Invite only contests, sharing the URL?

I think that the plan was something similar to this:

Basically what happens, is that when you create a private giveaway, I believe it will give you a code similar to the 'invite codes' that you give out to the people you want in it. This code is the same code for everyone, and the code allows the user who input the appropriate code to the appropriate giveaway to now enter the giveaway.

I don't know if CG has changed his mind since then, but that was the plan in the beginning ( or something similar to what was mentioned).

-Shad

The private giveaways are just like normal giveaways as far as I'm aware of, except for the fact that they're not listed on the main site. When you create one you can share the URL of the giveaway with people you want to invite in. How exactly you communicate this URL is up to you, though I'd think that it'd just make sense to add the people concerned to your friends list and tell them through that. This URL can theoretically be leaked or sniffed out.

As far as I'm aware, there aren't any other controls.

A private giveaway gives you the same kind of giveaway as a public one.

Anyone can join if they know it's there.

Anyone you tell about it could just as easily tell someone else, so only tell people you trust.