Small town flooded with new Wayspots by using trigger words.

HoHoHowdy-INGHoHoHowdy-ING Posts: 135 ✭✭✭
in Invalid Wayspot Appeals

Title of the Wayspot: All wayspots are listed below


Location: All wayspots are listed below


City: Bruchköbel


Country: Germany


Screenshot of the Rejection Email: none


Photos to support your claim: see additional information


Additional information:


tl;dr

  • The Abuser in Bruchköbel is heavily back
  • Wayspots of any quality, from absolute garbage to really good, are passed by the queue in a few days with the help of trigger words (otherwise about 9 months processing time here)
  • Niantic does a partially terrible job with the evaluation and waves obvious misplacements over kilometers, Wayspot pictures with anus, 0815 graffiti tags, generic street signs etc. simply through.
  • If the Wayspots are intentionally submitted incorrectly, Niantic will also promptly help move them by circumventing the spacing rules via the Wayfarer Help Chat
  • Over 50 new Wayspots in less than a week



After already in the past in Bruchköbel several times different Abuse conspicuous, are here now in the past seven days over 50 Wayspots appeared, in an area that otherwise has a review period of about 9 months.

For this, apparently "trigger words" are used, which cause, for example, in the additional info an immediate change to the review by Niantic.

It seems to be the same abuser who already created a cluster in the city center of Bruchköbel in winter 2021/22 by means of submitting wrong locations and then correcting them via Wayfarer Chat, since the shifts via Wayfarer Chat ignore the distance rules.

[See here: https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/discussion/28905/currently-running-fakewave-in-bruchkoebel

and here: https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/discussion/31228/again-new-abusive-wayspots-in-bruchkoebel ]

In the current wave, it initially appeared that primarily - but not exclusively - Wayspots that did not actually meet any of the acceptance criteria were brought onto the field by the Niantic review. This is probably primarily possible because the Niantic staff is unaware of the specific differences in bicycle wayfinding signs between pure destination wayfinding signs and wayfinding signs for a specific, named bike path.

However, there are also cases of plain graffiti tags, sclupture in a firehouse driveway, and even a Wayspot where a relevant part of the signpost (which is itself Wayspot-worthy, of course) has an anus sticker on it. How this could have been adopted by Niantic is beyond me.


To clarify especially the question about the waypot-worthiness of the bike signposts, here is some info from the "HANDBUCH ZUR RADWEGWEISUNG IN HESSEN" (Handbook on bicycle wayfinding in Hesse) from the Hessian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Energy, Transport and Regional Development. Hesse is the federal state in which the Abuses also take place.

https://www.mobileshessen2030.de/mm/HB-RWW-2017_komprimiert.pdf

This is a typical German destination signpost in bicycle infrastructure.

grafik.png

It is the equivalent of a distance guide for cars

grafik.png

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bildtafel_der_Verkehrszeichen_in_der_Bundesrepublik_Deutschland_seit_2017

( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_signs_in_Germany )

It only becomes a signpost for bicycle trails when such a trail is also marked there. By a square additional sign (marked in pink) under the actual signpost.

As it is the case here on the cover picture of the manual (otherwise it is a generic bike path signpost):

grafik.png

An even more generic variant is the intermediate signpost, which contains no information at all about a possible hiking trail. In principle, it only says "here it continues on a route intended for bicycles". This sign does not say whether this is a bicycle trail or simply the route to the next town or station.

grafik.png

In both cases, these trail signs (without the square additional sign for a specific bike trail) fall into category e) from @NianticGiffard's statement about trails:

https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/discussion/comment/155876#Comment_155876


e) A marker with no trail name on the street <- Not Good (Correct)

And all the Wayspots to bike trail markers listed here later are part of this category. That's why it's incomprehensible why Niantic accepts them.

After it first "only" looked like that wayspot-worthy and not wayspot-worthy suggestions were to be pushed past the actual evaluation pipeline by exploiting the trigger words and in addition the inexperience of the (non-local) Niantic employees was to be exploited, cases are now also piling up again as in the topics linked above, in which Wayspots were submitted completely wrong localized (three tombstones of the local evangelic church, 1.1km away from the actual location), with the goal to come at the wrong location A) at all on the playing area to be moved then by means of the Wayfarer chat - which happens with Edit by Niantic under disregard of the distance rules of the games - and B) there also before the shift possibly still create Gymys in Pokemon Go.


