Why hasn't the "2 mile pin-move" exploit while reviewing been fixed?

AisforAndis-INGAisforAndis-ING Posts: 1,072 Ambassador
edited March 2022 in April AMA - 2022

A long running exploit in Wayfarer allows reviewers to abuse the system and move pins for multiple miles while reviewing. The exploit occurs when multiple reviewers (or a reviewer with multiple accounts, or both) collude to move a POI during review to a fake, incorrect location. Unlike move edits which are restricted to 20 meters, the distance for this type of move is approximately TWO MILES.

This leads to abusive wayspots like this, a playground set that was moved miles away from it's submitted location to be on top of an abusers house.

This phenomenon has been well documented in cases such as the St. Cloud abuse ring here, here, here, here, and in multiple other cases. A bug report for this exploit can be found here.

This issue is further compounded by the fact that as few as five users are able to collude to successfully move wayspots to incorrect locations while reviewing as well as rural communities can easily exploit the wayfarer algorithm to get ineligble wayspots accepted.

Given the sheer number of times that Niantic has had to clean up abuse cases like this, and the fact that it has been widely reported on the forum, there is no reason this exploit should be ongoing? Why are reviewers still able to move pins for multiple miles while reviewing? There is NEVER a reason a pin should be moved that far.

Post edited by NianticTintino-ING on
72
72 votes

New · Last Updated

Comments

Sign In or Register to comment.