I’ve been playing Pokémon GO since 2016 and using Niantic Wayfarer pretty much since it launched globally. I’ve always tried to add useful and aesthetically pleasing PokéStops with interesting historical value. However, I’ve noticed that recently, all of my submissions are rejected within about 24 hours. The only rejection reason I receive is the “wayspot criteria.”
I understand that these rejections may be due to Niantic’s AI reviewing my submissions, but I genuinely believe these are places worth visiting, and I don’t see why they couldn’t be considered PokéStops. In fact, similar spots have already been accepted in the past, so I’m not sure why these new ones aren’t being approved.
I’m careful not to include people in the photos or anything else that might violate the guidelines, so I make sure to follow the criteria. Despite this, every one of my proposals, which are quite varied, ends up getting rejected.
It’s pretty frustrating because I spend a lot of time doing historical research on each element I propose, and seeing my submissions constantly rejected is a bit discouraging. I really want to keep adding new opportunities to the game, but this has made it difficult to stay motivated.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read my post. I really appreciate all the efforts that go into making Niantic Wayfarer a better experience for everyone. I hope that by sharing my feedback, we can continue improving the game together and create more opportunities for exploration and discovery.
That does sound frustrating. Have you been appealing any of these rejections? Are they successful?
If you could post a couple of examples in full there are fellow wayfinders happy to try and diagnose what might be the issue.
Ideally we will need all the text , both photos and location so we can look at it as if reviewing.
Hello, thank you very much for the quick response!
I’ve already appealed one of my rejected PokéStops, which is under review, but I can’t appeal multiple submissions at once. I’d like to share an example of one of my nominations for context :
Title: Winged Face
Description:
Built in 1928, this house with limestone and silico-limestone brick is classified as a historical monument by Mérimée. The architect is Marcel Joseph Kopp. This low-relief sculpture enhances the facade perfectly.
Additional Information:
This building is particularly beautiful (a mix of brick and limestone), and its ornament complements it wonderfully.
I believe this ornament deserves to be appreciated, and the addition of historical information allows for a deeper appreciation of its cultural and architectural significance.
Thanks,
It gives the rejection reason as other wayfarer criteria, this usually indicates a rejection within 24 hours by the program that checks and can accept or reject (you will see it referred to as Emily or ML machine learning). The email will also refer to our team rejecting it.
If the appeal doesn’t work then I would recommend having a main photo that is mainly the object
That helps show it’s not just a building.
The translation comes up with house. But this is clearly a building with several apartments. So make sure that is clear.
Otherwise it sounds good.
It seems that the solution here is indeed to clarify in my appeal that this isn’t just a regular building or a private property, but actually a residential building with multiple units. I’ll also emphasize its historical significance, highlighting that it’s a notable part of local heritage.
Once I submit my appeal, I’m curious to know if it’s processed by an AI or a human reviewer. Any insight on that? And how long it typically takes to receive a response ?
Thanks again for your support. I’ll keep you updated on how it goes!
Appeals are supposed to be processed by actual human beings, but you are allotted only two appeals on a twenty day cycle.
If you have more high-quality submissions like the above, you might try posting more of the rejected ones here. If the staff see your post they may reverse the bad decisions and use your info to help the machine to work better.
OP is inquiring about multiple nominations that appear to be rejected by ML.
I propose posting all those nominations here, rather than two by two every twenty days, to speed things up and improve the system.
Do you object to my colloquial use of ‘supposed’ to mean ‘expected’ or ‘understood’? Does your flat statement stand as a promise for all time? Will Niantic inform you, and do you promise to immediately pass the knowledge to us if things change?
Are we being overly pedantic, or am I missing some deeper context here?
Hey, tone is difficult to read on the internet. You made a statement that read like it was not certain. @elijustrying added certainty to what you said.
Could you please clarify what the community voting process is? I’d like to understand how it works and where I can find more information about it. It sounds like it might be another way for my submissions to be evaluated, aside from the Machine Learning (ML) review.
I’ve attached some of my rejected PokéStop nominations for reference. These spots are visible from public spaces, with enough room on the sidewalk for players to gather comfortably. While I understand that the AI may initially reject certain submissions, I believe these locations offer valuable opportunities for exploration and appreciation of local architecture.
The architectural details I’ve highlighted in these nominations bring out the historical character of the area, and I think they make interesting additions to the game. I appreciate any feedback on why certain aspects might not meet the criteria, especially for elements on private buildings that are fully visible from the street.
Thank you for considering my perspective, and I look forward to any feedback!
The Green Entrance
Description: Beautifully ornate door. A Haussmann-style building influenced by Art Nouveau, designed by architect O. Carnier and built in 1911.
Additional Info: A beautiful building worth seeing.
“The Line and Dots”
Description: This simplistic facade design is characteristic of the International Style, inspired by Bauhaus. This 1920 building’s functional look is notable for its minimalistic and global style, with utilitarian aesthetics.
Additional Info: Even if the PokéStop is humorous, the location and description make it a fantastic site to visit.
“Framed Flower”
Description: Charming ornament on a building from the late 19th century.
Additional Info: The houses along this boulevard are remarkable and not well-known.
“The Devil”
Description: Colorful Art Nouveau frieze with arabesque motifs. The building was constructed at the end of the 19th century and has a neoclassical style with triangular pediments at the top.
Additional Info: Impressive house located in a very beautiful neighborhood.
again - I believe you have to improve the title photos, green entrance - fine but line and dots shoud be straight, framed flowers - go closer, The Devil - I can hardly find the devil on picture.
all your POIs are perfect but can be better presented
Instead of directly answering your question, I’m going to point you to the Help pages. I do this because I’d like to know how well the official information amswers your question. If you still have questions after reading these pages, please let us know. We would like to know what gaps in education we need to help Niantic fill.
