I submitted a Pokestop and it was rejected on two incorrect accounts. 1.) the photo is “confirmed” a Google street view photo (it’s not) 2.) the photo contains something harmful or abusive (it doesn’t).
I was given a warning on my account for this and I would like it to be revoked. I understand if the pokestop cannot be accepted but I don’t deserve this strike on my account. I don’t want to risk being suspended for 30 days.
I play pokemon Go with my 6 year old son, we love the game and I honestly just wanted to contribute a legitimate pokestop to the game. Please advise and let me know what I can do to resolve this. Thank you.
Please note that it was only rejected for one reason - the photo being from a third-party (whether that it is correct or not). The abuse reference is because using ineligible photos is a category of abuse, so this basically repeats the first rejection.
If you can post the location, the community here would be able to provide advice on the photo that was flagged, especially if you post it is a larger version
Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, it’s 355 Cane Creek Rd, Fletcher, NC 28732, USA
It’s on the timeline because I uploaded that photo to our timeline. I am the Ecommerce Business Specialist at Cane Creek and I manage our website and everything related to web, including our Google Business location. So yes, it’s from our timeline however that is a legitimate photo and I myself uploaded it.
The main photo for the wayspot must be one you took yourself. (In theory you can use a photo someone else took and gave to you, but you risk them not being entirely truthful about having taken the photo themselves, so in practice this is unsafe).
You shouldn’t post the main wayspot photo anywhere else until the wayspot has been approved. Reviewers (and Niantic) cannot tell that the wayspot submitter uploaded the photo to Google.
Yes, I uploaded that photo to our Google Business Profile. I manage it. Sure I could walk outside my office and take a photo with my phone but I had this clear and bright photo at the ready so why not use it. I didn’t realize what would happen.
Niantic considers anything available on a third party site to be a third party photo. Hopefully staff will DM you about this and revoke any strike against your account based on this post.
Okay, yes this is an understandable thing to do, but niantic still don’t allow us to use photos shared elsewhere online for submissions. In future it’s best to take separate photos for each purpose (even if they are similar).
I would think you can get the warning removed though by supplying proof of these being your own photos. Staff would be able to assist with what to do.
Thanks, good to see this is an issue that has previously come up and been resolved as essentially a non-issue. I appreciate the help. In the future I’ll just take the photos with my phone. Honestly was just trying to submit a strong location. Oof!
I did submit the 50-year history wall as well and I think that has a photo or two from our Google timeline in there…I hope it doesn’t get rejected and count as a strike against my account. I submitted that second one because I thought submitting the Experience Center was the issue and I should submit something more of local historical importance instead.
Do you want to discuss the nomination here, too, or leave this just about the abuse warning until staff have weighed in? I don’t quite understand what the Experience center is.
The Experience Center is a store at our HQ but it also has a lot of info about local history and we have a small coffee/espresso bar. Great place for a Pokestop IMO…
If either one, the history wall or experience center could be approved and then the warning against my account be removed that would be ideal.
I have revoked the warning, and it won’t reflect on your records. Please do not use any image available on any third party website to avoid such instances.