The worrying thing about these three Wayspots is that the submitter even writes in the description "tombstone in front of St. James Church". So the Niantic employee could have simply checked if there is a "St. James Church" there (on an empty field)....

grafik.png

Did anyone see a church on the right? Anyone?

So first by means of a trigger word by a Niantic employee a completely wrong evaluation is made and afterwards by a Niantic employee a shifting of the Wayspot, which was assumed by Niantic only a few hours before, is made over more than one km. By the way: at the Jakobuskriche there are already 7 Pokestops in an area, where the rules accepted by the community allow only one Pokestop...


In addition, there are other terrible carelessness on the part of Niantic evaluators. For example, one, basically legitimate Wayspot candidate, a hiking trail sign defaced with a highly visible sticker of an anus, was accepted by Niantic.

https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.171994,8.931193&z=16&pll=50.17218,8.932744

Furthermore, the abuser is obviously so aware and sure of his cause that he obviously trolls the employees of Niantic with this Wayspot ( https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.175369,8.930635&z=18&pll=50.175896,8.928957 ):

grafik.png

Description: "Die nehmen echt jeden Wegweiser an" - "They really accept every signpost"

This was brought live a few meters away from another Wayspot of the same name, with the same image. Again, no one at Niantic seems to notice. In the meantime, the (non-trolled) proposal has already been moved by a few meters. Submitted: https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.175942,8.928699&z=20&pll=50.176113,8.928657 ; Now: https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.175958,8.926945&z=18&pll=50.176476,8.929342

grafik.png


Last but not least, it is also noticeable that some Wayspots have gone live directly with 2-3 images. This can only mean that the submitter submitted the respective same Wayspot multiple times and these submissions were all processed within one synchronization cycle. Again, Niantic doesn't seem to have noticed anything....

grafik.png

Three times the probably most generic bicycle sign that exists in Germany. High class rater!




A) List of Wayspots that should NEVER NEVER NEVER have been accepted:

  1. 5 Sterne Weg Bruchköbel https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.176414,8.928808&z=16&pll=50.17218,8.932744 (Why is Niantic accepting Wayspots with highly visible anus images!!!? The games are also played by children...)
  2. Feuerwehr Skulptur https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.186076,8.923188&z=17&pll=50.187307,8.926666 (Obstructs rescue services)


B) List of Wayspots that should not have been accepted because they do not meet acceptance criteria (all are generic bicycle infrastructure unrelated to a bicycle trail):

  1. Radwegweiser Mühlbachstraße https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.178314,8.9175&z=16&pll=50.18038,8.916786
  2. Radwegweiser Walther-Rathenau-Straße https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.174279,8.921468&z=17&pll=50.174766,8.925659
  3. Radweg https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.174716,8.921783&z=17&pll=50.175821,8.927914
  4. Radwegweiser Waldseestraße https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.175471,8.924677&z=17&pll=50.17544,8.932925
  5. Radwegschild https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.178349,8.929525&z=17&pll=50.178351,8.932004
  6. Radwegweiser Hammersbacher Straße https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.186076,8.923188&z=17&pll=50.186169,8.924823
  7. Radwegweiser Hammersbacher Straße https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.187388,8.925335&z=17&pll=50.187633,8.927376
  8. Radwegweiser am Kreisel https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.184672,8.922765&z=17&pll=50.184396,8.921625
  9. Radwegweiser Gerhart-Hauptmann-Straße https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.179911,8.936095&z=16&pll=50.181946,8.933084
  10. Radwegweiser https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.179269,8.917239&z=17&pll=50.177278,8.912676
  11. Radwegweiser https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.175942,8.928699&z=20&pll=50.176113,8.928657 (already moved to: https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.175958,8.926945&z=18&pll=50.176476,8.929342
  12. Radwegweiser https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.17562,8.92806&z=18&pll=50.175896,8.928957
  13. Radwegweiser Waldseestraße  https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.176835,8.927783&z=18&pll=50.176641,8.929045
  14. Radwegschilder Gerhart Hauptmann Straße https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.179965,8.923522&z=17&pll=50.181414,8.92884
  15. Radwegweiser Hauptstraße https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.179965,8.923522&z=17&pll=50.181092,8.932436
  16. Radwegweiser Karlsbader Platz https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.172429,8.919057&z=17&pll=50.172339,8.920738 ( Seems to have been moved to: https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.172168,8.919803&z=18&pll=50.17208,8.92038 )
  17. Radwegweiser Haagstraße https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.172429,8.919057&z=17&pll=50.174205,8.923345
  18. Radwegweiser https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.174008,8.924405&z=18&pll=50.174267,8.927021Moved ( already moved to https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.17455,8.924932&z=18&pll=50.174766,8.925659 )
  19. Radwegweiser Waldseestraße https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.176835,8.927783&z=18&pll=50.176641,8.929045
  20. Radwegweiser Friedberger Landstraße https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.177021,8.916523&z=17&pll=50.178133,8.912506
  21. Radwegweiser Am Heinichenberg https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.186525,8.925227&z=17&pll=50.187434,8.921773
  22. Radwegweiser Roßdorfer Straße https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.186525,8.925227&z=17&pll=50.187362,8.920838
  23. Radwegweiser https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.179653,8.921752&z=18&pll=50.179427,8.921974 (misplaced - perhaps already moved. Should be at 50.178628, 8.921597, an area already blocked by two other pokestops)
  24. Radwegweiser https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.175295,8.926893&z=18&pll=50.174736,8.925697 (Moved here [correct] from about 50.174008, 8.924405 [wrong submitted])




