Are the eligibility criteria (not) the same for everyone?

Hello everyone! I’m a new Wayfarer, and as a newbie, I need the community’s help to clarify some criteria for accepting or rejecting new Wayspots.

Sit down, grab a cup of tea, and get ready, because there are many complex questions.

1. CEMETERIES.

Niantic guidelines indicate cemeteries as ineligible locations, as they are sensitive places. Yet, here in the small villages of the Italian countryside, many cemeteries are marked as Wayspots. What should I do? Report the existing ones and reject all new requests?

2. BULLETIN BOARDS FOR EPITAPHS

I don’t know about you, but for us in Italy, bulletin boards with epitaphs are as common as information boards in Japan: even the most remote village has at least two. Since Niantic has approved the creation of Wayspots from public bulletin boards, many (clever) Italians are making requests using epitaph boards. I keep rejecting them, right?

3. RESTAURANTS-BARS

Niantic says that “famous restaurants, very popular bars” are accepted.

3.1 - Now, I’ll give an example to better explain the situation.

Hard Rock Cafe in Rome: it’s famous, it’s very popular. BUT, it’s a generic franchise that is not unique to the local area, so it should not be accepted (according to Niantic guidelines). Right?

3.2 - How can you define a very popular bar? How can we know if it really is or not? Either we assume they all are, or none are. I personally nominated an Irish Pub here in an Italian town, a bar that has seen 4 different generations take a seat at the tables, but it was rejected. Then I find myself in the position of having to evaluate a myriad of other bars, and maybe discover from the map that others have already been accepted. So? How should I behave: Do I accept them all or not? Do I appeal my proposal or not? Do I report the existing ones?

4. SHOPS-GYMS

4.1 - The rules say it must not be a generic franchise. Yet I receive packages from other players of stores like FamilyMarket, 7eleven etc. Here too, what should I do? Report them? If, for example, I were to receive a request for a more European Eurospin, for example, should I accept it or not?

4.2 - Same thing for gyms, intended as weight rooms, fitness rooms, where you have to pay to enter (not like sports halls, which are public). In this case too, should the requests be rejected? Should I report the existing ones?

5. MURALS

Personally, as beautiful as some graffiti or murals may be, I always wonder: what if they clean the wall tomorrow? I can understand murals on entire buildings, with artistic facades often WANTED by the owners. But generic murals, writing in the corner of a water distribution cabin, for example, are they really worth it? They are not “unique art”, they do not mark an area, and it is extremely unlikely (for urban decorum) that they are permanent. So, what do I do? I don’t accept them? And if I find them, do I report them?

There, I think I’ve asked everything.

I’ll make a small note in conclusion.

Reporting is not fun for me, I would rather always find a way to accept as many Wayspots as possible. But rules are rules and should not be broken, it’s clear. But here we are not talking about providing a relevant community service for the public good of the entire world population, but being able to provide specific communities of players with the opportunity to progress in the various games: the more Wayspots there are, the more fun we have.

Thanks to whoever has the patience and willingness to answer.

Transalte by Gemini


Original Italian Version

Buongiorno a tutti! Sono un nuovo Viandante, e come novizio, ho bisogno dell’aiuto della community per cercare di chiarire alcuni criteri di accettazione o rifiuto dei nuovi waypoint.
Sedetevi, prendente una tazza di the, e preparatevi, perché lo domande sono tante e complesse.

n.1: I CIMITERI.
Nelle linee guida Niatic, i Cimiteri sono indicati come luoghi non idonei, in quanto luoghi sensibili. Eppure qui nei paesini delle campagne italiane, tantissimi cimiteri sono contrassegnati come Waypoint. Che devo fare? Segnarle gli esistenti e rifiutare tutte le richieste?

n.2: BACHECE PER EPITAFFI
Non so da voi, ma per noi in Italia, la bacheca con gli epitaffi, è al pari della presenza di bacheche informative in Giappone: anche il paesino più sperduto ne ha almeno due. Dato che Niantic ha avvallato la possibilità di creare Waypoint dalle bacheche pubbliche, molti (furbetti) italiani stanno facendo richiesta usando però le bacheche per epitaffi. Io continuo a cancellare, giusto?

n.3: RISTORANTI-BAR
Niantic dice che sono accettati “Ristoranti famosi, bar molto frequentati”.
3.1 - Ora, pongo un esempio per meglio far capire la situazione.
Hard Rock Cafè di Roma: è famoso, è molto frequentato. MA, è un franchise generico che non è esclusivo a livello locale, pertanto non andrebbe accettato (stando alle direttive Niantic). Giusto?
3.2 – Come si può definire un Bar molto frequentato? Come possiamo noi, sapere se lo è davvero o no? O diamo per scontato che lo siano tutti, o nessuno. HO candidato personalmente un Pub Irlandese qui in un paese italiano, un Bar che ha visto 4 generazioni diverse prendere posto ai tavoli, ma è stato rifiutato. Poi mi trovo nelle condizioni di dover valutare una miriade di altri Bar, e magari scoprire dalla mappa, che altri sono già stati accettati. Quindi? Come devo comportarmi: Li accetto tutto o no? Faccio ricorso per la mia proposta o no? Segnalo quelli esistenti?

