Ad Inappropriateness Evaluation

Version 2018-05-11
In this project, you will be evaluating an ad creative for inappropriateness. These ad creatives could

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appear anywhere on different YouTube pages (the homepage, next to recommendations).

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In this task, you will see and evaluate ad creatives. If the ad creative does not load, or is otherwise
unrateable, please check the flag "Ad Unrateable" next to the ad creative. If the ad is in a different
language than specified in the task, select the appropriate flag and do your best to attempt to rate the
task. However, if you feel you do not have enough information to accurately rate, also select "Ad
Unrateable" and submit the task.

Inappropriateness Rating

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The only question you will be answering for this task is:
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"How inappropriate is this ad?"
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Since many of these ads would be appearing on the YouTube homepage, imagine the extent to
which users would find the ad inappropriate on their YouTube home page. The YouTube homepage
is the first page you see when you access www.youtube.com (either on mobile or desktop), or when
you open the YouTube app. It is where you will see a list of previously watched videos, or
recommended videos. Try to imagine this ad creative appearing alongside such content, and try to
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determine how inappropriate that ad would be to show there.

How to determine the inappropriateness of the ad

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In this task you will look at an ad creative and answer the question "How inappropriate is this ad?"
An ad is not inappropriate if it is merely uninteresting or unlikely to have broad appeal to users. For
example, if an ad looks uninteresting or irrelevant to you, it does not automatically make it
inappropriate. To be inappropriate, an ad must fit into at least one of the following categories:
• Racy, vulgar, lewd, indecent, or intending to titillate.
• Outrageous, upsetting, offensive, overly controversial, or likely to provoke anger.
• Disgusting, repulsive, or gross.
• Overly violent or gory, especially if the violence is real or realistic. Video-game violence is
typically OK if it is not gory.
• Clickbait. Most clickbait ads have one or more of these attributes:
o The topic appealing to crass / sordid / low-minded curiosity.
o Excessive exaggeration or sensationalization in text or image.
o Text and image chosen to provoke excitement, shock or surprise, especially at the expense of
accuracy.
 o Text or image intentionally withholds information to increase appeal.
• Otherwise obviously unfit to recommend to new users who have not searched for similar
content.

You will provide a rating on a five point scale by choosing one of the following options:

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Not at all: The ad is completely fine, it is not at all inappropriate, racy, vulgar, outrageous, disgusting,
violent or clickbait.
Slightly Inappropriate: You believe the ad is borderline. It contains an image or text that is slightly
inappropriate, but would not offend or shock too many people.
Moderately Inappropriate: These might include ads that are about some sensitive topic (such as
poverty, war, religion) but don't appear to be malicious or intended to offend.

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Very Inappropriate: Ads that are more extreme, or that are more obviously sexual or suggestive, are
clear clickbait or are overly disgusting or violent.
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Extremely Inappropriate: These are ads that display violence or dead people, are overly offensive,
display nudity, racism or are overly violent.
Ads can be inappropriate for many different reasons (clickbait, racy, violent, etc). It is possible to find
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problematic content due to multiple reasons, but it's important to think about the ad as a whole. Use
the examples below to help you make a decision. These will also be available within the task. If an ad
happens to have aspects that relate to more than one issue (e.g. Clickbait and Racy) apply the rating
which in your opinion is WORSE. For example, if you think an ad is only slightly clickbait but much
more racy, then use a higher rating like Very Inappropriate.
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Notes:
• Remember, an ad is not inappropriate if it is merely poorly made, or unlikely to have broad
appeal.
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• Base your rating only on the ad within this task. Do not do any extra research.
• Do your best to rate according to your experience, even for ads that seem not targeted to your
location, as long as you have enough information to rate.
• For ads with text in a language different from the language specified in the task, base your rating
on the image alone. Select "Text in a foreign language" and do your best to rate the task.

Examples
Not
At All

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The

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ad is
compl
etely
fine

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Slightly
Inappropriate

It is borderline,
or contains
some mildly
clickbaity or
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shocking
material This ad is mostly ok except for a bit This ad is mostly OK except for a
of clickbait slightly unpleasant image.
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Moderately
Inappropriat
e

It can
contain
some
suggestive
images,
have some
clickbait or Exaggerated and clickbait title
be mildly Suggestive Image
repulsive
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Mention of sensitive subject

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Creepy Image

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More sexually suggestive

Very
Animated gore and violence count in
this category
nf

Inappropri
ate

Has more
sexual
images, is
clear Offensive and clickbait
clickbait, is
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disgusting
or violent

Image and text intended to shock

Disgusting and strange image

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Animal attacks and gore counts as Image and text intended to shock
"Very Inappropriate"

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nf

Extremely
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Inappropri
ate

Reserve
this rating
for very bad
ads,
extreme Intended to shock, this is worse than
violence,
very The language and overly racy title images in the Very Inappropriate category
outrageous,
sexual
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Extremely offensive The image and text describe or depict
tragedy and death

36 ne Intentionally repulsive image Dead body depiction

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nf

If you have questions about this project that are not answered by the instructions above, please
review the Rater Hub, which contains additional content about rating. If you encounter a technical
problem with this rating task, use the “Report A Problem" link in the lower-right hand corner of the
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rating page.