Pokestops removed why?
Dear Niantic,
As of today (July 31, 2023) I noticed that many pokestops (48 pcs) have been removed in the evening.
Can this be restored?
These are the real mosaic tiles made by local residents of the Leyens/Buytenwegh neighborhood in Zoetermeer. Even playground equipment for children is removed as a pokestop.
If you want more proof, I would like to help.
Thank you in advance.
PS. why were they all deleted in the first place?
It's about the next pokestops:
Voltorb Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070061,4.491268&z=17&pll=52.070899,4.491189
Carvanha Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070061,4.491268&z=17&pll=52.070978,4.490475
Gastly Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070061,4.491268&z=17&pll=52.070413,4.491288
Piplup Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070061,4.491268&z=17&pll=52.069942,4.49107
Orange Spring Seat
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070061,4.491268&z=17&pll=52.069358,4.491181
Chespin mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070061,4.491268&z=17&pll=52.070172,4.49248
Aron Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070061,4.491268&z=17&pll=52.069931,4.489681
Lairon
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070628,4.493049&z=17&pll=52.070167,4.488913
Mozaiektegel Zapdos
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070628,4.493049&z=17&pll=52.069538,4.487945
Shiinotic mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070628,4.493049&z=17&pll=52.069168,4.489344
Deino Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.069305,4.492786&z=17&pll=52.068423,4.489897
Aggron Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.07001,4.493215&z=17&pll=52.0712,4.492413
Torkoal Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.07001,4.493215&z=17&pll=52.071672,4.492307
Leavanny mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.07001,4.493215&z=17&pll=52.071617,4.491606
Steenee mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.07001,4.493215&z=17&pll=52.071777,4.491303
Buneary mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.07001,4.493215&z=17&pll=52.07147,4.490267
Sentret Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.07001,4.493215&z=17&pll=52.071214,4.489147
Turtwig mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.07001,4.493215&z=17&pll=52.070902,4.488726
Togedemaru Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.07001,4.493215&z=17&pll=52.070573,4.487805
Aipom mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070234,4.493328&z=17&pll=52.070507,4.486409
Ducklett mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070234,4.493328&z=17&pll=52.071208,4.485072
Deerling Winter Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070234,4.493328&z=17&pll=52.071287,4.484477
Pachirisu mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070234,4.493328&z=17&pll=52.071455,4.486109
Oddish mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070234,4.493328&z=17&pll=52.071659,4.486243
Teddidursa mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070234,4.493328&z=17&pll=52.071072,4.487022
Phantump Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070234,4.493328&z=17&pll=52.071421,4.48771
Pikachu Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.070234,4.493328&z=17&pll=52.071996,4.487483
Qwilfish Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.071415,4.493458&z=17&pll=52.072466,4.485589
Shaymin mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.071415,4.493458&z=17&pll=52.072365,4.486128
Wailmer Mozaiektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.071415,4.493458&z=17&pll=52.072604,4.487732
Cacnea Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.071415,4.493458&z=17&pll=52.072266,4.489259
Ludicolo mozaiektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.071415,4.493458&z=17&pll=52.072738,4.488509
Horsea Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.071415,4.493458&z=17&pll=52.072986,4.489047
Magmar Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.071415,4.493458&z=17&pll=52.072855,4.489413
Weepingbell Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.071021,4.493941&z=17&pll=52.071671,4.493695
Spinda nr. 2 Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.071021,4.493941&z=17&pll=52.072065,4.493816
Unown O Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.072145,4.49637&z=17&pll=52.073049,4.496253
Unown K Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.072145,4.49637&z=17&pll=52.073244,4.494815
Unown E Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.072145,4.49637&z=17&pll=52.073739,4.493917
Unown O Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.073444,4.497123&z=17&pll=52.074867,4.493957
Quaxly Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.073313,4.497241&z=17&pll=52.074287,4.497062
Rockruff Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.074058,4.498314&z=17&pll=52.074818,4.498892
Unown mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.074058,4.498314&z=17&pll=52.074618,4.499869
Chatot Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.074058,4.498314&z=17&pll=52.074485,4.500104
Riolu mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.074058,4.498314&z=17&pll=52.074248,4.499998
#Added three more that are also removed
Mosaic Lapras At the Water
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.075199,4.505822&z=17&pll=52.076665,4.502627
Lillipup Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.075199,4.505822&z=17&pll=52.077025,4.503403
Panpour Mozaïektegel
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.075199,4.505822&z=17&pll=52.07723,4.503901
Comments
There's been a lot of Wayfarer abuse happening in the Netherlands.
What are you saying with this post @HankWolfman-PGO ?
A lot of Wayspots in the Netherlands are confirmed to be accepted through an abuse network and have been removed. Many of these include tiles, utility pole numbers, and many other ineligible objects. For more information, you can look over this thread where much of the information was collected:
https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/discussion/43350/strange-accepted-poi-in-the-netherlands
I have read the post "Strange accepted poi in The Netherlands".