C) List of other wayspots that should not have been accepted:

  1. Wegweiser Geflügelzuchtverein https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.170505,8.918943&z=17&pll=50.169924,8.918974 (Simply a generic sign that this is the direction to a club (poultry breeding club) - not the club itself.)
  2. Duse Mural https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.169881,8.918319&z=17&pll=50.168942,8.916582 (graffiti tag)
  3. Brut- & Setzzeit https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.176414,8.928808&z=16&pll=50.17295,8.933841 (generic sign that asks to respect the breeding season of the animals)
  4. Fußwegweiser https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.178851,8.917233&z=17&pll=50.177223,8.917688 (Temporary directional sign between downtown and alternate parking due to downtown remodeling. These have already been largely completed, so the sign will probably be removed soon. In addition, it is an otherwise unspecific directional sign, no hiking trail or the like.)
  5. Bruchköbeler Wegweiser https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.185663,8.928354&z=17&pll=50.186413,8.925477 (Generic guide to different places in the city - No acceptance criteria were met)
  6. Alter Gedenkstein https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.175301,8.935849&z=18&pll=50.176367,8.93639 (Perhaps already moved via Wayfarer chat. Niantic has overlooked that the correct location, 1.1 km away, is even mentioned in the description.)
  7. Alter Gedenkstein https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.175301,8.935849&z=18&pll=50.176159,8.93648 (Perhaps already moved via Wayfarer Chat. Niantic has overlooked that the correct location, 1.1 km away, is even mentioned in the description.)
  8. Alter Gedenkstein https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.175301,8.935849&z=18&pll=50.175727,8.936683 (Perhaps already moved via Wayfarer Chat. Niantic has overlooked that the correct location, 1.1 km away, is even mentioned in the description.)
  9. Duse Mural  https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.186525,8.925227&z=17&pll=50.187613,8.919675 (graffiti tag)
  10. Spitzahorn https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.170384,8.930571&z=16&pll=50.170379,8.937325 (Fake, maybe taken from here:



D) List of Wayspots that are basically worthy of wayspot, but were only brought past the pipeline by exploiting trigger words (maybe they help to investigate the process):

