Implementing a Wayspot Protection System

HaramDingo-ING

In tandem with disabling contribution features before the test, the majority of Wayfinders know of a certain wayspot (or group of wayspots) that consistently have location edits or random sorts of edits suggested to them, week in, week out. Some examples including trying to add their name to a wayspot. Or a location edit that started with just two possible choices and over the course of a couple more weeks, it's multiplied to five, and then maybe to double digits. Or adding a photo of a screenshot... constantly.

There are a couple of Wayfinders who are well-versed in how the system works. One popular situation is to move something over another cell to create a Pokestop. Not that there are problems of this, but when the move is clearly abusive and its moving it away from its most accurate location, that's problematic and such a review should not be overseen by Wayfinders.

This suggestion entails that there are protected wayspots designated by Niantic (and/or the future ambassadors), i.e. wayspots that are frequently abused or consistently contributed with garbage suggestions. Some examples include the entirety of Circular Quay in Sydney, some important Ingress anchors that are often weaponised with their location edits to break links, and just consistent location moves that are suggested over and over again by abusers. By locking the wayspot from further changes, only experienced/trusted Wayfinders can either suggest the edits or submit changes, or such suggestions will instead go through Niantic/trusted Wayfinders.

In this way, it means:

• Instead of punishing the abuser (which is done to... limited effectiveness), you're instead protecting the wayspot from further abuse. i.e. if it's in the right place, then it doesn't need any more suggestions.
• In the matter where a protected wayspot does need a move or title/description change, then a request will need to be sent to Niantic/trusted Wayfinder.
• Protected wayspots status can be checked within the in-game contributions screen. If in the instance it is locked, then there will be a link/guidance to how to forward a request/suggestion to Niantic for validation.
• Places which consistently have junk photo submissions are locked only to users that have a good history or number of submitting photos. i.e. if you've only contributed two photos and you want to submit yet another photo to Sir Eugene Goosens Statue which has already been subjected to ongoing abuse, then that user should get more photos approved elsewhere. This is why tiering is important.

This is only on the premise that you keep a comprehensive history of all suggested edits that a wayspot is subjected to, your database does track that right?