We (a group of mosaic tile makers in Zoetermeer) have also often found that our tiles are stolen and abused to become fake pokestops. We always try to report this as well.
Pieniechan-PGO (the person who started the discussion) also indicates more often that the mosaic tiles in Zoetermeer are the real ones. So I don't understand why so many suddenly disappeared. These are not just mosaic tiles from recent months. Some are even longer than a year ago.
Yes I stated for safety where the real tiles where located because Zoetermeer tiles where often targeted for creating more fake wayspots in other cities.
@reenemsraL-PGO also made a topic about a few Zoetermeer tiles being used in Boskoop but @NianticAaron deleted both tiles.
Maybe he can give his feedback what happened to the Zoetermeer tiles and the playground sets.
Because as example Orange Spring Seat is visible on google streetview.
Removal of playground set is a temporary glitch and it will be back shortly. The tiles are low quality candidates and do not meet our criteria and as a result, they were removed. Thanks,
You need to explain whether the tiles were accepted through review abuse or not.
I was just saying that it's possible that certain wayspots were getting caught up as collateral damage as a result of the efforts to fix what was caused by the abuse (which is seemingly what happened with the playground, as Aaron says). I was in no way inferring that any wayspot was abusive in itself; more that I thought it might be possible that certain wayspots may have been incorrectly removed if they'd been voted on by accounts linked to the abuse. I probably should've made that clearer in my initial comment, but I didn't want to edit it after posting it as it likely would've got lost in the moderator void for several hours and then ended up looking out of place when it did get approved. I would be grateful if you and your friends could undo the disagree spam given that it was a simple misunderstanding.
Not everything is abuse. Initially the reviewers might have thought that the tiles were a nice touch (remember that previous criteria made art items better candidates that the current criteria, even going back to the original Ingress portals). After one is approved, the reviewers thought , "oh, look, there's another one approved, so let's approve this one" all of that without any abuse, just a different understanding of what Niantic wants.
Hi @NianticAaron,
I’ve read the wayfarer criteria and I found that Mosaic Tiles are fully allowed. Here’s the source:
Eligibility Criteria
“Unique art or architecture”
Those mosaic tiles are one off a kind, so they are Unique, this means, our tiles are fully eligible to be a waypoint, and should be restored
Acceptance criteria
1.Must meet at least one of three eligibility criteria
2.Must be a permanent, physical, tangible and recognizable object or place, or an object that marks an area
3.Must be safe and publicly accessible to pedestrians (indoors or outdoors)
4.Must contain correct information in the title, description and photo
Rejection criteria
1.Does not meet eligibility criteria (see above)
2.Inappropriate location, place or object
3.Abused location
4.Inappropriate text or description
5.Inappropriate photo
6.Offensive text, description and/or photo
7.Undue Influence of Reviewers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't understand two things. Did someone report them or something? I also don't understand at all why you say that the tiles are low quality candidates. what shows that?
If you don’t agree with our explanation I would like another Niantic Staff to take a look at this because it is eligible.
And I noticed something strange about what you have deleted yesterday, because I found a hell lot of more that are actually ineligible to be as a wayspot.
Just some grass (2 waypoints)
Empty greenfields are not eligible. They are 1* rejections as “natural feature” its just a piece of green grass between houses.
Intel Links:
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.077282,4.501707&z=17&pll=52.07649,4.503644
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.077282,4.501707&z=17&pll=52.077352,4.503522
Electrical Box
This electrical box is not permanent and is gone already I walk there often. I quote from the criteria: “The location, place or object is temporary or unlikely to become permanent” so this one should be gone.
Intel Link: https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.076538,4.501632&z=17&pll=52.076153,4.503425
A sign that is everywhere in Zoetermeer
The criteria says: “The location doesn't seem to be a great place to explore, exercise or gather. The object is not unique or interesting commercially, generically or visually.” This one is NOT generically seen:
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.077282,4.501707&z=17&pll=52.076687,4.503636
An emergency device:
This is an medical device, and this is blocking for emergency services, so this one is dangerous, and absolutely not safe. I quote from the criteria:
“The location impedes the passage of first aid services or may prevent the work of the fire brigade, police, hospitals, army bases, industrial sites, power stations and control towers” so this one isn’t allowed.
Intel Link: https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.077866,4.504832&z=17&pll=52.077658,4.505579
Trashcan:
Here I found a few trashcans that are not unique or anything. These trashcans are found all over Zoetermeer. And I quote from the Criteria: “The location doesn't seem to be a great place to explore, exercise or gather. The object is not unique or interesting commercially, generically or visually.” That’s the case here.