  1. Restaurant Zur alten Post  https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.178314,8.9175&z=16&pll=50.180644,8.916116
  2. Spielplatz in den Niederwiesen https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.17631,8.916814&z=16&pll=50.173743,8.917801
  3. Kleiner Park Bruchköbel https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.171164,8.918331&z=16&pll=50.169826,8.918704
  4. Restaurant La Fantasia https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.170812,8.919387&z=17&pll=50.17087,8.92214
  5. Infokasten https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.17631,8.916814&z=16&pll=50.176689,8.924137 (Maybe not a 5*...)
  6. Gedenktafel Theodor Heuss I https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.174716,8.921783&z=17&pll=50.175059,8.928226
  7. Handballplatz https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.175182,8.92325&z=17&pll=50.174261,8.929381
  8. Green Fungus Mural https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.175471,8.924677&z=17&pll=50.176199,8.930238 (Maybe not a 5*...)
  9. Gedenktafel Ludwig van Beethoven I https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.181988,8.920179&z=17&pll=50.182212,8.921015
  10. Gedenktafel Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart I https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.182738,8.920294&z=17&pll=50.183915,8.920854
  11. Gedenktafel Werner von Siemens https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.185241,8.919121&z=16&pll=50.184179,8.924834
  12. Baumschule Köhler https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.187388,8.925335&z=17&pll=50.188103,8.92774 (Maybe not a 5*...)
  13. Gedenktafel Johann Pestalozzi https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.187371,8.922978&z=17&pll=50.187344,8.916791
  14. Kunstrasenplatz https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.173891,8.927107&z=16&pll=50.171983,8.929581
  15. Spielplatz Walther-Rahtenau-Straße 3-11 https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.176502,8.927943&z=16&pll=50.174268,8.925354
  16. Metzgerei Müller https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.176502,8.927943&z=16&pll=50.176204,8.929677
  17. Baugenossenschaft Bruchköbel Mural https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.172429,8.919057&z=17&pll=50.171901,8.920799
  18. AGÄIS Restaurant https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.178973,8.914722&z=17&pll=50.179441,8.912652
  19. Earth Mural https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.178973,8.914722&z=17&pll=50.179871,8.907282
  20. Gedenktafel Eugen Kaiser https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.174213,8.926334&z=17&pll=50.173896,8.926316
  21. Gedenktafel Wilhelm Emanuel Freiherr von Kettler https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=50.176055,8.918599&z=17&pll=50.176727,8.915139


I'm sure the lists will be added to in the coming days...




A few closing words:

Unfortunately, the abuser seems to care less about quality than about quntity. While he spends a lot of time to submit the Wayspots optimized according to the distance rules and unfortunately also, as in winter, starts again, if the distance rules prevent a live bring on as many games as possible, about wrong locations and subsequent edits via the Wayfarer Chat, he unfortunately spends no to hardly any effort to give the Wayspots meaningful names or descriptions. Titles and descriptions are not infrequently on the level of "bike signposts" + "signposts". It is obviously only about bringing sheer mass to the field.


In general, Niantic should also think about the topic of trigger words. It can hardly be in the spirit of the inventor that the senseless addition of words like "sponsored" in the additional info leads to a direct processing by Niantic, past the existing pipeline. Especially when these words have absolutely nothing to do with the Wayspot and it's obviously just to undermine the rating process. None of the words known in the German speaking community makes sense in relation to most of the Wayspots presented here.

Therefore, measures against this kind of Abuse should be thought about urgently.


Since the abuser finally spoke up in the German-speaking community today, it's clear that he doesn't want to change anything about his behavior.

He explicitly approves of the fact that the use of trigger words shortens the evaluation process by roughly 9 months (in this region). And he also welcomes the possibility of having the incorrectly placed Wayspots corrected directly by Niantic in a very timely manner, bypassing the spacing rules of the individual games.


Once again, it is Niantic themselves who, through the already known way of correcting wrong Wayspots via Wayfarer Chat, also help in the abuse of the system, because such corrections suspend the spacing rules. This has always happened very quickly (often under 24 h). This is now paired with the possibility to bring Wayspots extremely fast by adding a trigger word to the Niantic Review, which again obviously works clearly below the quality level of the community and partly does not know its own rules.


The alorithm, supported by Niantic, is as follows:

  1. Submit Wayspot with trigger word, preferably more frequently.
  2. At least one of the attempts will get through relatively quickly
  3. If Niantic overlooked obvious or less obvious intentional misplacements, use the Wayfarer Chat to bypass all distance rules again with the friendly help of Niantic - if it doesn't happen but it was your intention: it will work with one of the many other submissions of the same Wayspot
  4. Do this in parallel for as many Wayspots as possible


A toxic combination.



@NianticVK @NianticAtlas @NianticLC @NianticOtoStar @NianticAaron

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