break the brief or the law. RUCKUS writes every reason above into the campaign's own fields before a clipper starts, so each clipper agreed to the rule before cutting. RUCKUS decides every submission inside 24 hours and sends the reason with every denial. The buyer sees the approval rate and the reasons used in the report.
What is not a denial
A clip under the minimum views stays approved. The platform pays nothing on it until it passes the minimum, which is 2,000 views by RUCKUS's default.
How clippers avoid the common ones
- Read the brief and the three reference clips before cutting anything.
- Put the disclosure in all three places before posting, never after.
- Cut from the source pack only, and use the music the pack licenses.
- Export clean: no watermark and no editor outro.
- Post from a connected account, on a platform the campaign lists.
FAQ
Can a clipper appeal a denial?
Yes. RUCKUS answers a disputed decision in writing. The rules page explains how.
Does a fixed clip keep its views?
It depends on the fix. A clipper can often change a caption or a platform setting on the live post and resubmit the same link. A new edit, a clean export or a missing on-screen label means a fresh post, and a fresh post starts from zero views.
Why does GTA footage need extra care?
A clip of GTA carries "Not affiliated with or endorsed by Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive." Rockstar has not permitted commercial use of its footage, and the owner of the footage in a RUCKUS source pack accepts that exposure in writing before the campaign starts. A clip cut from footage outside the pack gets a rights denial.
Does RUCKUS deny clips to save the buyer money?
No. A reviewer denies a clip only for a reason on the published list, and every reason sits in the campaign's fields before anyone cuts. A reviewer approves a clip that follows the brief and the rules.