Intel Links:
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.078761,4.505101&z=17&pll=52.078847,4.506094
https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=52.078761,4.505101&z=17&pll=52.077679,4.506641
This is just a small selection of the pokestops that are present that indeed do not meet the criteria.
Thank you for looking into this.
Kind regards,
Jaimz29 and reenemsraL
Dear niantic, i really dont understand how you can say that the tiles are low quality candidates. Did you take a look at these tiles? A lady here in the neigbourhood made these tiles. Just making 1 tile takes almost 10 hour of work. So you think that this Labour is low quality and less quality than all the graffiti tracks everywhere that takes a few minuten to make en that you do allow? I’m really very diasapointed in niantic right now!
My only issue with genuine tiles, rather than the sticker copies is were they deliberately placed to create a wayspot, which is surely abuse?
No, its absolutly not the case where we place them, we put them just where are not an waypoint already, and we're the good streets are where we can place them, because alot here in Zoetermeer is with street, and we can't place them there.
About the sticker copy's, its happening sadly sometimes. I've madd a few topics about those... But almost every time, Niantic helps us perfectly only not this time...
can you also please remove all
paardrijroutes
wandelknooppunten
mountainbikeroutes in the netherlands.
thousands of tegen and 0 are Unique
You clearly didn't understand the whole situation despite being Dutch player.
"we put them just where are not an waypoint already" - So they are made specifically to create a waypoint?
It does baffle me that grass has been accepted while mosaic tiles were removed. However, I do want to point out two mistakes you've made here.
Eletrical Box Tiger Mural - It's still there, I walk past it almost every day. You must be confused with another wayspot.
A sign that is everywhere in Zoetermeer - The sign is generic, but the wayspot isn't "just the sign", there are several photos of this communal garden and it's titled "Community Herb Garden". The sign only shows that the communal garden is approved by the local government and that people may start simular projects in their own area.
No, the main reason why we make the tiles is to brighten up the neighbourhood. We don't just make pokemon, we also make Mario characters, or Winny the Pooh. And we request them from time to time. I think there are at least 20 without pokestop in Zoetermeer.
Kind regards,
reenemsraL
For extra explaination, arround the school: IKC De Tjalk, we've done a project of mosaic tiles for the school, a serie of 8 tiles, only 2 of them are waypoints. That because they are to the other side of the street. The other 6 tiles are just on the school propperty and the local authority.
And we don't just do it for schools, also for kids, we also create those tiles for quests, we've got alot of messages: "where are they precisely so we can follow them on my childs birthday". People are looking for them, just to brighten up the city.
I walk there often, I have seen it, then a pokestop came, and the box was gray again...
And then the sign, the criteria is: must be unique, that sign man. Seen it everywhere definitely not unique.
Thank you - I misunderstood your earlier post
So that's the story. Still, among the removed mosaic tiles Wayspots there, majority of them are Pokemon-themed.
Before I speculated too much, when did all the Wayspots accepted and appeared in the game? If they're exist before this whole abuse first reported in this forum then they're not the result of review abuse and Niantic should restore them, provided that they don't meet other removal criteria.
Hi,
Euhh a long time ago, 1,5years to 2 years or something? Far for the abuse thing happend. And they all follow all of the criteria of Niantic, so we don't see a reason to not restore them.
We as a group all play pogo, and then a small group found a fun new hobby to do. Thats creating tiles. After that, a few other joined as well. And because the first was Pokemon, and we all play it, and there are alot of them, like over 1000 Pokemons, and they can get shiny as well, so we can create alot of tiles.
Kind regards,
reenemsraL
I am glad to help!
Mosaic tiles do meet the criteria. So @NianticAaron is admitting he doesn’t even know the criteria? They are all unique, permanent installations which is decent art as well. Niantic is now targeting real and legit placed Mosaic tiles that actually flourish and bloom up the neighbourhoods. I’ve been to Zoetermeer to check out if the tiles are real.. and I noticed all of them are real, there’s also multiple non Pokémon tiles made be the community and also placed in already occupied cells, just to flourish up the neighbourhood.
Also being a “low quality wayspot” was never even a reason for niantic to remove anything before, why remove tiles that have been there for over an year suddenly now. All the attention is on the Netherlands now while a lot of other countries also abuse heavily, it’s just not being as much reported on..
Clearly these types of Waypoints incentivise exploration and often include a certain type of sports. As such, they are eligible Wayspots.
Thank you for supporting, this means alot to us! <3
I live 160km away and I visited to see what it was like and everything was real, placed accurately and yeah niantic really missing the nail on this one… they are blinded by one person abusing with the bots that they are now targeting legit nominations and players as well who have nothing to do with that abuse.
160km thats alot, thank you for confirming!
Kind regards, reenemsraL
Please restore this Niantic... we spend a lot of time and energy making these tiles.