n.4: NEGOZI-PALESTRE
4.1 – Le regole dicono che non deve essere un franchise generico. Eppure ricevo pacchi da altri giocatori di negozi tipo FamilyMarket, 7eleven ecc. Anche qui, quindi, che devo fare? Segnalo? Se ad esempio mi sottoponessero una richiesta per un più europeo Eurospin, ad esempio, dovrei accettarla o no?
4.2 – Stessa cosa per le Palestre, intese proprio come sale pesi, sale fitness, dove per entrare si deve pagare (non come i palazzetti dello sport, che sono pubblici). Anche in questo caso, le richieste devono essere respinte? Dovrei segnalare quelle esistenti?

n.5: MURALES
Personalmente, per quanto belli possano essere certi graffiti o murales, mi domando sempre: e se domani passano a ripulire il muro? Posso capire i murales di interi palazzi, con facciate artistiche spesso VOLUTE dai proprietari. Ma il murales generico, la scritta nell’angolo di una cabina della distribuzione idrica, ad esempio, valgono davvero? Nono sono “Arte unica”, non contrassegnano un’area, ed è estremamente improbabile (per decoro urbano) che siano permanenti. Quindi, che faccio? Non li accetto? E se li trovo, li segnalo?

Ecco, direi che ho chiesto tutto.
Faccio una piccola postilla in conclusione.
Segnalare non mi diverte, preferirei anzi trovare sempre il modo per riuscire ad accettare più waypoint possibili. Ma le regole sono regole e non bisognerebbe trasgredirle, è chiaro. Però qui si parla non di fornire un servizio comunitario rilevante per il bene pubblico di tutta la popolazione mondiale, ma poter fornire alle specifiche community di giocatori, la possibilità di progredire nei vari giochi: più waypoint ci sono, più ci si diverte.

Grazie a chi avrà la pazienza e la voglia di rispondere.

Hi! Here you have some criteria clarifications!:

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Simply perfect.

This cleared up pretty much all my doubts. I guess that’s why I’ll have to go and mark a few too many waypoints with vandalistic graffiti :sweat_smile:

I really thank you very much. This guide was truly precious and very useful, it should be included as an official guide on the site and not just here in the community!

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If I’m not wrong there was an official message saying it is planned to add them there but I can’t find it or maybe I’m just imagine it, but sure, it would be very helpful to have it in the website.
I just want to remark these posts and otthers you can read at Criteria Clarification Collection are official guides!

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I thought I saw this statement, too, that it would be added where all wayfarers would see it, but I couldn’t find it again when I tried to share that with someone.

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I’d say every country, city, town, village has it’s own take on acceptability so go with what you think is correct :slight_smile:

I personally try not to ask for a removal unless I know I can add something else to the map.

I’ll report schools, something that may interfere with emergency services or very obvious abuse. That’s just a personal choice though and I’m sure others would disagree.

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Please forgive me for intruding on this topic even though you have put together the topic so well.
Currently, chain and franchise stores fall under the Rejection criteria. However, NianticTintino says: “chain restaurant may be an extremely popular local hot spot.” In other words, if it falls under one of the following categories: exploration, exercise, or social with others, and it has “interesting backstories”, “highly rated places”, or “extremely popular local”, it is suitable as a Wayspot. It is contradictory that restaurants, coffee shops, gyms, etc., whether they are chain stores or franchise stores, are functionally the same and are eligible, yet they are approved or denied. Therefore, I believe that being a chain or franchise store should be removed from the Rejection criteria, and voting should be based solely on whether or not it is suitable for Wayspot.

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The content the submitter has provided as proof is crucial with these nominations, it is highlighted that the supporting evidence must make eligibility clear through something the reviewer can check.

The rejection reason available is “generic business”, IMO a catch-all term for businesses that do not meet eligibility or chain restaurants that has not exceeded the bar of being a “local hotspot”.

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No. Removal criteria is not the same as acceptance criteria.
People here quote acceptance criteria, but it is irrelevant for removals.

For example, if an adults-only location is already in game, it does not meet removal criteria. Gum Club / Shooting Range - #13 by NianticAtlas

IOW Don’t bother reporting things for removal that really exist, unless they could cause Niantic legal trouble (like a school, single family residence, fire station, etc) and are one of the reasons on the REJECTION screen.

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very sorry. I did not check enough.
The Japanese version has 7 items under “Rejection Criteria” > “Ineligible location, place, or object”, and the 7th item contains the following information. “General businesses that are not rooted in the local area, such as chain stores or franchise stores.” However, the English version only has 6 items.
The English version of the “Wayspot Criteria” that I know of is as follows. Eligibility Criteria, Acceptance Criteria, Rejection Criteria and Forum Criteria Discussions Library. Also, when you select Eligibility Criteria, “Related articles” will be displayed. Content Guidelines, Forum Criteria Discussions Library, Acceptance Criteria, Wayfarer FAQ, Description Guidelines, and ejection Criteria. Similar “Related articles” will be displayed even if you select other criteria.
The criteria on the Japanese version of Wayfarer’s website (Niantic Wayfarer) are as follows: Eligibility Criteria, Acceptance Criteria, Rejection Criteria and Content Guidelines. Unfortunately, “Related articles” are not displayed in any of the Criteria. However, you can see illustrations in Acceptance Criteria. :smiley: